How to Commit Career Suicide
Just thinking about office politics is enough to drive most managers to the Pepcid AC they keep in their desk drawer. And for good reason. Office politics is one of the most emotionally and physically draining aspects of work. But have you noticed how promotions mysteriously appear before those who play the game? Wouldn’t it be great to get the credit you deserve without having to play the game their way?
What if I don’t get involved in that kind of thing?
Good for you. Especially if you don’t mind the consequences. Imagine your boss is retiring and you are her obvious replacement. You are efficient and productive, and you know the business better than anyone. But a more political and less qualified person is now your new boss. How can that happen? While you have been quietly producing in your cube, your new boss got credit for your ideas. You got credit for her mistakes. While you were working through lunch to put the final touches on an important report, she was selling her idea to increase productivity. Even though your idea had more merit. As a result, your former boss took away some of your responsibilities (“We want to give you projects that take advantage of your strengths”), and assigned her to lead a “plum”, high-profile project.
You were shocked when you weren’ t promoted. No one else was, though.
Shouldn’t my work speak for itself?
Of course it should. Poor work certainly does. But you may be overestimating how easy it is to measure performance. Or how much time your boss spends thinking about you. Or how rational people are.
So who loses?
If you stay out of politics, you do. But so does your organization. The less qualified are promoted, while the more qualified become frustrated and dedicate less energy to their jobs.
Suppose tomorrow’s headline reads “O.J. SIMPSON STABS FOUR UNARMED POODLES”. Would you throw all your steak knives into the Gulf of Mexico? Of course not. Office politics are only a tool—a means for accomplishing a specific task or purpose. The task or purpose can be ethical, or it can be unscrupulous.
Mistake the baby for the bathwater and everyone loses.
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