Corporate Politics

1. LECTURE OVERVIEW

This lecture is about corporate politics. It talks about “The Ideal World”, the reason of having corporate politics, basic survival skills, office romance and sexual harassment.

2. MY THOUGHTS, VIEWS & CRITICISM

In our ideal world, we assume that work is all about receiving salary, get promoted, have fair share of tasks and receive goodies based on merit. I do agree that this is the ideal process of every working adult but in the real working world, things do not happen in your way and things may even come against you.

The reason why there are corporate politics is because imitating power holder to draw attention, people craving for power, emotional insecurity and hunger for acceptance. I agree to the reasons given as all these actions and behaviour will lead to corporate politics resulting in unhappiness in work place.

The basic survival skills are to be visible, never offend the VIPs, the peers and subordinates, and the big boss. To be visible means to do the difficult project, often help people, and to be the cool guy which does not easily get agitated. Never offend the VIPs which are Mrs. BOSS, the personal assistant, secretary, and the boss’s relative in the family. Regarding the peers and subordinates, you must be a team player, always ask for advice when in doubt, exchange favours with colleagues, the extra ears that listens and try not to be involves. And for the big boss, always apologize when mistake is made, be loyal to the company, always share credit when job is done, and avoid upstaging. From my previous work experience, I agree that to survive in the company, these are the ways that one can use. As I can remember last time when I was at work, one colleague always thinks he is right and always did the supposedly team work by himself, and he would not listen to other people’s advice thus he always got into corporate politics with the other colleagues.

My thoughts on how to handle corporate politics is very positive, I think it is a very good information and guide towards a better office environment.

3. HOW I APPLIED THOSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

I can apply it when my internship starts at March and for my future working life. With these valuable knowledge, I will be very cautious in meeting people in the office, and do what I suppose to do, and will not do what I not suppose to do. This will help me in avoiding corporate politics and be safe in the office.

4. HOW THEY HAVE HAD AN IMPACT IN YOU

After knowing all these, I have learnt to avoid unnecessary contact with those colleagues that are involved in the corporate politics and will follow the basic survival skills and all the ways to keep a better working environment for myself. This will help me in getting promotion and also avoid getting involved in corporate politics which will result in losing my job or my boss’s trust.

5. HOW THEY ARE RELEVANT TO YOU

It is quite relevant as it happened to me once during my part time job experience and I believe it will happen when I go for my internship next month and definitely during my future work life. Thus I will remember the ways to survive in the company and try my very best not to be involve in any corporate politics.