Help! I may be the Target of Office Politics!

Posted on April 25, 2011 by Leia Gamache, One of Thousands of Relationship Coaches on Noomii.

Creating a healthy environment out of a toxic workplace can be tricky. However, there are a few important steps you can take to, at least, get out of the line of fire.

Remember that politics are all about alliances. Who have you aligned yourself with and what is their relationship with the “powers that be”? Have you been found guilty by association?

There’s no need to ditch your friends. Ensuring that your skills are seen by those who make important decisions about your career may shift things in your favour.

Have you aligned yourself with the organization? In many cases, upper management has dedicated a significant part of their life to the organization, in order to get where they are.

Find something to get excited about at work that shows your dedication. You don’t need to die for the cause, but showing that you are not just there to collect a paycheque may help to soften their perceptions of you.

Be aware that, sometimes, things are not as they seem. There may be someone else in your organization who does not have your best interests at heart and who is “seeding” the negative perception that you are a problem.

If you know of someone like this, you may choose to clear the air with them or bring your concerns to someone higher up that you know you can trust.

Be careful with this one or it could blow up in your face. It will be important to be sure that they are sabotaging in some way before you confront them. Remember that they are not your enemy. Their actions have more to do with their own fears than anything you are doing.

Is it possible that you have dropped the ball in some way? Make no mistake about it…there is something to be said for making amends. If you have dropped the ball, go back and clean it up.

Finally, don’t give them anything to criticize. TMI (too much information) is one of the surest ways to invite politics. Be selective in who you share your personal aspirations and successes with or you may invite the attention of someone who wants to “take you down a notch”.

*Let some time pass under the radar and you will soon find that they have forgotten all about you. *