Workplace politics can play key roles in how we handle situations. Going through different scenarios and discussing the dynamics as a team can help talk through options we may not have thought of as resolutions. Or what could be the best moves for your career safety.

SAY IT OR TAKE NOTE
In this exercise you will raise your hand, write down, or verbally acknowledge if you would say something in the situation or keep it to yourself and take note. When you take note, you may not be as loud or direct in handling but with taking note and creating a paper trail it is still creating career safety and proactive in protecting yourself.


SCENARIO #1 – #3
During a conversation with a leader at your company, the leader jumps on you and yells at you for something they took as an error you made. This has happened before with this leader. You respond respectfully back but are questioning bringing this up to your manager as their yelling is becoming a norm and they’re making assumptions that errors are being made by you. With the different dynamics to the situation listed below, would you say something to your manager or keep it to yourself and take note.

• You know both leaders have expressed their friendship with one another. Would you say something to your leader or take note and keep the latest interaction to yourself?
• You’ve never heard your leader really speak on this other leader in a positive or negative way. Would you say something to your leader or take note and keep the latest interaction to yourself?
• You’ve heard your leader speak negatively or make slights towards this leader. Would you say something to your leader or take note and keep the latest interaction to yourself?

SCENARIO #4
Your friend at work is handling feedback from their leader poorly. They’re openly bashing the leader with other colleagues and not being truthful with what happened in the situation. You also know their leader is a favorite of top leadership. Would you say something to your friend at work or take mental note and keep to yourself?

SCENARIO #5
Your colleague on the same team as you tends to be on their phone throughout the day which is causing duties to be late or lacking in quality. It’s becoming a problem with you now having to take on more and double check their work. You’ve seen this colleague seem buddies with the director where you’re also unsure if they’re even dating. Do you say something to your leader who is the director or keep it to yourself? Do you say something to your colleague or keep it to yourself?


DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Dive further into the exercise responses with these discussion questions.

• Have you had similar situations arise at work compared to the scenarios? How did you handle them then?
• Have you handled situations that involved work politics that you regretted?
• How did your response change depending on the role the individual played or who they knew/friends with at the company?
• If you were guiding someone in work politics, what is one piece of advice you would share with them?
• When has there been a time that work politics were at play but you handled it in a way that allowed you to address the situation and resolve or somewhat resolve the problem without alienating anyone?

For more information about this material, email kmcclain@praeliscere.com or visit https://praeliscere.com/. Copyright Kathryn McClain.

Workplace politics can play key roles in how we handle situations. Going through different scenarios and discussing the dynamics as a team can help talk through options we may not have thought of as resolutions. Or what could be the best moves for your career safety.