Politics at Work

Are work politics harder to navigate than American politics? Probably!

The landscape and players constantly change. It’s tough, but it doesn’t have to be. And when your inner critic is playing the politics game, it can become even more dangerous.

When in survival mode, you beat yourself and others up in your brain. You are hijacked and unable to empathize, be creative or navigate tough and complex situations. You create stories from a few facts. You may even outwardly display your frustrations and anger with others. And when others are playing the politics game, it only makes your inner critic louder.

From conversations with experts in navigating office politics, I learned three strategies.

First, recognize that politics is a game of power, much like the HBO series Game of Thrones.

• Option 1: Play the game fully.

• Option 2: Play selectively, maintaining your values.

• Option 3: Don’t play at all.

You might think you must fully engage, but that’s not true.

Options 2 and 3 offer alternatives:

Option 2: Engage selectively. Connect with key players but avoid gossip and maintain your integrity. Get that inner critic out of your brain and engage with empathy.

Option 3: Opt out. Build relationships broadly and maintain your integrity without prioritizing power dynamics. Tell your inner critic that you don’t need to play the games to be successful.

People who avoid the game, stay kind, uphold their values, and do excellent work usually succeed. Once you can learn to control your inner critic, you able to navigate though politics with ease and flow using your positive energy.