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Power plays at the office? Leave the politics to CNN

REBECCA DUBE

From Thursday's Globe and Mail

Latest comment posted at 5:30 AM EDT 07/03/08

Publicly stating political opinions in the workplace carries some risk ...Read the full article

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  1. Timber Wolf from Richmond, BC, Canada writes: To be blunt, if you're silly enough to openly support someone in a power struggle, then of course your a$$ is grass; however, the real issue is that of the culture of office politics itself, and this is why this article is such crap given that it condones the existence of this culture. You can measure the quality of any company by the degree of how politics permeates it. Needless to say, a dearth is superior to a plethora thereof. Any workplace that resembles high school is generally poorly run.
  2. CD W from Canada writes: If you want to see how to give someone the beat down on any topic, go watch the star trek episode where the tellarite badgers Ambassador Spock. This is a good way to understand the weak minded and how to deal with them quickly. Or just wear your B2 bomber pin on your lapel in the stars and stripes, that should get jack layton's niece or halfwit nephew crapping their pants in your office.
  3. B Johnson from Halifax, Canada writes: Office politics can bite you for no other reason than jealousy. I have more education than my supervisor and almost immediately she saw me as a threat. I am NOT interested in her job and never was, but still she has sabotaged my efforts to get more responsibility at every turn.

    She is very manipulative and is not beyond lying through her teeth to hurt someone. Unfortunately, she is a close friend of the production manager who is married to the office manager. I have no recourse.

    I accepted the job as a part time, entry position upon returning to the workforce after raising my children. The former office manager recognized my past experience and education and assured me that I would eventually be offered a more lucrative, salaried position. He has since left the company and I'm stuck in a political hotbed.

    Sometimes, through no fault of your own, you encounter a situation (or persons) like this. I feel as though I've wasted the last 2 years and I would not use this firm as a reference for fear of being black balled. Sigh!
  4. Timber Wolf from Richmond, BC, Canada writes: I have to cosign with you on that B Johnson. I've quit two jobs the past year on account of office politics. At the first, I wound up with a new supervisor from the other shift, and everyone on our shift were despised for not being hired by him. Suddenly his father in law was hired despite having absolutely no experience in logistics, and was being promoted to lead hand in haste. Shortly after, the best friend of the head CSR was hired---again with no experience---and we were told none to subtley to train him as quickly as possible. Suffice it to say, it was time to exit. Last time I chatted with one of my ex coworkers in October, he informed me that all of us were gone, having quit or fired for whatever reason. At the job I quit last month, it was even worse. Two weeks after I was hired, the son of one of the CSRs in the office joined the company. The CSR then proceeded to declare open war on me, and since she was buddy buddy with the head of operations, I knew I was fu**ed. When I announced my resignation to the head of operations, he inquired why I had such a bad attitude toward the place. In reply, I informed him that it was all a game of arithmatic if he were to resolve the problem; either he would alienate two people or one. So yes, you're correct. Sometimes you get dragged into the vortex of office politics against your will. A quality workplace has no tolerance for two things: nepotism and office romance. As y'all can see, I've endured high school at work lately.
  5. Timber Wolf from Richmond, BC, Canada writes: I have to cosign with you on that B Johnson. I've quit two jobs the past year on account of office politics. At the first, I wound up with a new supervisor from the other shift, and everyone on our shift were despised for not being hired by him. Suddenly his father in law was hired despite having absolutely no experience in logistics, and was being promoted to lead hand in haste. Shortly after, the best friend of the head CSR was hired---again with no experience---and we were told none to subtley to train him as quickly as possible. Suffice it to say, it was time to exit. Last time I chatted with one of my ex coworkers in October, he informed me that all of us were gone, having quit or fired for whatever reason. At the job I quit last month, it was even worse. Two weeks after I was hired, the son of one of the CSRs in the office joined the company. The CSR then proceeded to declare open war on me, and since she was buddy buddy with the head of operations, I knew I was fu**ed. When I announced my resignation to the head of operations, he inquired why I had such a bad attitude toward the place. In reply, I informed him that it was all a game of arithmatic if he were to resolve the problem; either he would alienate two people or one. So yes, you're correct. Sometimes you get dragged into the vortex of office politics against your will. A quality workplace has no tolerance for two things: nepotism and office romance. As y'all can see, I've endured high school at work lately.
  6. CD W from Canada writes: Pardon me, Sarek of vulcan.

    But remember folks, when someone in the office wants to have "a full and frank discussion of the issues", this is to get information that they can use against you. If you are in one of these offices, keep a digital recorder or your mini cam with microphone on all of the time. You just never know when you will need it.
  7. Ted B from Toronto, Canada writes: I've always tried to make my superiors look good with exceptional work. This is a simple strategy that works. Remember you move up the ladder by learning and applying that knowledge to the benefit of your employer.
  8. Mr. Justice from Canada writes: CD W: Yup. And if someone objects, too bad. And if your boss calls you in for a meeting about this new practice of yours, bring the recorder with you; and be aware that you are being taken "seriously" if the boss has another person in the office at the time of this meeting, and if the door is closed after you enter.

    but . . . everyone in your office will treat you differently from then on. A friend did this, only he hid the recorder. He later played it for the right people and the woman who said such narsty things about white male hetero "oppressors" . . . was, uh, able to find another job.
  9. Timber Wolf from Richmond, BC, Canada writes: Ted B, that works fine if the company is divorced of gossip and politics that are extraneous to production. This requires integrity and maturity at the top, and if this is wanting, then your strategy doesn't work. Both men and women are equal of sleaze.

    As for the hidden tape recorder thing, yep I did that back when I was a TA at grad school when female students came to appeal their grades. I nailed one blonde who tried to blackmail me. Fortunately, the prof I worked under was a man of integrity, I was absolved and said blonde was expelled from the U of S.
  10. Steve Not an Alberta Redneck from Calgary, Canada writes: Ted B from Toronto, Canada writes: "I've always tried to make my superiors look good with exceptional work."

    You must be part of the lucky minority where its difficult for the credit for the work to be stolen. In most work environments, the last thing most bosses would like to happen is to have the source of this exceptional work to be identified. You might be snatched by another section or their superiors might decide to go straight to the source. So, this is an illusion for most.
  11. Timber Wolf from Richmond, BC, Canada writes: I've worked both white and blue collar, and am presently doing the latter by virtue of disenchantment with the former. I can switch back and forth at will, although I'll admit it's getting harder at my age to go to remain in the blue at an intense high level. For myself, there is something profoundly repugant about office culture. We all know all the jargon about being a " team player". Well what good does this serve to be one among a ship of fools?; perhaps we've been told at some point that we need to cultivate our " people skills ". Is this really nothing more than thinly veiled hate?; I suppose you've been at a job interview with a HR peep who tells you that " we're seeking someone who can fit in." I don't know, are you seeking someone who can actually do the job or belong to a social clique?

    Personally, I can appreciate what both sides bring to the table. Yet at the same time, have we forgotten what work is about? Isn't it really " Dolla dolla bill y'all." ?
  12. Mike L. from Canada writes: B Johnson from Halifax, Canada writes: "She is very manipulative and is not beyond lying through her teeth to hurt someone. Unfortunately, she is a close friend of the production manager who is married to the office manager. I have no recourse."

    Yes you do. It's called finding another job and resigning.

    Been there, done that, twice.

    And it was profitable both times.
  13. Bert Russell Paradox, BC from Canada writes:
    Here is another example of how the Canadian media differs from the Americans. CanWest and CTVGM either write for the Liberals or the Liberals write their own articles. When was the last time you read an objective balanced article involving politics in Canada. It is ownership choice, no such thing as objective journalism - if the article is going to bring negative reaction or contrary views .... GM will not allow comments on it.

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