Office Politics

Assalamualaikum,

I seldom write about my office as I don't really know who in my office might find this blog. However, what I'm writing today are tips on facing your colleagues at work. My first workplace was with a Chinese consultants. For 1 year, I was the only Malay amongst the Chinese. I learn a lot working there. You do not have time to gossip about your colleagues, only the boss (who doesn't), you talk straight to the point and be frank about it, and you accept criticism and move on to improve yourself.

After my degree, I then work with a Malay company (100%). Here, the environment is okay if the staff are less than 10. But when there are more than 15 staff, then here is where the trouble start. There will be cliques in the office, backstabbing, staff who feels they are better than the others & those who like to 'kipas'.

Here's my tip on how to handle the situation:

1. If there is one person who likes to talk big about everything, just listen and nod your head even though you hate it. You will notice that all the stories told are about their friends or family members. Rarely it is about themselves. This way you still be a neutral friend's with them even though other staff hate her/him.
2. If someone tells you something about another person, please don't believe it immediately. Seek the information from the person spoken about. In my case, I'm not offended when someone informed me that so and so has spoken bad about me, because I know what I have done & I know the real story. The so and so has gotten the wrong information.
3. Do not bad mouth all those in the office. That way you will be a neutral party when tensions erupted amongst the staff. Listen to both side of the story, but never ever informed the other party what the other side have said. You may however give them advice on your OWN OPINION. This way you'll avoid the situation becoming worse.
4. Whatever you want to say to your boss about some of the staff, please support it with facts. A statement made without any proof is merely a hearsay. You may wonder why some boss believes the other party and not the other, my observation is that some of them will report to the boss with facts.
5. Always smile and say greet nicely everyone of them. You may not like their behavior, but who are you to judge. I believe that kindness can change people's behavior.

Hope my tip will help you guys in handling office politics!