The success of any business gambles heavily on the sweat of one’s brow – the discipline of employees. Maintaining employee satisfaction throughout can become difficult if office dynamics chance upon negative office politics. As a leader, it is your responsibility to minimize any tense environment and navigate through workplace politics with strategies.
The organization can inevitably suffer if negative politics fester in the workplace. Navigating office politics is important as it can create a divide between colleagues, managers, or subordinates, creating a disruptive environment. It will further hamper the progress of employees, decreasing performance, productivity and morale.
Unresolved workplace politics is one of the primary reasons for increased employee turnover and can even lead to damaging the company’s reputation with legal ramifications in a few cases.
Success in workplace politics can be achieved through a few strategies we’ve listed down for you. Know how to navigate through office dynamics and call an end to workplace politics.
Corporate Politics Tips: Navigating Through Office Politics With 8 Strategies
Most differences and disagreements in workplaces occur when employees are divided between working from the office and remotely. Learning how to navigate through office politics is quintessential for employees and leaders alike, to balance mental health as well as productivity. Here are 8 strategies that concur with success in workplace politics.
1. Take The High Road
Most workplace politics hinder employee relationships because both individuals are incapable of assuming positive intentions and taking the high road. It’s a win-win situation when one presumes that the other person has no malicious intent and resolves the matter with a conversation to understand the situation and present their perspective.
2. Stay Neutral During Conflict
Navigating office dynamics has become imperative to any successful professional. When colleagues become friends, they tend to solicit their opinions on what they believe is workplace politics.
The best thing to do in such a circumstance is to be neutral and ask some tough questions to them. You can ask them if they have shared these concerns with the source or if they think they can come to a resolution with the other individual. This can de-escalate conflicts and not add any fuel to the fire.
3. Lead With Integrity
If one witnesses any unusual office politics, the best strategy for them is to give the benefit of the doubt to the individual and follow up after to know their state of mind. It does not hurt to be kind and empathetic in such predicaments when everyone faces challenges in workplace politics.
4. Learn To Be Trustworthy And Authentic
It is impossible to acutely judge someone’s tone and motive by just conversing over video meetings. A tip for corporate politics – be authentic and never assume the public opinion to be the verdict. Always try to actively listen to all the parties in question to help you understand how you can steer clear and manage workplace politics.
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5. Match A New Hire To A Seasoned Employee
All new hires, if paired with loyal employees, can prove to be nonpareil in a complex environment. The seasoned employee can discuss what is to be perceived as office politics and help the newest addition to the team feel welcomed to navigate through the maze of colleagues.
6. Gel Along With Everyone
One of the best strategies for navigating through office politics is not engaging in any sort of negativity around the workplace. Avoiding people who are notoriously known for complaining and creating unnecessary politics, can be a sure shot of staying above the tide of problems. Staying on good terms with everyone might seem like a facade, but in the long run, it helps you cut the noise and focus on productive tasks.
7. Focus On The Bigger Picture
A willingness to focus on the bigger picture of inclusion, collaboration and ricocheting ideas of others’ opinions can lead to lesser workplace politics. If one values the unity of colleagues as a driving force to growth, success in workplace politics is not an unattainable feat.
8. Genuinely Connect To Address Grievances
Reminding your co-workers that they can address the concerns that are gnawing away at their minds, creates goodwill. Showing genuine efforts in connecting without any agenda can prove to showcase a deliberate desire in supporting people abound in office politics.