THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF MINORITIES
IN THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE
2009 Annual Business Meeting & Training Seminar
Dealing with Office and
Organizational Politics
Office politics, or how power and
influence are managed in your
organization, will be a part of your
career whether you choose to
participate in them or not.
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“Some workers say they don't want to
get caught up in politics at work, but
most experts argue that playing the
game is crucial to your career success.
By not getting involved, you may find
your talents ignored, your success
limited, and you may feel left out of
the loop.”
Louellen Essex, co-author of "Manager's Desktop Consultant: Just-inTime Solutions to the Top People Problems That Keep You Up at
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Night."
“Politics get nasty when an employee is
out for his or her personal gain alone,"
Essex says. "Think of playing office
politics as a game of strategy through
which you are able to get the resources
and influence you need to accomplish
your goals. Most often those who are
diplomatic, respectful and build
coalitions with effective people win."
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How to Win at Office Politics
(Hint: It’s Like Basketball)
Get to know your teammates

You don’t have to be best friends or go on
camping trips with them, but do try to
show genuine interest in finding out more
about each of them.

Everyone is interesting if you care enough
to ask the right questions.
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Don’t be a ball hog; learn how to
pass

If you’re working on a project that
required a team effort and you did a great
job, don’t hog the spotlight.

Winning at office politics means spreading
the credit around and being a good team
player.
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Help your teammates up after a
drive to the hoop

If you see a co-worker struggling or know
that someone could use an extra hand, help
them out.
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Crash the boards

Another fundamental of office politics is crashing
the boards.

Second chance opportunities always seem to present
themselves if you know where to find them.

If your boss or co-workers have to miss a meeting, offer
to jump right in and take their place.
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Keep your hands up at all times

Don’t be afraid to take on unpopular projects that
no one wants.

If you volunteer for a challenging project and succeed,
you will look 10x more like an all-star.

If you fail, no one thought it was possible anyway and
will chalk it up as inexperience.
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Scout out your competition

Don’t think for a second that you don’t have
competitors.

These workers can be above you, below you, but more
often than not they are working right beside you fighting
for that same promotion. This is what office politics is all
about.

Your competition probably already knows your Excel or
PowerPoint skills are not what they should be.

It’s a good idea to have a firm grasp on their strengths
and weaknesses as well.
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Make your free throws

You know that daily 30 minute meeting that
everyone hates to go to because it seems to
drag on forever?

These meetings are like free throws. They might look
ordinary, but they are the single most important part
of the day. Not only are you usually in a room with
the people who have the most influence over your
next promotion, but you are being judged on this
stage everyday.

Do yourself a favor, be prepared for these meetings
because playing office politics demands it. Even if
you don’t have much to say, always be prepared to
say something. If you miss your shot, you can be
assured your competition is waiting to pick up that
rebound.
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Seek out a veteran to mentor you

The easiest way to know the road ahead is to ask
those who have traveled the route before.



Realize that everything you are about to do on the job
has pretty much been done before.
Yes, you may be smart with a college degree and all, but
to “veterans” you’re really not that special (yet).
Seek out a well respected veteran in the organization to
help mentor you.


Pay attention to their communication style, network of
relationships, and the types of proposals they say "yes" to
most often.
Emulate those traits by drawing on the strengths you have.
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Don’t turn the ball over

One of the most overlooked fundamentals of
office politics is to not turn the ball over.

When given a special project by the boss or the boss’
boss, take this as a sign of trust that you are
progressing.

Stay late, check your work, and seek advice from your
teammates and mentors. But whatever you do, don’t drop
the ball or you might not get another chance for a while.
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Play hard for all 4 Quarters - even
in garbage time

Don’t let others ever see you goofing off or taking
it easy.

If the boss is out of the office, this is actually the
time you should commit to working harder.

Don’t take advantage of the situation by taking a longer
lunch or slacking off on assignments.

Others in the office are keenly aware of your performance
while the boss is away. Don’t give them any reason to
throw you under the bus.
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Be a floor general

It’s never about who is in charge, but who
takes charge.

You don’t have to be team captain to be a
leader.

Winning at office politics is really about
watching how you carry yourself.

Take ownership of your mistakes and never
blame anyone.
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Do post game interviews

Control your story before others do.

Ask others what they think of your performance and
where they think you can improve. This is easy to do
around review time since everyone is worried about
their own situation.

If you’re not happy with the current PR you’re receiving,
then someone else is controlling your story.


Take steps to fix it and get the story straight.
If you want to be known as the tireless worker who is first
in and last to leave, then act like it.
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Shake hands at the end of the
game

Even if you leave an organization on bad
terms, don’t burn any bridges with
anyone. The odds are high that you will
see some of these people again in your
career.
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Winning at office politics is just like playing
basketball. As with any game, it takes
practice and the more you do it, the better
you’ll get.
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