2205: Ducking the Crosshairs: Five Ways to Deal with Office Politics by Laura Stack on Workplace Communication

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[00:00:56] This is Optimal Work Daily. Ducking the Crosshairs. Five Ways to Deal with Office Politics. By Laura Stack of the ProductivityPro.com. Quote, Office politics are bloody-minded but weak on content. End quote. Mason Cooley, American author and academic, known for his aphorisms. As a productivity expert, I often write about how to avoid wasting time.

[00:01:23] But one time waster I've mostly avoided is office politics. Why? Because gossip, backstabbing, credit-stealing, and slandering others to get ahead all represent the kinds of creepy things I hope you never have to deal with. But this is reality here. Office politics happen. So, in this blog entry, I've decided to take the bull by the horns and briefly discuss the depressing underbelly of office work. One thing I will never tell you to do is ignore office politics.

[00:01:53] You don't have to play along. But do remain on alert and know how to protect yourself against this type of cruelty. I've experienced it myself. As a freshly minted MBA, I entered TRW's high-potential program over 25 years ago. After six months at the Cleveland corporate offices, I transferred to Detroit, where I worked in a plastics extrusion and metal stamping plant. My assignment was to study and lower the safety incidents at the plant.

[00:02:20] My research showed the number one predictor of safety incidents was whether a worker wore safety goggles or not. When I gave my report and asked the supervisors to enforce and document noncompliance of goggle wearing, several employees grumbled, I've been here 30 years and I don't need some blonde MBA gal coming in here and telling me how to do my job. I was shocked and hurt when many of the supervisors turned on me. I know, it's amazing she's making us do this. So much for group unity.

[00:02:49] I did my job, but because of office politics and toxic teammates, my work was rejected and ignored. You probably can't entirely avoid office politics, and you don't want to ignore them in case you get targeted. But here are five ways to duck most of the stupidity. One, avoid gossip. Don't spread it and don't listen to it. If someone starts to gossip with you, cut them off as politely as possible. If nothing else, just act bored. If they make a comment, say something like,

[00:03:19] Oh really? Huh. If they keep going, say, Uh-huh, I see. Look at your watch. If they don't get the point, tell them you have to get back to work and go. Two, don't get involved with causes. Some causes are important, like advocating for better pay and working conditions. Some aren't. One of my colleagues once worked for an ogre of a boss. His co-workers griped about the guy all the time, and they finally convinced my colleague to take their case to the vice president.

[00:03:48] Fortunately, the VP was discreet, and word never got back to my colleague's supervisor, because when it came time for his co-workers' support, it melted away faster than dry ice on a hot day. Three, watch what you say. Don't gripe aloud at work, even to people you consider friends. In office environments, there are often those who will happily tattle to your boss for a few brownie points. I've seen people fired for saying the wrong things. Four, don't suck up. Conversely, no one likes a brown noser.

[00:04:17] If you're seen as too much of a yes person, the manager's mole, or a person who sweet-talks the boss to get the best projects, or projects taken away from others, you'll never fit into your team because no one will extend the trust necessary. And five, don't let your boss tell you who you can befriend. On the opposite end of the scale are supervisors and managers who flat-out tell you not to be friendly with co-workers they consider troublemakers. Unless you agree with their assessment, you're within your rights to tell your team leader

[00:04:47] they have no right to tell you who you can be friends with, especially if you don't make trouble. In all but just a handful of jobs, your friendships are your choice. Just know you may be stained by guilt by association, fairly or not. Hard at work. Even if you keep your head down, there's nothing you can do to avoid office politics if someone wants to target you. I've seen quiet, engaged, hard workers sneered at because they accomplished so much that they made everyone else quote-unquote look bad.

[00:05:16] But it's still to your advantage to just do your job and avoid the dirty pool unless there's a true wrong being perpetrated that you must help right. Keep your eyes open and duck the crosshairs when they come your way. Because they will. You just listened to the post titled, Ducking the Crosshairs, Five Ways to Deal with Office Politics by Laura Stack of theproductivitypro.com.

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[00:06:14] This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome. You think you know a browser, but Gemini and Chrome? That's new. It can help you with practically anything on the web, like restoring a vintage motorcycle from a 50-page restoration block, or finally break down that long article you've had open for weeks. Gemini and Chrome is here for it. Ready to make anything online make sense? There's no place like Chrome. Check responses set up required. Compatibility and availability varies 18+. And thanks so much to Laura for again sharing her work on our show.

[00:06:43] She is an award-winning keynote speaker and the best-selling author of eight books. Her engaging personality, combined with over 25 years of experience helping organizations achieve results, have made her one of the most sought-after experts and keynote speakers in her field. Laura has been featured in the New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, and Forbes Magazine, and has been a spokesperson for Microsoft, Danone, 3M, Office Depot, Xerox, and more.

[00:07:11] And if that wasn't enough, her client list includes top Fortune 500 companies, including Starbucks, Walmart, Bank of America, GM, Wells Fargo, and Time Warner, plus government agencies, including the U.S. Air Force Academy, the Census Bureau, the U.S. Senate, and the IRS. So there is a lot to learn from her, and just come by theproductivitypro.com to learn a lot more. She has her videos, books, store, newsletter, and blog all there on the site.

[00:07:39] Again, that's theproductivitypro.com. That wraps up today's episode. Hope you enjoyed it, and that you're having a great day, and I'll be back here with you tomorrow, where your optimal life awaits.