Office Politics, Good or Bad?

Want to begin with Office politics as a topic, a very prominent,"openly"unspoken and a strong one indeed. 

For most of you, doesn't politics as a word brings in pessimistic thoughts, is it because of the way we are programmed or programmed our self? or is it because of the derived human nature of thinking negative before thinking positive or being more pessimistic than optimism?

Politics can be defined as good or bad based on experience of an individual, it is a perception which we create by perceving things/situations.

Office politics is highly unspoken and mostly used and has no rules, in stronger organisations it would help built trust, postivity and urge to achieve more. Weaker organisations would simple succumb to politics, it would encourage fear and distrust.

Staying away from it is like staying away from the sun :).. not possible, it is like something which is inevitable, bound to happen, Just like Murphy’s law.

Being a part of it?- This can be or cannot be your choice.

So how do you respond to office politics?As Life does’nt always gives you a flow chart, dealing through is something you have to decide or someone else will decide for you, again it can be bad or good based on outcome/experience.

What i feel is, Be yourself, every person has a value system, keep on checking, if it is getting fit within your value system.

Attempt to know the game, to know the ladder, find out the influencer, leaders, decision makers, most importantly create a formal/informal connect with these.

In life there are situations in which you require help and there are situations which require your help, Office is not much different from what i have mentioned as life here.

Some colleagues go out of their way to help which can build you as a person and can build a relation for you in office, build such relations in across all levels and functions, because you never know in which situation someone will bail you out :)

Atleast on the face of it, Always be good with people, unless the situation really calls for it. 

Please attempt to voice out your ideas to leaders, understand that they are human too! Get over your fear, people back out mostly because of the fear.

At least three things will happen

• You will get over your fear
• Your idea may not work or will work or will require some tweak to work
• You will get visibility
• You will be seen as some one who is contributing or attempting to contribute
• This one is awesome, You will Discover yourself.

We all have fighting arguing capabilities, trust me on this one! Some would require a bit of instigation to begin, some are born with it :), for some it totally depends with their mood.

But, It is said right, that, Choose your battles wisely.

Whatever you do, Fight, Argue anything, just remember, do not burn bridges.

Networking and being in the Nexus is the key!

Corporate politics is like a fire, which can give light to your career or burn it down to ashes, having said that, everything and anything happening to you is always for GOOD, trust me!! Even if that particular moment you feel that this has turned out to something what you did’nt expected, seriously just let it go, life has something better in store for you.

Years later, when you connect the dots, you will have a smile on your face :) hopefully you have one reading this now :)