Office politics - play it right with diplomacy

Published on Wednesday, Jun 04, 2008

So, you thought you could quietly go about working long hours with dedication, not bothering about others around you… and yet be successful!
Welcome to the real world where only job competence or hard work is not quite enough for achieving success. After all, don’t many employees with stellar records and all the necessary technical capabilities routinely lose out on lucrative project s, pay raises and promotions or are even fired for mysterious reasons, all attributable to ‘office politics’.
Ah! office politics - the bane of corporate life. It comes in whenever you have to deal with people and is a little akin to the peer pressure you thought you left behind in school. And, there is no getting away as manipulative office games impact your work environment, job effectiveness and also how others see you. You may scream yourself hoarse that, ‘I want to stay out’ or beseech, ‘Leave me alone’, but everyone gets dragged in by hook or by crook.
In fact, politics is everywhere - it is the personality of the company and about the way things are done. So, you can’t escape by quitting your job either. Politics will follow you and the next job may just be worse!
As writer, Paula Gamonal remarks, “Any time you work with human beings, you are subject to the complexities of relationships, trust, credibility, communication, and the other nuances of getting other people to do what you want them to, or not do what you don’t want them to!”

Make it work for you
Its been rightly said that, “The only losers in office politics, are those that refuse to play...” The stakes are high and you have no choice but to figure out how to be politics-savvy to save both your job and steer your career in the right path. It does not have to be bad either – you can do it right with diplomacy and coalition building. And, once you master the social dynamics of dealing with people and getting things done, you can not only survive in political situations but also use it your advantage. A few tips on navigating the political waters:
Build relationships – Build working relationships with people around you, be it co-workers, managers, customers, suppliers, receptionists, consultants or HR. Find a common ground like mutual interests to connect with others. Draw on your social skills and be nice to people always.
Let them get to know you by being approachable, empathetic, showing genuine interest and appreciation.
Network well and persevere in helping others get what they want. It’s all about fitting in and winning trust, as your ‘friends’ will surely support you, side with you and even root for you. You can count on them and even seek their counsel if needed.
No tittle-tattle – Participate in badmouthing colleagues, criticising supervisors, spreading malicious rumours or making people look bad and you will only get it back in spades. Keep yourself unattached in office gossip without taking any sides.
Instead of backbiting someone, clear differences, disputes or misunderstandings by talking it out directly with the person involved. Similarly, do not indulge in futile whining and complaining sessions; seek constructive criticism that can help you improve.
Raise firm objections – While you should not play dirty to advance your own motives or hinder others, do not let people take advantage of you either. Only if you value yourself and your skills, will others respect the same.
So, be assertive when required and raise firm objections to any opposition or nasty behaviour. For instance, if someone is badmouthing you, confront him with a level headed discussion, and you may just get him to make amends.
Hobnob – Things will not happen on their own, you need to do your work in a way that creates a positive impression on everyone else. You also have to hobnob to get the best opportunities – projects, assignments, bonuses or training. Cautiously watch your back by keeping your eyes and ears open for what people are saying about you. Log on to the grapevine to keep track of what is happening in the office. Or, get yourself a mentor who can help and advice you about riding out the tough ‘political’ spots.
Blow you own horn – In today’s times when most employees are expendable, you have two jobs – your regular job and your other job of chief promoter or chief salesperson of yourself. Cultivate a positive, simple and accurate image by being seen in the right way.
Publicise your accomplishments and let the right people know about the great job you are doing. Take pains to preserve a professional image, ethical reputation and credibility.
Last but not the least, office politics is part and parcel of the corporate game.
So, take it in a light-hearted stride without giving in to stress or emotional outbursts.
On balance, it’s all about power, politics and influence. It can even be said that people are hired for what they know and fired for who they are.
Julie Jansen, author of I Don’t Know What I Want, but I Know It’s Not This gives the best advice with, “Be an actor, play the game, follow culture and this is just as big a part of your job as anything else!”

PAYAL CHANANIA

Blogs emerge as the new job-hunting tool

Published on Wednesday, Jun 04, 2008

With the Internet explosion knowing no bounds and the world shifting to online, blogs are slowly but surely coming of age.
It is true that blogs have earned a bad name and we are constantly bombarded with shocking ‘people-fired-for-blogging’ stories. But compared to the colossal number of people blogging, the damaging instances are few and far between.
The lesser-known fact is that more people are actually getting jobs thanks to their blogs!
Come to think of it, a text resume provides just a brief outline of a candidate’s qualifications, skills, accomplishments and experience, nothing more. The vague bulleted list of flat, static information does not shed light on the person’s personality, perspective or even actual contributions.
Comparatively, your blog conveys your voice to the world - to people who do not know anything about you. It represents who you really are and helps you get noticed, get hired, get promoted!
In fact, Adam Darowski, an ardent blogger goes as far as to suggest that, “The blog is the new resume”.
After all, both employers and recruiters are actively ‘googling’ candidates for background and discovery. They read blog posts to get an insight into what work a person has really done - how he used his skills to accomplish a certain task, what role he played in a project or how he transitioned in his career history.
All that anyone needs to know is out there. Employers can judge what a person is like - how he thinks, communicates and even handles disagreements (by the nature of his responses to negative blog comments). The choice of blogging topics also reflects on his opinions, passions and values.
Presented with a candidate’s true essence, they can judge everything from his thought processes, judgement and achievements to even his team spirit, ability to innovate or whether he can actually fit into the organisational culture.
As one recruiter says, “We have hired two people, fresh out of college in the past four months that we found through their blogs - one didn’t even have a formal resume.
Frankly, he didn’t need one. A blog trumps a resume every single time!”

Blogging is serious business
A blog creates a personal brand that sets you apart from the rest of the herd. It creates opportunities, connections and opinion about you.
You can get a better job or maybe even meet your potential employer via the blog – someone reads your post and leaves a comment/job offer.
But blogging can help you only if it is done correctly.
So, develop a mature, coherent and well-written blog that does not indulge in unnecessary flaming or venting.
Remember that the blog is part of your professional reputation and steer clear of divulging your deepest secrets, indecisiveness or other gory details that can come back to haunt you. Also, pay heed to your company policy on blogging as unconstrained online antics can land you in hot water.
Again, your blog should say the right things and not paint you in an unfavourable light. Be purposeful and specific in choosing what you will blog about.
It’s all about self-promotion; show that you are the best by exposing yourself, your ambitions, motivations, work history and skills to the world.
Write posts that delve deeper into your experience and document your accomplishments. Tell interesting stories about the projects you are working on and build an ongoing profile of your work.
Hit them between the eyeballs by showcasing your creativity, talent, spontaneity and the influence that you wield at work.
Also, incorporate your views on industry trends to prove your credibility and expertise on major issues.
Then again, while a blog is not just about what you ate for dinner last night, do round off your personality by blogging on personal interests outside of work.
You can pen your political views, social causes, hobbies or even the music you like, to generate a sense of what is relevant to you.
Maintain the blog on a regular basis and soon you will have a well-studied web presence that can augment your position no end.
And the next time, someone wants to know more about you, you can confidently flaunt, “Just Google my name and you will find me!”
Little wonder then that blogs are emerging as the new job-hunting technique with jobseekers actually taking to ‘blogging for jobs’. But, while its true that your blog can catapult your career to the next level and do more for you than the conventional CV ever could, it can by no means replace the resume completely.
Nor is the resume redundant; a blog only serves as an extension that supplements the resume information with a reference point for the candidate’s interests and professional activities.
For instance, you cannot send a link to your blog URL in place of the resume.
So blog away, but do not ignore the ‘cut-and-dried’ resume either!

PAYAL CHANANIA

Interview over lunch – may be casual but all rules apply

Published on Wednesday, May 21, 2008

An interview by itself is very stressful; imagine the gut-wrenching panic if the interviewer casually drops a, ‘Lets meet for lunch to discuss the job!’
The social setting makes navigating the interview minefield all the more tricky and intimidating. Its no longer only about listening to the interviewer, appearing confident despite your nervousness and formulating intelligent responses. You also have to pay attention to which fork you use and how you look while eating.

Not a very appetising prospect, is it!
Well, if you are ‘devoured’ by anxiety over a lunch interview, here are some helpful tips for getting a job while actually eating.
First things first - Interviewing over a meal is definitely more casual than in an office, but general interview rules still apply.
You have to be punctual, dressed in business attire and armed with both the necessary documents and answers. Doing your homework and preparing intelligent questions about the company’s business, current trends and future prospects is all the more important as it enables you to glean necessary information as well as ride out any awkward pauses during the meal.
Social niceties – Its time to brush up the basic table manners your mother taught you as you are literally eating under a microscope.
Simple etiquette includes:
• Do not sit down untilthe host does.
• Place your napkin in your lap while eating and use it to wipe your mouth often; you do not want to interview with a blob of food dangling on your chin.
• Keep your elbows off the table.
• Eat small bites and chew with your mouth closed
• Do not slurp your soup or eat noisily.
• Never speak with your mouth full.
• Use the proper spoons, forks and knives (from outside in) or pay attention to others’ actions.
• Only reach for items that are in front of you and always pass to your left. Politely ask others to pass something that is out of reach.
When it comes to the actual dining – Follow the interviewer’s lead in behaviour, tone and ordering.
• Skip the extravagant items and order in a similar price range as the interviewer. If he insists that you order first, choose something moderately priced - in the middle of the menu range.
• Exercise caution and restraint over what you actually order; this is not the time for gastronomic indulgences. Steer clear of messy items like spaghetti or pizza that may splatter or require lot of cutting/chewing. You do not want to risk splashing sauce/gravy on your shirt front or lo and behold, the interviewer’s.
Similarly, avoid finger food, something that has a strong odour or is crunchy to eat. Settle on a small, conservative meal that is manageable with bite-like portions or can be easily cut into small pieces with a knife and fork.
• Also, be gracious when declining anything – drink, dessert or just a second helping.
Some more etiquette matters – The interviewer will pay attention to how you treat the wait staff.
Be polite, courteous and respectful to the servers, peppered with ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ as it will reflect on your professionalism and how well you work with others. As etiquette expert Robin Jay points out, “Anyone who is nice to you but nasty to their server is not a nice person. So, be polite to restaurant staff, no matter what happens!” Also, do not complain about the food or service.
Consume and converse – Take your time while eating and talking as it is difficult to do both at the same time. Give more attention to the interviewer and less to the lunch.
Look at the interviewer and not the food while speaking. On the other hand, ensure that your anxiety does not keep you from eating at all.
Keep pace with others on the table so that you finish eating approximately at the same time.
Go with the flow – Initiate small talk with thoughtful observations or impersonal questions.
Take your cues from the interviewer and let him prompt the interview discussion.
Listen actively and give focussed, concise answers that give both of you a chance to eat. Discuss your skills, qualifications and experience between bites, waiting until you have swallowed your food.
The unthinkable happens - If an embarrassing situation pops up – you spill food, knock over a glass, use the wrong fork or even something gets stuck in your teeth – stay composed, handling it with grace and good humour.
Request the waiter’s assistance after duly apologising and then move on to refocus on the interview. Finally, remember that you are the guest and never offer to pay. Pick up the tab only if you have initiated the meeting.
While leaving, thank the interviewer for the enjoyable meal and reaffirm your interest in working for his company.
Follow up with a thank you letter or card the next day.On balance, keep in mind that the interviewer is not there to assess your dining prowess alone. So, instead of obsessing with the etiquette to the exclusion of all else, just follow the basic rules keeping the accent on your job expertise and accomplishments.
Yet, you do have to sail through the meal with professionalism, formality and proper manners to be able to secure the job.
Happy dining!
Good luck too!

PAYAL CHANANIA