4 Ways To Avoid Toxic Workplace Politics

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4 Ways To Avoid Toxic Workplace Politics

By Sho Dewan | Forbes Magazine | Feb 20, 2024

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Everybody knows that office politics suck. Experts agree that they decrease productivity, and in many ways, can contribute to a hostile workplace.  Unfortunately, all companies have some version of them, and they come in many forms. Whether it be the deceptively harmless gossip to the more overt displays of favoritism and hostile takedowns — you can’t avoid them forever.  The best thing to do is to learn how to navigate around them. Four ways to find your way without getting tangled up in messy office politics.

1. Don’t Engage.  By definition, office politics involves some kind of power struggle. This can look like someone spreading a vicious rumor to get ahead or taking credit for someone else’s ideas or work. This means you might be compelled to take sides.  Don’t do this. Instead, try to remain neutral by not engaging in toxic behavior such as office gossip or backstabbing. This is especially true if you don’t have first-hand knowledge about the situation or the individuals involved. Act like it could happen to you, because it most certainly can.
2. Act With Integrity.  A good way to avoid getting involved in office politics is to not be receptive to them. But besides refusing to engage, you can also put yourself above it and compose yourself as someone that acts with integrity. This way, the people doing the politicking will think twice before including you in their schemes.  But what does it mean to act with integrity? It means consistently following a set of moral rules even when it can seem to be the inconvenient thing to do.  Try to be consistently truthful and transparent in your communication, and avoid withholding crucial information or misleading others, especially if it can jeopardize other people’s careers. Always show consideration for the feelings and opinions of your colleagues, and give everyone the treatment that you expect for yourself.
3. Be A Friend To All.  Its not about efforts to please everyone, nor do we can be a social butterfly if it doesn’t come naturally to you. But if you can treat everybody in your workplace with the same level of respect, kindness, and professionalism, it might just spare you from becoming an unwilling participant in toxic office politics.  Do this consistently, and you’ll eventually cultivate a reputation as someone who is fair and approachable, they are less likely to involve you in potentially awkward situations.
4. Don’t Mix Personal With Professional.  Office politics can get nasty, especially when it happens outside of work hours. You’ll find this to be absolutely true when some of your coworkers go out for company-sanctioned events like team building activities and parties.  What you can do is to come to these gatherings with a sense of mindfulness. Be sure to remain professional and try to strike a balance between having fun and setting personal boundaries. In conversations, try to be selective about the topics that you’re willing to discuss. Avoid discussing work-related matters or gossiping by steering towards neutral subjects or shared interests.

2 key takeaways from the article

1. Everybody knows that office politics suck. Experts agree that they decrease productivity, and in many ways, can contribute to a hostile workplace.  Unfortunately, all companies have some version of them, and they come in many forms. Whether it be the deceptively harmless gossip to the more overt displays of favoritism and hostile takedowns — you can’t avoid them forever.  The best thing to do is to learn how to navigate around them. 
2. Four ways to find your way without getting tangled up in messy office politics are: Don’t Engage, Act With Integrity, Be A Friend To All, and Don’t Mix Personal With Professional.

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Topics:  Organizational Behavior, Organizational Politics