We all know folks who get so disgruntled with office politics and say “I will never drop to that level. I hate all this backbiting.”
For sure, dealing with office politics can be tricky. For a superior, even acknowledging that it exists can be tricky.
But the word ‘politics’ is most likely a misnomer in office situations. Or at least not completely representative of the truth.
For instance, politics is a concern for those who struggle to build and maintain relationships. On the contrary, for those with the increased ability to get along with people, politics is rarely an issue. Is there something wrong with having the increased ability to deal with people? Most work is all about dealing with people only! When most people are running to master Photoshop, Excel, Python, Matlab, Web Development and myriad other skills, the one that probably matters the most is being left out.
From our point of view, we can always try to benefit the maximum number of people with our actions. This will ensure a positive rub off from any ‘politics’. And it goes without saying, that politics of the bad kind, where the focus is one-upmanship at the expense of others, is avoidable. However, there is nothing wrong with asking for a promotion or a raise, as the effort is one’s own, and by the book. Right?