OFFICE POLITICS

1. Be a team player: Being a good team player is attained at the point of realization that the company and the team come before you. Outperforming in a team project lifts your morale, which obviously increases your chances of being promoted. Personal attitude matters a lot here. Not everyone in the team can be your good friends, never a possibility. What counts is your professional maturity of not voicing your difference against another while at work.

2. Be a good observer: There is no excuse if you miss to observe what is happening around you and how things are done in your organization. Observation means involvement too, rather an indirect participation. Here you should try to find out what are the values of the company and how are they enacted? What is the process of decision making? What is the risk tolerance level? You will get an accurate idea about the culture of your organization by finding out the answers for the above questions and thus you can design your style of work in your organization.

3. Be a good communicator: Communication doesn't only mean that you talk and develop a good rapport with everyone around you. Rather, it's how you let everyone know what you have achieved in a con vincible manner. But at the same time, a fallacy of exaggerating your success or taking undeserved credit for your role in teamwork will land you to neck-deep office politics. A good communicator creates friends and a makes even enemies talk good about him - he is the master of diplomacy.

4. Respect all: Respecting your subordinates is as important as your superiors. While you shower your boss with countless salaams and behave with people working under you or co-workers in an autocratic manner with the wrong notion of positional hierarchy, you can never expect respect from anyone. In the heavily complex professional and personal relationship web in an organization, you never know to whom someone might be connected.

5. Manage your own behavior: You got to be calm and cool at times of tensions. Refrain from gossiping, questionable judgments and spreading rumors. Grow beyond interpersonal conflicts. You should never compromise on your integrity. Professionalism and work ethics should be the basis of your actions. Above all, you should be extremely careful when revealing things to others - never blindly rely on confidentiality.

Management Lessons

Four Management Lessons

Lesson Number One

A crow was sitting on a tree, doing nothing all day. A small rabbit saw the crow, and asked him, "Can I also sit like you and do nothing all day long?"

The crow answered: "Sure, why not."


So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the crow, and rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.

Management Lesson: To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.


Lesson Number Two

A turkey was chatting with a bull.

"I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree," sighed the turkey, "but I haven't got the energy. "Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?" replied the bull. "They're packed with nutrients."

The turkey pecked at a lump of dung and found that it actually gave him enough strength to reach the first branch of the tree. The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch. Finally after a fortnight, there he was proudly perched at the top of the tree. Soon he was promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot the turkey out of the tree.

Management Lesson: Bullshit might get you to the top, but it won't keep you there.


Lesson Number Three

When the body was first made, all the parts wanted to be Boss. The brain said, "I should be Boss because I control the whole body's responses and functions."

The feet said, "We should be Boss as we carry the brain about and get him to where he wants to go." The hands said, "We should be the Boss because we do all the work and earn all the money." And so it went on and on with the heart, the lungs and the eyes until finally the asshole spoke up.

All the parts laughed at the idea of the asshole being the Boss. So the asshole went on strike, blocked itself up and refused to work. Within a short time the eyes became crossed, the hands clenched, the feet twitched, the heart and lungs began to panic and the brain fevered. Eventually they all decided that the asshole should be the Boss, so the motion was passed.

All the other parts did all the work while the Boss just sat and passed out the shit!

Management Lesson: You don't need brains to be Boss, any asshole will do!



Lesson Number Four

A little bird was flying south for the winter. It was so cold, the bird froze and fell to the ground in a large field. While it was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on it. As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, it began to realize how warm it was. The dung was actually thawing him out!

He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy. A passing cat heard he bird singing and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him!

Management Lessons:

1. Not everyone who drops shit on you is your enemy.
2. Not everyone who gets you out of shit is your friend.
3. When you're in deep shit, keep your mouth shut!

Key Ideas Of Working

91. Tap into Your Secret Stress-Buster.
Breathing can help alleviate stress. Remind yourself to take slightly deeper breaths.

92. Speak to Others with Love and Respect.
It’s not only proper and less stressful to speak to other people in a kind and respectful manner, it is also smart business.

93. Don’t Go There.
If you feel that a path you’re taking might induce negative feelings, behavior, or
situations, don’t go there. Use the same principle when you find yourself asking
personal questions and thinking negative thoughts.

94. Remember to Appreciate the People You Work With.
People need and deserve to be appreciated. If you want to be around people who are happier and more loyal, show them your appreciation.

95. Don’t Sweat Your Critics.
When faced with critics, use their criticism to add to your growth. Don’t allow
yourself to become too affected.

96. Reduce Your Self-Induced Stress.
Believe it or not, you are personally responsible for a lot of the stress you are
feeling. Pay attention to your thoughts and try to dismiss the self-defeating ones.

97. Become Aware of the Thought Factor.
Your experience of life comes from your own thinking and perception. Choose to respond positively to negative situations.

98. Ease Off Your Ego.
Choose to shrink the size of your ego. This will take a lot of humility and
patience but this will ease a lot of pressure.

99. Remember, Small Stuff Happens.
Accept that you will encounter a lot of small stuff within the day. Instead of worrying or panicking, just accept that you will have to deal with them.

100. Don’t Live for Retirement.
Live for today. Don’t postpone being happy. Every day is important so you might as well be happy right now. If you do so, you will be happy every single day for the rest of your life.

Key Ideas Of Working

80. Stay Close to Your Center.
When you feel calm and inspired, you are close to your center.

Therefore, you’ll be able to get work done more effectively and

efficiently.

81. Forgive Yourself, You’re Human.
Once again, you must face that it is inevitable that you’ll make

mistakes. Forgive your flaws and errors. Accept them as an

unavoidable fact of life and learn to recover from them.

82. Put Your Mind in Neutral.
By clearing your mind of focused thinking, you become responsive. Your best
work can be accomplished when your mind is in neutral.

83. Marvel at How Often Things Go Right.
Instead of complaining why things always go wrong, stop and

think about those times when everything went right.

84. Make Peace with Chaos.
Chaos is everywhere. The best way to deal with chaos is to

surrender and make peace with it. Instead of trying to control

your world, learn to work with chaos without being negatively affected.

85. Prevent Burnout.
Strive to keep a balanced life. You should also be growth-oriented. Make sure
you have a life outside of work.

86. Experience a Magical Transformation.
Transform your current way of thinking and behavior into a

more positive alternative. Review your negative habits and

traits and try to conquer them.

87. Avoid “If Only, Then” Thinking.
Stop wishing that things were different. It is destructive and even

worse; you are putting your happiness on hold.

88. Eliminate the Worry Factor.
When you worry less, you will experience more success. Excessive

worrying will only make it difficult for you to focus your efforts.

89. Ask for What You Want, But Don’t Insist on Getting It.
Do not be afraid to ask for what you want. However, do not be

attached to the outcome. Otherwise, you are setting yourself up

disappointment.

90. Remember the Whole Story.
Don’t focus on the negative. In truth, things are not as bad as it seems.

Key Ideas Of Working

69. Back Off When You Don’t Know What to Do.
Don’t force the issue. If you don’t have a ready solution to

a problem, back off and extend less effort. This way, you

will not obstruct your wisdom and more ideas will come.

70. Admit that It’s Your Choice.
Remember that your career and the problems that come with

it are your choice.You are in charge of your own life.

71. Before Becoming Defensive, Take Note of What Is Being Said.
Before reacting defensively to something someone has said,

breathe, relax and genuinely listen. It might not be the

personal attack you are seeing it to be.

72. Complete As Many Tasks as Possible.
Never turn in unfinished work. Make sure that all your projects

are 100% completed. It is best to finish a project before moving

in to another.

73. Spend Ten Minutes a Day Doing Absolutely Nothing.
By spending a few minutes doing nothing every day, you are

regaining your perspective and allowing your wisdom and

common sense to thrive.

74. Learn to Delegate.
Focus on the tasks that you are most qualified to do and

delegate the rest.

75. Strengthen Your Presence.
Be charismatic and magnanimous. This way, people will be

drawn to your energy. Stop your mind from wandering and

choose to really be with the people you are with.

76. Learn to Say No without Guilt.
Give yourself the freedom to say no.

77. Take Your Next Vacation at Home.
Sometimes, the most relaxing, rejuvenating and energizing

vacations are the ones spent at home.

78. Don’t Let Negative Coworkers Get You Down.
Learn how to deal with negativity. If you don’t, you will end up

discouraged, frustrated and depressed yourself.

79. Make the Best of a “Noncreative” Position.
Make the best of the job you have now. Approach your job in

a positive manner and you will find that you will enjoy it more.

Key Ideas Of Working

58. Don’t Be Too Quick to Comment.
Think before you speak. Refrain from giving unnecessary and

counterproductive comments.

59. Let Go of “Personality Clashes.”
Learn to accept that most of the time, you won’t be able to

choose the people you work with. You must respect other

people’s differences and not allow other people’s personalities

to affect you negatively.

60. Don’t Get Stressed by the Predictable.
Learn to deal with predictable stressful situations. Make

allowances for the inevitable and you will eliminate a lot

of stress.

61. Stop Procrastinating.
Don’t put off things until the last minute. Start tasks a little

earlier.

62. Confront Gently.
Sooner or later, you will have to confront someone. Do so

in a gentle and yet firm way. Assume that you will be able to

work things out.

63. Remember the Three R’s.
Be responsive, receptive, and reasonable.

64. Get Out of the Grumble Mode.
Get a sense of humor. Once again, you shouldn’t take things

too seriously.

65. Get It Over With.
Don’t save the worst for last. Don’t postpone or procrastinate

the inevitable, no matter how unsavory it might be.

66. Don’t live in an Imagined Future.
Refrain from dwelling on how much better your life would be in

the future. Also, do not worry about how terrible it is going to

be for you a few days from now.
You are giving up the present for events and situations that

might not even happen.

67. Make Someone Else Feel Good.
Remember the old adage: “If you want to feel good about yourself,

make someone else feel good.”

68. Compete from the Heart.
Competition is not a bad thing. You should compete hard and

yet be able to enjoy yourself and give back to society. Compete

because you love what you
do.

Key Ideas Of Working

48. Avoid Comments that Are Likely to Lead to Gossip or Unwanted
Chatter.
Refrain from using comments that can lead to unnecessary casual
conversations. You are wasting your time and energy.

49. See Beyond the Roles.
Remember that there is a real person behind every role. Learn to

view people as human beings first and not mere workers. You will

treat other people better and in the same way, other people will

treat you better as well.

50. Avoid the Tendency to Put a Cost on Personal Things.

Don’t calculate too much. When you put a price tag on everything

you do, you will find it hard to do things you enjoy.

51. When You Solicit Advice, Consider Taking It.
When seeking counsel, do not dismiss the advice you are given.

Listen carefully and if it’s good advice, and consider taking it.

52. Take Advantage of Your Commute.
If you spend a lot of time commuting, make sure you spend the

time wisely.Read a book or listen to audio tapes.

53. Let Go of Battles that Cannot Be Won.
Fighting battles that can not be won will only give you stress,

waste your time, and expend your energy. Learn to differentiate

between the battles worth fighting for and the ones that you

should let go.

54. Think of Stress and Frustration as Distractions to Your Success.
You do not need stress to be successful. On the contrary, stress is

an obstacle that can inhibit your ability to stay focused and to

think clearly. Rather, remind yourself that stressful feelings will

not help you.

55. Accept the Fact that There’s Almost Always Going to Be

Someone Mad at You.
You can’t please everyone. Accept this fact of life and you will

find peace.

56. Don’t Let Your Own Thoughts Stress You Out.
Don’t allow your thoughts to overcome you and make you lose

sense of reality. It is best not to take some of your thoughts too

seriously.

57. Make Allowances for Incompetence.
Face it. Some people are incompetent. Don’t take it personally and

don’t allow this fact to get you down. Don’t allow yourself to lose

your cool.

Key Ideas Of Working

39. Get Really Comfortable Using Voice Mail.
Voice mails are an effective way to give your uninterrupted

point of view. Use them to your advantage.

40. Stop Wishing You Were Somewhere Else.
Don’t wish your life away. Accept your reality and make the

most out of it. It is better to focus on what you are doing right

now than on what you’d rather be doing. You will enjoy your

life and work more.

41. Ask Yourself the Question, “Am I Making the Absolute Best

of This Moment?”
Don’t remind yourself how stressed or how busy you are. Instead,

ask yourself if you are making the best of the moment. You will

become more effective and productive.

42. Stop Scrambling.
When you move too quickly and force yourself to do three or more

things at once, you waste your energy and make more mistakes.

Try to work at a slowerpace.

43. Become Aware of Your Wisdom.
Wisdom is as important as analytical thinking at work. Wisdom

gives youcreativity, ideas, perspective, common sense, and

direction. It will also give youa less stressful and easier life.

44. Realize the Power of Rapport.
Rapport is critical to success. It helps you build good relationships

and makesyou a better person. By learning how to establish

rapport, you are growing professionally and spiritually.

45. Recover Quickly.
Someday, you will make mistakes. What is more important is

recovering from the mistakes you made.

46. Encourage Company Stress-Busters.
Suggest changes that can help reduce or eliminate stress in

the workplace.
Suggestions like company work-out rooms and other employee

perks can help build a less stressful and worry-free working

environment.

47. Give Up Your Fear of Speaking to Groups.
Public speaking is vital to your success. The best way to get over

this fear is toput yourself in as many situations as possible to

speak publicly.

Key Ideas Of Working

29. Be Careful What You Ask For.
Believe it or not, your life might actually be good

enough as it is. Think over the things you are wishing

for. They might actually happen and cause you even

more frustration and grief.

30. Absorb the Speed Bumps of Your Day.
When problems pop up, consider there as mere speed

bumps that should only slow you down temporarily.

Get through the situation and go on your way.

31. Have a Favorite Business Charity.

Try to give a percentage of your profit to charity. Not

only will you feel more satisfaction and be able to

make use of tax deductions, it can give you added
incentive to do better. Remember, it is always good to

help those in need.

32. Never, Ever Backstab.

When you backstab, not only does it make you look bad,

it adds stress and anxiety to your life. Earn the respect

and trust of other people by not speaking badly about others.

33. Accept the Fact That, Every Once in a While, You’re

Going to Have a Really Bad Day.
It is best to just accept the fact that there are days when

everything will go wrong.
Try to look for the silver lining in every bad situation.

34. Recognize Patterns of Behavior.
Negative patterns often repeat themselves. By looking for

patterns of behavior, you will be able to detect problems and

nip them at the bud.

35. Lower Your Expectations.
Setting unrealistic and overly demanding expectations

can cause frustration and stress. By slightly lowering your

expectations, you can make things easier for you.

36. Pat Yourself on the Back.
It is not enough that you show appreciation towards other people.

You should also give yourself praise and encouragement.

37. Become Less Self-Absorbed.
Don’t take yourself too seriously. Self-absorbed people are

rude, demanding, selfish and arrogant.

38. Don’t Be Trapped by Golden Handcuffs.
Don’t choose to live very close to the edge of your current means.

You are trapping yourself into keeping a job you might

hate merely because you need the income.

Key Ideas Of Working

19. Take Your Breaks.
Failure to take regular breaks makes you less productive over

time. Take a few minutes to clear your head and to get some air.

20. Don’t Take the 20/80 Rule Personally.
The 20/80 rule states that only 20% of the people do 80% of the

work in any workplace. If you are part of that 20%, don’t take it

personally if others are not doing their jobs. Remember that

people define productivity in different ways.

21. Make a List of Your Personal Priorities.
Write a list of the personal things that are important to you.

After a few weeks, go back to your list and check if you were

able to accomplish your personal priorities.

22. Use Effective Listening as a Stress-Reducing Tool.
A good listener is respected and sought after. Furthermore,

effective listeningsaves you lots of time and eliminates mistakes.

23. Make Friends with Your Receptionist.
The receptionist in your workplace is a key partner. Be

respectful. Show your receptionist kindness, patience, and

courtesy.

24. Remember the Motto, “You Catch More Flies with Honey.”
Always be nice. People respond better to kindness than threats.

25. Avoid the Phrase, “I Have to Go to Work.”
Although the phrase above may indeed be true, it is self-

destructive. Try to come up with a more positive message to start

your day.

26. Be Aware of the Potentially Stressful Effects of Your Promises.
Limit the promises you make, especially when they are

unnecessaryor unimportant.

27. Examine Your Rituals and Habits (and Be Willing to Change

Some of Them).

Some of your habits can cause you a great deal of stress.

Procrastinating, overeating, not exercising, and excessive

drinking are just a few of the habits you should consider changing.

28. Stay Focused in the Now.
Keep your attention focused on the present. Worrying about the

future will only cause you unneeded stress and hinder your

productivity.

Key Ideas Of Working

8. Stop Anticipating Tiredness.
Don’t anticipate how tired you are going to be tomorrow or at
the end of the week. Instead, just try to take advantage of any
chance you get to rest or sleep.

9. Don’t Sweat the Bureaucracy.
The best way to deal with bureaucracy is to maximize your
efficiency the best way you can. You can also make suggestions
on ways to improve the system.

10. Remember the Phrase, “Being Dead Is Bad for Business.”
Take care of your personal health. Eat well, exercise, get plenty
or rest and take up other healthy habits.

11. Make the Best of Corporate Travel.
When traveling, be creative on how you spend your time - even
when on the plane. Make the best out of it.

12. Light a Candle Instead of Cursing the Darkness.
When something goes wrong, take positive steps to solve the
problem. Instead of complaining about the situation, try coming
up with a solution.

13. Join My New Club, “TGIT”
“TGIT” stands for “Thank God It’s Today.” Instead of looking
forward to your weekends, learn to appreciate each day of the
week. This way, you will be happy everyday.

14. Don’t Sweat the Demanding Boss.
When dealing with a demanding boss, try to focus on his or her
positive aspects. Don’t take the behavior personally.

15. Remember to Acknowledge.
Everyone loves to be acknowledged so always find the time to
acknowledge others. A simple note or the act of saying ‘thank
you’ can do wonders.

16. Don’t Keep People Waiting.
Respect other people’s time. Plan ahead and make sure you are
on time all the time.

17. Create a Bridge Between Your Spirituality and Your Work.
Bring the essence of who you are and what you believe into the
workplace.

18. Brighten Up Your Working Environment.
Make sure that your working environment is not bland, boring,
or dark. Take the time and spend a little money on making your
workplace less depressing.

Key Ideas Of Working

1. Dare to Be Happy.
Allow yourself the luxury of being happy at work. Happy workers
are creative, good listeners, and highly motivated.

2. Become Less Controlling.
Give people the space to be who they really are and respect
other people’s differences. By not being controlling, you will
receive more admiration and respect.

3. Eliminate the Rat Race Mentality.
Stop complaining that you are stuck in the rat race. Instead,
look into how you are spending your days in a more positive
manner.

4. Don’t Dramatize the Deadlines.
Remember, it causes more stress to complain about how unfair
a certain deadline is than to actually work on a task.

5. Have Some “No Phone” Time at Work.
Excessive phone calls can cause a lot of stress and anxiety. It
might be a good idea to turn off your ringer or have your voice
mail answer your calls for a specific period of time.

6. Avoid Corporate Bragging.
Stop yourself from telling others how busy you are and how
much work you do. You are, in fact, reinforcing to yourself how
stressed out you are.

7. Make the Best of Those Boring Meetings.
To make meetings more interesting and productive, you should
totally immerse yourself in the discussion. It is also a good idea
to tell yourself that you’re going to learn something new.