Workplace politics.

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What do you think of politics in the workplace? I've always found it pointless. You'd think there would be plenty more things to do apart from bitching about others who are usually more competent than themselves.

I'm not even aware of what politics is, so I don't get involved. I call out stupid things in the company when I see it, but I'm generally likable enough.

I don't have multiple faces, and act nicety nice to people and then talk down to them around there back.

I'm always weary of politics, but I'm consistently unaware of it....

I hate politics. I just keep my head down and work. No problems at my workplace, but a non committal 'Hmm' in response to gossip or probing sometimes keeps you from getting pulled into it.

I don't like the politics but you have to keep an eye on it to survive in the office.

In some ways, it's a bit amusing, like watching a real-life Dilbert cartoon.

I am not one who likes office politics but I can't say it won't affect me in any way... My current work place is hell on earth with toxic bosses all over the place. It's hard to identify anyone you can trust so I just keep to the fingerful (less than 5 so can't call handful lol)

I have 2 Managers in my department of 20. Of course I would need to mention there are 2 Supervisors as well... basically we are divided into 4 groups. My own grouping consisted of myself and my best friend D (whom without her I wouldn't be there in the first place and be jobless). Although we are classified on our own, we also take care of the needs of the rest reason being we are what they term as the Complaints Department. Boy do I hate that reference everytime our Operations Director (tell me if there is such a post in your organisation cos I am intrigued) takes visitors around our work area. Basically issues get escalated to us to either solve it with the relevant departments or assign it to them to follow up.

Trouble started when the 2nd Manager post was created (she was an Exec before and joined the company for about 2 years) and that person assume the artificially created position. My peers looked in disbelief and none congratulated this woman whom I shall call M as many deem she don't deserve it and with 2 Managers running a small department, it's sure to be chaotic. However, it's no secret that M and my Operations Director are like nail and flesh. No one can touch M even if she wreaked havoc on people from other department. Naturally, my co-workers avoid her like a plague.

This is where I get severely affected in this top heavy organisation of mine... M starts pushing cases to me and not keen to pull her weight on the job. Or she would just take whatever me and my best friend have followed through 95% and claim credit for it, which is usual in many ineffective, useless bosses. Naturally I fought back. I b***h slapped her in my e-mails to a point of discrediting her and even in person as well but that usually worked as she will get her butt off the chair and do something useful.

I didn't realise the extent of the rottenness in my company (let alone my department), when my 1st Manager whom we shall refer to as J called me into her office to chat. Of course J buttered me up excessively and then pointedly say I should be more tactful when dealing with my boss. I know something's up as my D has witnessed them whispering to each other. Bad move! By now we have started to be judgemental on J and wonder where her loyalty lies. True enough she's not impartial to M perhaps for the selfish reason to protect her rice bowl. Everyone knows M is manipulative and she can either make or break a person in the company.

I know what I did is inviting trouble but I am glad that I did. I thought J was at least someone whom I can reason with but it seems she's equally brain washed with the company's doctrine. This I found out after speaking to a colleague from the other department on how his bosses (he have 2 as well but understandable as they are pretty much a larger operation) behave. The patterns are eerily similar. I know I am in a lot of trouble now. For me to elaborate everything is a bit too lengthy for this post.

I have been in and out of jobs because of people like M and J. It will continue on as it actually made me a better employee (not for the employer I guess hah hah) as it really broadens my horizon. What I am dissenting about is, during my discussion with M & J (we had it planned after my chat with J), M flatly denied acknowledging any grand plans for both me & D which she has told us in the beginning, albeit separately. M must be cursing the day she took me in as my Operations Director was hesistant looking at my employment records as I hardly stay long enough in any company. Although I must say I have an impressive array of achievements that somehow stand out sorely amongst my poor tenures lol.

Even in this current positition of 11 mths... out of 2 Award Recoginition Sessions, I have received 2 out of 2. They know they can't do without me & D as we are great working in tandem and gets a lot of things done quickly which they have never achieved before in their entire history. It may seem like I am exaggerating but my department was one of the worst in the company until new blood was introduced.

All this sounds good however, it seems that they are penalising ppl whom are performing and not the usual lazy ones. They seem to be left untouched in their own world. That really makes me mad. I am still considering on my next action plan, leaving the company is definitely an option, it's a must do as I am a marked man now. I have plenty of experience to deal with these situation and the best part is I have a working partner who's equally supportive and whom I can trust. It's because of how they treated her that made me react this.

She was "earmarked" for promotion but was passed over initially because of her "failure" of not ensuring her co-worker are performing. That's before I came on board. I performed beyond and exceeding the Manager's expectations and I should be her success story yet they still pass her over. Right now I know there's nothing in it for us but we are waiting for the moment to leave. I am hoping the economy will bounce up tremendously. I will still hang on until I feel that the clamp is too tight for me to breathe. At most I give myself up to a year in this company so I can move with relative ease.

Hopefully, the core of people I deal with in my day to day dealings would be bold enough to pull me out and headhunt me for a position in their company. That's just a wish list. I know for a fact, many of our customers are happy to hear my voice on the line when they call knowing I am someone who can help them follow up on their concerns from A to Z. And a pleasant one at that too hee hee.

That's the end of my post for now I guess.

Saying as I see and letting rude or incompetent people know they are rude or incompetent has got me fired at least twice, and put on review or report more than a few times. So, I guess it's safe to say I don't really get or do office politics, they suck s**t through a poo straw. However, I am gradually learning (at 40) to keep my mouth shut and smile at least to save my job

I hate the politics of a company. My happiest points in my career have been when I have been a contractor, with the emphasis based on doing the actual work I was brought in to do, i.e. get the project built and installed on time, to a high quality.

That is the easy part as it is clearly laid out what is required of me. That is what I consider to be my "performance".

Permanent jobs often come with a performance-based bonus, but they want peers to review you to assess your performance and I hate it that they consider your social fitting-in as part of your performance because for me it is not.

Just reading this forum it is clear that Apsergers sufferers are being continually fired even though we are doing our jobs well and this is something for which we need protection by law. In the UK there is already a disability discrimination act but even then all you can claim is a bit of monetary compensation.

It is clear that NTs want us out, because they find life easier that way than having to deal with us and accept us. They expect us to work on our weaknesses but hate it if we try to point out any of theirs and if we try to improve things. Most of all they get offended if we try to perfect their work rather than thanking us.

In the IT industry where I work, it is full of politics anyway. It is probably the hardest place to work properly because of it. Just read a few articles on http://www.thedailywtf.com to see what I mean (particularly the Feature Articles).

I have a few rules pertaining to office politics that I try to stick to:

1. Always compliment in public and criticize in private.

2. Believe it or not, most people can't tell the difference between a fake smile and a real one as well as you can. Even if they could tell the difference, they probably wouldn't care anyway as long as you do what they ask you to.

3. Don't get involved in gossip. Even if the person involved really, REALLY deserves it. People will think/learn they can trust you not to gossip about THEM and will be more likely to take you into their confidence. People who have taken you into their confidence are less likely to try to screw with you down the line, especially if you have dirt on them.

4. Remember that most of your coworkers, annoying as they may seem, are actually good people who may just be reacting in an appropriately assholish way to an inappropriately toxic environment. They have learned that they must be "fake," as enthusiastically as possible, during work hours, and are allowed to be "real" only after going home. They think you're deficient mainly for not buying into this belief. You realize that it's all a game and have the option to play or not - whereas they have no such option. Pity them and their predictably long list of deathbed regrets.

5. For every as*hole, there is a bigger as*hole in the past that made them what they are today.

6. Learn as much as you can and take daily notes if and when you feel threatened.

7. Giving good for evil isn't the p**** tactic that most take it to be. It's a very aggressive tactic, and very invasive for the other person, as it compels everyone but the most extreme hard-boiled jerks to be nice back to you. You can then use this as a base for building a friendly environment for yourself. It's like jiu-jitsu. Somebody who pushes others often expects to be pushed back, so they push hard. They are surprised, then, by the quiet, unremarkable-looking man who steps back, throwing them off-balance, grabs the back of their right hand with his right hand, and steps to the side. Unexpected kindnesses will put your adversary's chin on the floor and your boot in their armpit just as effectively.

A lot of NTs love to play petty politics, not just in offices. My lack of political skill doomed my first go at grad school and is hurting me now where I work. I have this strange idea that doing a job well should suffice for recognition and advancement. But, no! It is those who play the politics, suck up to others, or, at very minimum, socialize well who advance.

If you do your job and your very productive then your boss will leave you alone.

If he/she asks say

"I thought I was hired to do work so I am doing the work I was hired for. Those people who ar e talking about unecessary things are a distraction to the productivity of the company".

That is not lying, that is very strong brutal honesty. You colleagues will hate for it, but your boss will love you and it will be easier.

Amerique... A suggestion...

Ask the boss-type to change the name from "complaints department" to "Trouble Team."

That's a more positive, proactive-sounding snippet...