To play or not to play…

Office politics is a fixture in any work environment. You cannot change it out like you can the pens in your desk drawer. You must decide if you want to play and how you want to play. And, just so we’re clear, “not” playing is still playing, just not as conspicuous.

With that said, it’s all in how you play the game. Now in ordinary situations, my motto is if you’re going to do something, then really do it. But when it comes to games like this, you have to be extremely careful. There are lines you have to be careful in crossing— very thin ones. The friends you have in your social circle at work are nice, yes, but remember that they are also vying against you for any kind of advancement that might come your-all’s way.

And you never know who is playing or how they’re playing. It’s called office politics for a reason. People can be sneaky, cunning and play downright dirtily sometimes. It’s almost like getting voted off the island, except that you’re not getting voted off of anything. But similarly, you never know what is going to work in your favor or against you.

One minute, a co-worker might appreciate the constructive criticism and the next, be thinking of a way to take over your position. If they are chums with the boss, then look out! But should you risk the quality of your departments work just because you’re afraid of a scandal mongrel? It’s dangerous territory either way but a decision that you definitely need to make. You need to decide how you want to play, because like I said, whether or not you want to play, you’re still in the game.