The Politics of the Workplace

We’ve all been there, caught between the rock that is our moral sense of justice, and the hard-place that is those decisions made by our employers that give us cause to ask the following question: Why do I stay?

For many, the answer is depressingly simple: money. We need money in order that we can pay for the many things we like and all the things we, and those that depend on us, need.

So given that work is a necessity for all but a very few, how does one become resilient to attacks on the soul associated with the internal politics of working in an organisation?

I’m not a psychologist, nor am I an expert on human resources or the management of organisations. I have, however, worked inside an organisation for approaching thirty years – over ten years in management positions. So, while I’m certainly not an expert in the theory of politics, I am without question an expert on many of its effects on employees.

I would contend that over time we learn to internalise politics. It becomes a part of who we are and how we behave. Indeed, I’ve witnessed occasions where experienced members of staff are badly affected by the ego-destroying slights of internal politics, something from which they never recover. In contrast, however, the younger and less experienced seem more resilient to such slights, less concerned by the politics of their jobs. Not because of an unawareness of its pernicious tentacles, although admittedly ignorance can be a factor, but because they opt to ignore it.

So why is it that we go from choosing to ignore politics, freeling accepting of its presence, to being unable to avoid a bludgeoning from its mace-like swipes?

Perhaps ill feeling is created whenever an employee expects loyalty from the employer. Something once done well, several years ago perhaps, thus allows the employee to deposit significant quantities of ‘brownie points’ into the metaphorical ‘bank’, and that because of such a brownie point abundance, the employee ought to be immune, or protected from, the disruption of the day-to-day machinations of the organisation.

I’ve discovered that his way of thinking is naïve. It should be noted that organisations are people, and that people change and forget. Time erodes corporate memories, new people arrive to replace the older (previously grateful) generation, and what was done is now forgotten.

The fresh additions feel no sense of loyalty. Neither to the organisation or its employees. Indeed, these newly arrived hot-shots often carry with them an inherent mistrust of anything and everything that came before. And, upon leaning who in their teams might have previously been heralded as a savour, they see only an employee living on the merits of a job well done years before. Thus, they see only an opportunity for change.

So, what is the take away from this? What can a person in such a situation learn from the experience of others? How can one become more like the enthusiastic and resilient person of their youth?

The answer is by remaining calm and seeking to detach. Try not to allow yourself to become emotionally attached to the work you do beyond what is needed to engender motivation to work. Remain cautious, skeptical even, but don’t become paranoid or cynical. Indeed, cynicism can be healthy if appropriately moderated and controlled, but it’s often left unattended and becomes something negative.

Stay proactive and never rely on the goodwill or kindness of others. That’s not to say others can’t show goodwill or kindness, they can. But it’s more about protecting yourself from being let down should others not be able to help.

Be realistic. Know that others care about themselves, primarily. If they think of you at all, it’s often in a way of how you can help them. They are not evil in doing this; they are human, and this is what humans do. Thus one ought to carry around a proactive mindset when interacting in the workplace.

Be polite but firm. Don’t accept second best unless second best is what you chose. Remain true to yourself and try not to fight battles you cannot win.

The most important advice I can offer is to resist the urge to self-destruct. And never, ever, choose self harm to evidence to others the folly of their decisions. You only cede power to those people and harm yourself and those around you.