STAY ABOVE OFFICE POLITICS TO KEEP AHEAD

Stay above office politics to keep ahead by By Joy Fang. I read this articles from asiaone and think is good to share with you since office politics is all around us. Take it as a guide... perhaps you already know. Stay happy and wish you all the best in your career!

COUNT yourself lucky if you've never had a brush with office politics.

Company politics are almost inescapable and can be potential landmines. Still, careful handling can allow you to escape unscathed. my paper asks experts how to deal with common scenarios.

1. You've learnt that a colleague has backstabbed you, and has spoken negatively about you to your boss. What should you do?

You should immediately seek clarity with the colleague in question. Be careful not to be confrontational and avoid taking an accusatory tone, said Mr Sebastian Anthony, a senior manager in leadership development at human-capital consultancy firm Training Vision.

You should always try to remain objective and stay above your emotions, as this will demonstrate your maturity, he added.

2. You've found out that a colleague took credit for a project you were in charge of. Your boss even praised him or her for work that you did. What should you do?

Your course of action depends on how long your colleague has been in the company and the importance of the project, said Mr Anthony.

'If the colleague has been in the company longer than you or the project does not have much impact, I would probably not force a confrontation,' he said.

The No. 1 rule is to not overreact, added Mr Hermann Ditzig, managing director of leadership-development firm Lead Consulting Group.

People have a natural tendency to see their contributions as being more critical than they actually are, and your colleague might have thought his contributions were more important to the outcome than they actually were, said Mr Ditzig, who has 35 years of experience in human-resource consulting and leadership development.

Having your boss praise them for their good work does not mean that he or she doesn't know that you led the effort, he said.

3. Your boss has risen to his level by playing office politics. How do you interact with such a boss and ensure that you thrive?

It is best to move on and work under someone you respect, because you can never be truly happy and work is always going to be stressful, said Mr Anthony.

But Mr Ditzig cautioned against making a rash move, adding that it's best not to assume that your boss played politics all the way to the top.

Find out what contributions the boss is making, and what you can learn from working with him or her, he said.

4. You've made a big error at work. How do you bounce back?

Own up. You may be scolded but you will always be respected, said Mr Anthony. Talk to your bosses about your mistake and what you have learnt from the lesson. This will let them see that you can rise above your mistakes, he said.

Mr Ditzig said that high achievers in business do make mistakes, but avoid repeating them because they learn from each one.

5. How do you ensure that you're making a good impression so as to avoid playing politics as far as possible?

Surprisingly, dressing can play a big part, said Ms Pang Li Kin, founding director of image consultancy firm Potenxia.

If you need to show authority at work, dress authoritatively. Wear structured suits with jackets in dark colours.

But don't be a bore - adhere to your company's 'casual Friday' policies to show that you are flexible too.

If you are in a creative industry you can add statement pieces to your look, such as accessories, funky bags or shoes.

But always ensure that you're on top of your game while at work, and dress the part.