Office politics

Gossip, ego battles, backstabbing and manipulation. If any of these phrases ring a bell, you know pretty well the political wars that are waged within the closed confines of many offices. The years may have passed and society may have developed, but office politics could just be Darwinian theory of survival being played out at a more sophisticated level. Have you ever been a victim? Do you think an office can ever be free of political battles?

Office politics will not survive if nobody listens to the gossip people spread, as the excitement would be lost.

Office politics is one of those games, which you don't choose to be a part of. Instead, it chooses you. We all become a part of it, one way or the other, even as we try to get rid of it. It is a very sad reality of today's work environment, and I don't see how this can be completely avoided.
Tayyaba Naqvi
Sharjah

I personally believe that office politics is healthy as it makes the employees perform better. Especially if people think that they are victim to such politics, they would work harder to prove their capabilities and thus, increase productivity. Lastly, in an ever growing competitive industry, politics has become an everyday phenomenon. Hence, it is sensible to learn to be a part of it.
Mughees Ahmad
Dubai

Wherever there is a gathering of three or more people, gossip slowly creeps in and builds its base. Many factors like anger, jealousy, inferiority or superiority complex feed it regularly. This is why it is not surprising to see all the gossip around an office, but developing a nature of ignoring would lead to tranquillity and success. Broad-mindedness is an inborn virtue, which only a few possess.
S.H. Kabeer
Dubai

I do not think office politics will ever end. People are often looking for an outlet to release their stress and end up gossiping. With the hectic lifestyle, even a normal chat can turn into a gossiping session. However, it is very easy to malign someone in the office. One just has to spread a bad word and, considering the office environment nowadays, the word can spread quickly.
Raviraj Rego
Dubai

Many political battles could be avoided if people had the courage to ask what was said and settle it at the same time.

Without some spicy gossip, the work environment would be quite boring. Normally, people gossip to capture others attention, but it should always be within limits. One should have the courage to approach a person to clarify any misunderstanding. Talking about someone in his or her absence is very easy, but facing the person and admitting what you said would be far more difficult.
Shaista Asad
Sharjah

Quite often people make judgements on others based on the opinion shared by the 'interpreter' or by a third party. The original message gets invariably tampered when someone else interprets it. In order to avoid politics at the organisational level, it is imperative to speak with the so called 'originator', or the person who actually made the statement or remark.
Krishna Kumar
Dubai

I think people are not as concerned about office politics at the moment, because of the job insecurity. However, there is always some politics doing the rounds. There is a lot of groupism in offices, but people should not pay attention to the gossips. I would not approach a person because I do not care about such comments. Others may prefer to do so, but that depends on their personality.
Raju Karunakaran
Dubai

I feel people should be careful regarding what they hear at the office. They must always check where the news is coming from, as often certain people enjoy spreading false rumours. However, if they are sure that a colleague has spoken badly about them, the best thing to do is approach them up front. Sort it out with a face-to-face conversation instead of getting into office politics.
Salim Panthodi
Abu Dhabi

When ego gets wrapped up in the workplace, people start defending their positions and backstabbing.

Whenever someone is faced with a situation where they may be wrong, but do not admit to it, their ego would cause them to save their skin by trying to backstab someone. On a personal note, I was a victim of such politics. I can very well recall the incident, where, for the sake of a promotion, my fellow colleague backstabbed me. Also, because I was part of the minority culture I really couldn't stop it from happening.
Hitesh Lakhwani
Sharjah

We should not allow office politics to grow. Nobody wants to compromise and, without compromise, a dispute can never be resolved. When your ego takes over, then the person never tries to help his or her colleagues because of embarrassment. However, I feel that if your boss is good, you can work smoothly and show your performance in a short duration.
Asif Aziz
Dubai

Thankfully, I have not been involved in office politics, but I have definitely heard of cases. Often, egos get involved in office matters and people tend to hold grudges for a long time. I also do not appreciate superiors who take advantage of their positions to mistreat their subordinates. They presume that since they are in a position of power, any action they take is justified.
Samreen Iqbal
Abu Dhabi

Sometimes colleagues may presume someone has an ego, because of their expression or mannerism. People should make sure they do not give the wrong impression. As for those who do have an ego, I think they should not be a part of any team. It is extremely destructive for the office as well as the person concerned, as all their achievement and good work gets destroyed.
Saad Jasim
Abu Dhabi

People would rather work with someone who is likeable and incompetent than with someone who is competent but not likeable.

I would prefer to work with someone, who will time and again tell me that I am wrong. This is how I have climbed the ladder of the corporate world. I may be the boss but I am a student till I die. Life is not about liking or disliking someone, but trying to find out facts and learning from them. You should appreciate a nice punch from your enemy, as probably, you will learn something from it.
Nilesh Modha
Tororo, Uganda

I would rather work with someone who is competent. If he or she is not likeable, I really have no choice. If I work with an incompetent boss, he or she would not even appreciate my good work. Not everyone who is fun at work needs to be good at their job. However, they may get promoted despite poor performance. I believe such cases occur when the boss is not competent enough in evaluating employees.
Karthi Kumar Murari
Sharjah

This statement is sad but true. Often, it so happens, that you may like the person initially. However, the moment they start becoming competent or start excelling, you start making enemies. Professional companies tend to do away with such behaviour. Ideally, the manager should step in and try to resolve any friction in relations. One just needs to sit face to face and talk it out.
Praveen Pinto
Dubai

Sometimes a person may be over qualified, which could lead to arrogance. People do not like such colleagues and often prefer not to work with them. Alternatively, people who are fun cannot be too good at work. However, I feel that performance depends on the management within an organisation instead of a single employee. I would want colleagues to be qualified and well-mannered at the same time.
Mohammad Waqas
Abu Dhabi