Got a “Promotion” but Title is Ambiguous

Swamped! (While Coworker Does Nothing)

Dear Office Politics,

Please can someone help me sort a work situation out?

For the past year I have been covering two full time roles, my own and that of a colleague on maternity leave. This has involved a huge amount of extra hours and unbelievable pressure. To make matters worse, I have now been told that the colleague will not be returning to work and that I will be expected to cover the two roles on a permanent basis.

My boss has agreed that I have been swamped with work and promises to arrange help but it never materializes due to lack of funds. During this time I have sat opposite a co-worker who has a very low workload (she actually boasts that she has nothing to do) and so spends a chunk of every day either surfing the internet, talking or texting. It has driven me to despair and and even though other colleagues have constantly asked how she gets away with this behavior, they do not complain to our boss. My problem is that I resent her attitude so much the only way I can cope is to completely ignore her, I just want to block her out. Another colleague has now told me that she plans to complain to my boss that I blank her, etc. etc. I know this makes me sound awful but it really is the only way I have been able to deal, or not, with her.

I don’t understand this obsession to know what everyone is doing, or to tell everyone what I’m doing

Dear Office Politics,

Your site is a great help in navigating today’s workplace! I’ve read about how you need to develop an online presence because employers will search your name to see what comes up. I’m a very private person and I’m at a loss about how to do this. I was raised to believe that your personal life was just that: personal. I don’t have a Facebook page and I don’t “tweet” whatever that is! I don’t understand this obsession to know what everyone is doing, or to tell everyone what I’m doing. Is there hope for someone like me who likes her privacy?

I have a website portfolio that I started, but it is listed under my last name and doesn’t come up in a random search. Is it enough to direct people to my homepage so they can see what I’ve done?
Thank you,
Private Patty

The Office Gossip gets an earful from 3 advisers

Dear Office Politics,

I try to be a nice person at work and to stay out of politics however about a couple weeks ago I made a comment about a coworker that I know I shouldn’t have and now I think it’s going to bite me in the butt. I noticed that one of my coworkers leaves for lunch everyday and then comes back and eats his lunch at his desk. I thought that maybe he does contractual work on the side during his lunch break and was curious about it. While chatting with some coworkers I mentioned it. It wasn’t to a supervisor or anyone of authority, I didn’t want to get him into trouble or anything. I felt bad right after I said it, but I guess I thought it wasn’t going to go past the room, and no harm no foul.

Well, today he loudly announced to my boss and other coworkers that we need to have a meeting about gossip mongering because people are saying nasty things about what he does at lunch. I don’t know what to do as I’m scared to admit that I’m the one that said it. Also this coworker has a bad temper and can be very mean. How should I play this? In some hot water.

In Some Hot Water

Three Advisers give their best advice to “In Some Hot Water”

Sometimes we get a letter that poses such a universal dilemma that it’s worth exploring in more depth, and from multiple angles. This letter is a case in point. Gossip is a problem that plagues workplaces everywhere. Here are three responses to the same letter from three Office-Politics Advisers: Author and award-winning journalist, Rona Maynard; Author and Founder, Skill Source, Jennifer Miller; and Office-Politics.com Founder and Author, Franke James.

RONA MAYNARD Dear Hot Water, About to bite you in the butt, you say? It already has, and hard. Your co-worker has a good notion who’s been questioning his loyalty–and now your boss does, too. The sooner you come clean and accept responsibility for playing fast and loose with your colleague’s reputation, the better your chances of salvaging your own. There comes a point in every career where you simply have to swallow your pride and say, without equivocation or excuses, “I screwed up and I couldn’t be sorrier.” For you that turning point is now….

JENNIFER MILLER Dear Hot Water, There is a Chinese Proverb that says “What is told in the ear of a man is often heard 100 miles away.” News travels fast, especially that of a gossipy nature. What started out as rather benign curiosity on your part has quickly turned into an awkward situation with the wronged party making a public declaration of “gossip-mongering.” It’s natural to be curious about a co-worker; we’re human beings after all! Our human curiosity can lead to wonderful inventions and unique problem-solving. The challenge is, sometimes our curiosity leads us to places where we have no business being.

FRANKE JAMES Dear Hot Water, Your last line “How should I play this?” is where I’m going to start. I sense from your question, that you see office politics as a game – and that you’d like to be able to play it to your advantage. So that’s where I’ll focus my advice. Not surprisingly (given that I’m the creator of the game-book, Dear Office-Politics) I like to view office politics as a game. And like all games, this one has rules (mostly unwritten), strategies, power plays, opposing teams, a scoreboard, and ultimately winners and losers. But as in sports, you don’t need to play dirty to win…

Now why on earth did they decide to do that?!

BY STEVE HEARSUM

Ever been left bewildered by decisions your company makes?

Curious as to what possessed the CEO to propose that strategy, when everyone knows it is barking mad? Baffled as to why you have just spent three hours in a meeting that was supposed to come up with a cunning plan, and all you are left with is a set of vague and fluffy actions requiring yet more interminably long strategy meetings?

Decisions! Decisions!
Most life changing events in our careers have at their root someone, somewhere, deciding something. Sometimes we may be present to influence that, others not. Either way, what, if anything, can we do about it? And how actually do humans make decisions? I mean, it’s a rational process, right?….

Lost Leader Left out of the Loop

Dear Office Politics,

I am the manager of a small not for profit organization, I have had some personal problems which has meant that my work has been very poor over the last 6 months, I have received a warning about my performance and I am taking steps to rectify it.

The problem I have now is that my credibility has been completely undermined with the staff. Often I come into the office and it is as if am not there, people are going about their business and I am left out of the loop. They only refer to me when they need my signature and they seem to know that if I was to push them on something like attendance or performance that they can very easily retort with something like ‘who are you to tell me what to do after the way you have behaved’.

‘Dear Office-Politics’ Snags Axiom Book Award

March 16, 2010 -– Toronto, Canada

Dear Office-Politics, the game everyone plays is the winner of a 2010 Axiom Business Book Award.

Franke James’ innovative game-book was awarded the Bronze Medal in the HR/Employee Training category. Dear Office-Politics is a role-playing game that encourages lively discussion of workplace issues. It helps people exercise their ethical muscles, analyze power, increase empathy, and understand why the “right” course of action is actually in their — and the company’s best interests.

Author Franke James responded, “It’s really exciting that Axiom chose to recognize Dear Office-Politics because it’s a radical departure from standard business books. It’s a Game and a Book — all rolled into one. It’s filled with fun, splashy, full-color graphics. It looks very entertaining. But at it’s core, it’s an educational, training game that sneaks up and surprises people. You can learn a lot by observing how your coworkers “explain” their ethical decisions. And gain deeper insight — and empathy — into why people behave the way they do.