Some questions on office politics and streetsmart-ness

1. bullies have insecurities.

2. same rank, but you're new. they have been there before you and can be regarded as your senior. give them the due respect, friends is ok but don't cross the line.

recognize these situations. then formulate a strategy to neutralize any potential further threads.

Originally Posted by Nik

Ok, back to topic.

Sorry for asking these questions, but as I'm in the midst of moving to my new job and reflecting on the past few years in my current job, I realized there were many things I could have done better and mistakes I could have avoided had I been better at playing the game.

1) Say, when you meet a colleague who is the bullying type (ie: trying to make you look bad in front of everyone, or trolling you to force you to reveal your flaws etc), what's the best way to react? I think ignoring them is not an option (will lead to hostilities) and what I've been doing so far is mainly just smiling and playing it cool, though the problem is they tend to escalate it even more.

Sometimes in cases like this, telling the higher-ups is not an option since usually these higher-ups usually are buddy-buddy with these trouble-makers, which will backfire on you.


2) How do you guys handle colleagues who have the same position and similar job scope as you? ie: You're the admin exec in the company and there's 2 others with the same title and job scope as you, same seniority etc.
I find this type of colleagues are the trickiest to handle cos' in many cases, because of the same job type, they tend to see you as a threat (personally experienced this) and this is also the type who has the highest chances of backstabbing you IMO. I encounter this sort previously and even tried to treat him like a real friend but turns out he did all kinds of very subtle manipulative tricks behind my back.

Do you guys play it cool and keep a smiling face with this type, but internally, up your guard against them and avoid treating them as friends / telling them personal stuff?

Tks!
Nik

The worst type is when your own boss play politics on you. In a former job, i had a bitch as a new boss due to Company re-structuring. She would criticize every single Director in Management to us over the most petty and trivial things, and would run us down for being incompetent no matter what we do and make us look bad and belittle us. As with any tyrant, those who desperately fawn on her and pet her ego eventually became her souless slaves and those disgusted with her chose to leave. She survived by sweet talking to the big boss (who is not based in Singapore and so is blind to her childish unprofessional antics). A contact from one of her many ex-companies said she slept around at her former companies in order to move up the corporate ladder but that's another story ....

I guess in this sort of situation, the best way to deal with the politics is to leave. And perhaps blow the whistle....

[Nik]

LOL I see. Tks for the advice.

Lots of people have said that the most dangerous type of people in the workplace (and life, in general), are the quiet ones, because you can't predict what they're thinking inside.

IMO, though, the most dangerous and scary types are those who always put up a cheerful vibrant face in front of everyone including the bosses, and laugh at jokes and every single comment that aren't even funny to begin with.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Then you ****ing tell me what is EQ in the office?

you ****ING tell me. you BETTER ****ING tell me.

EQ in the office means try to have conversation with as many people in the office as possible. You can talk about ANYTHING you want besides work. which includes RUBBISH sometimes. you are not close with them, therefore you ****ING talk rubbish to them to make them feel you are friendly and human.

YOU ****ING TELL ME WHAT IS EQ IN THE OFFICE.

Don't like it ? Don't work loh. Simple.

Remember 1 thing, nobody gives a damn about what you think. Don't like how others r behaving / interacting in the office ? Well, they probably don't give a **** about u too.

You remind me of a staff i had a while ago. Same mindset as you and treats everyone as though they murdered his own family. In the end he couldn't take it because no one wants to talk to him at all. He left without a job but i couldn't care less. He, as well as you chose the path yourselves, so suck it up and live with it.

Still can't accept it ? There's always another way out - by making a trip down to bedok reservoir.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I am jobless for 6 months.

I will never do well in a fast paced office environment.

I am very human.

I do things at a moderated pace. I don't rush my work. I don't rush when I talk.
When I talk to you, I want to have meaningful conversations. When I discuss with you, I need you to reciprocate with similar level of teamwork and effort I put in the work,

I hate useless office banter like: WAH THEY MOVING STUFF NOW THE PANTRY SO CROWDED HOR!!!!!
ANOTHER OF THE BLOODY USELESS OFFICE BANTER LIKE "you having late lunch today ah?"

Oh Ya, like you bloody care my lunch late.
And pantry crowded so what? Movers are moving stuff what!!


I also need a gf who can have meaningful conversations with me.! LOL

dude, i get what you mean about meaningful conversations. i hate small talk and going through the motions stuff.

but that's just how the world works man...anyway what you see as surface level useless conversation is considered networking/relationship building to other people. some people are just not suited for corporate/office environments. either find some other way to make money (if you're lucky/talented enough) or you just have to suck it up.

i don't care if my colleagues think i'm dao/weird at my current job because i don't want to stay there anyway. i act like an autistic person in the office because i can't be bothered...i just do my work then go home on time and try to apply for other jobs.

Originally Posted by Nik

LOL I see. Tks for the advice.

Lots of people have said that the most dangerous type of people in the workplace (and life, in general), are the quiet ones, because you can't predict what they're thinking inside.

IMO, though, the most dangerous and scary types are those who always put up a cheerful vibrant face in front of everyone including the bosses, and laugh at jokes and every single comment that aren't even funny to begin with.

Imho its not about quiet or cheerful vibrant traits. Key is to look for consistency. If they are consistent and transparent, then you know these quiet/cheerful types don't play politics.

I find that its usually the insecure types (including bosses) that play politics most. Usually is because they know they are not as competent.....

Just my 2 cents

Originally Posted by Unregistered

The worst type is when your own boss play politics on you. In a former job, i had a bitch as a new boss due to Company re-structuring. She would criticize every single Director in Management to us over the most petty and trivial things, and would run us down for being incompetent no matter what we do and make us look bad and belittle us. As with any tyrant, those who desperately fawn on her and pet her ego eventually became her souless slaves and those disgusted with her chose to leave. She survived by sweet talking to the big boss (who is not based in Singapore and so is blind to her childish unprofessional antics). A contact from one of her many ex-companies said she slept around at her former companies in order to move up the corporate ladder but that's another story ....

I guess in this sort of situation, the best way to deal with the politics is to leave. And perhaps blow the whistle....

lol really strange and weird but just heard something v similar from a biz contact the other day !! Anyway this sleeping ard stuff is also one form of politics. Otherwise how else do we explain those ppl we see in office who are clearly lousy (as agreed by the masses) but keep getting promoted?

Just saying. lol

Throughout my short 5 years of working in the corporate world...I've seen and met all kinds of politics and backstabbers...

1) There are those who are of the same level as you with same job scope (can be considered your teammates) but they are not as capable as you or they may be plain lazy or even due to some circumstance like pregnancy they need to be away....so they are afraid that you may outperform and even replace them or make them redundant...they will form gangs against you and force you to leave by making you look bad...and in the event they need to go for maternity they may recommend a friend into the company to provide cover for her and at the same time make sure you don't make her position redundant so that when she comes back from maternity her job is still there.....

2) Sometimes you may have good relationship with the higher management... your teammates may not like it...they may be afraid that you may tell on them e.g. tell higher management about their shortcomings etc...so they gang up against you and give you the cold shoulder...sabotage your work etc....force you to leave ultimately...

3) You may have a boss who is useless and don't know much of the work...so he depends a lot on his subordinates....so when these subordinates dun like you...they backstab you and boss will listen to them less they get angry and don't do their work which will leave the boss helpless

4) Company may be going into retrenchment exercise so everyone around is a threat...so these backstabbers will try to play politics and force one another off the company...afterall less people mean less competition for the jobs remaining after retrenchment...

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Throughout my short 5 years of working in the corporate world...I've seen and met all kinds of politics and backstabbers...

1) There are those who are of the same level as you with same job scope (can be considered your teammates) but they are not as capable as you or they may be plain lazy or even due to some circumstance like pregnancy they need to be away....so they are afraid that you may outperform and even replace them or make them redundant...they will form gangs against you and force you to leave by making you look bad...and in the event they need to go for maternity they may recommend a friend into the company to provide cover for her and at the same time make sure you don't make her position redundant so that when she comes back from maternity her job is still there.....

2) Sometimes you may have good relationship with the higher management... your teammates may not like it...they may be afraid that you may tell on them e.g. tell higher management about their shortcomings etc...so they gang up against you and give you the cold shoulder...sabotage your work etc....force you to leave ultimately...

3) You may have a boss who is useless and don't know much of the work...so he depends a lot on his subordinates....so when these subordinates dun like you...they backstab you and boss will listen to them less they get angry and don't do their work which will leave the boss helpless

4) Company may be going into retrenchment exercise so everyone around is a threat...so these backstabbers will try to play politics and force one another off the company...afterall less people mean less competition for the jobs remaining after retrenchment...

Point no. 2 is very true...experienced that as well...what to do...sour grapes is very common...

i know of someone whom the colleagues ganged up against the guy whom they feel suck up to the higher management and those always get the attention of the top man....but little do they know that he is actually related to her...he ultimately left the company but he spilled everything of those backstabbers to the big boss...

so sometimes when playing such politics ...should better check carefully ...even if this guy may have ultimately left the company....these backstabbers may not have a good life later on...

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Point no. 2 is very true...experienced that as well...what to do...sour grapes is very common...

i know of someone whom the colleagues ganged up against the guy whom they feel suck up to the higher management and those always get the attention of the top man....but little do they know that he is actually related to her...he ultimately left the company but he spilled everything of those backstabbers to the big boss...

so sometimes when playing such politics ...should better check carefully ...even if this guy may have ultimately left the company....these backstabbers may not have a good life later on...

well, that's part and parcel of work life...and if you engage in office politics, be prepared to face the consequences if it backfire...afterall....the fittest survive yeah?