How to Survive Office Politics

ZACH DE GREGORIO, CPA

I am making this video, especially for Millennials. I am sure I will get some angry comments for this, but I am going to be brutally honest with you. In my experience, Millennials tend to be pretty bad at dealing with office politics. It is like they do not understand what is going on. There are two reasons for this. 1) They have spent so much time behind computer screens that they have not had as much practice at face to face interaction, but more importantly 2) No one has ever told them how office politics works. There is no class in business school on office politics. So we are going to talk about it today.
Let us start with the big complaint. You will hear people complaining about office politics, and it is usually combined with an argument about fairness. Someone might have got a promotion or a raise because they are friends with the boss. So people blame office politics.
Complaining is never a productive activity. If you are frustrated with office politics, what you need to do is take a step back and understand how office politics works. Because I am telling you right now, office politics is part of business. So if you want to be a part of the business world, you need to figure it out.
So let me explain what is going on with office politics. Every business has some sort of performance evaluation process. This is the process that bosses use to hand out raises, promotions, or other benefits. All businesses are going to have different performance evaluation processes. Different businesses are going to value different things. But all evaluations are going to fall into three main categories:
• Seniority
• Performance
• Likeability
Office politics is this third category of likeability. Do your team mates like you? It is really that simple. Most people understand seniority and performance. Those are easy, numerical metrics you can define. But likeability is more difficult to put a number on. It is this fluffy category about human relationships.

Neither Zach De Gregorio or Wolves and Finance Inc. shall be liable for any damages related to information in this video. It is recommended you contact a CPA in your area for business advice.

[michaelpisciarino]

2:12 Seniority, Performance, Likeability
3:40 Questions of likeability
Teamwork

5:21 Balance

[stayjit]

It has seemed to me that the most successful in playing Office Politics were always the least productive

[akhil]

Amazing explanation. Explained exactly what happens in real world. The unfortunate part is it is not taught in universities so that one can be prepared for it.

[niamatullahghousi]

Those who deals positively with office politics, they are actually success in their positions

[kunliu]

Although I am honest, understanding others, never embarrass others in public, but I am still not likeable. Because I don't like talking with others and I'm a little bit timid. So when I am alone, I usually go out run. That is the secret to a long distance run such as marathon.😂😂

Office politics happen out all work places.

[jimhightower]

Likeability is popularity which has a great to do with how attractive you are.

Don't be unattractive.


If you are unattractive, study engineering/CS and read finance/investing books on the side.
Short caveat, there are two types of people who do very well in medical sales.
Early 30's to early 50's men who have solid contacts and experience.
Beautiful cheerleader type girls as late as their early 30's NO OLDER.





TL;DR Don't be unattractive.