What is OfficePolitics.com? Real People. Real Problems. Expert Advice.
Franke James is Editor/Founder of Office-Politics.com and Inventor of the Office-Politics® Game. Peter R. Garber has worked as an HR professional for over 25 years and is the author of many business books including: Winning the Rat Race at Work and 100 Ways to Get on the Wrong Side of your Boss. Dina Beach Lynch, is an Ombudsman, Author and former attorney. An award-winning mediator, Dina served as the Corporate Ombudsman for the 7th largest bank in the US helping over 48,000 employees to resolve workplace issues. Dr. Rick Brandon is CEO of Brandon Partners. He has consulted and trained tens of thousands at corporations worldwide, including Fortune 500 companies across a variety of industries. Dr. Marty Seldman is one of America's most experienced executive coaches. His 35-year career includes expertise in executive coaching, group dynamics, cross-cultural studies, clinical psychology, and training. Arnie Herz, is a lawyer, mediator, speaker, author and consultant nationally recognized for his practical and inspired approach to conflict resolution and client counseling. Dr. John Burton LL.B. M.B.A. M.Div. Ph.D. is an ethicist, mediator, lawyer and theologian. John is currently located in Prince Rupert, B.C., Canada, working with Canada's aboriginal communities. |
This man 'x' is a little ego-centric male chauvinist, and always tries to tell me that he knows everything about the technology behind the project...
March 2006 Dear Office-Politics, I am an IT consultant working with a client for past 6
weeks on a project
of 5 months duration. I work with a middle-aged man from Peru and I am a 35
year old women. Please help me with the right strategy. Thanks, Confused Dear Confused, It sounds like you need help knowing how to deal with a classic overly political person, whom we define as someone who is overly invested in image and perception, gets defensive about any hint of feedback making him look bad when you only mean to help and improve, has a hyper-sensitive ego, is more focused on successful position than substantive power or expertise, and is willing to do whatever it takes to advance and look good, including trashing you or fixing blame to take the pressure and spotlight off of his own deficits (weapons of mass dis-TRACTION)... Don't be confused. Be focused and professional and refuse to let him throw you off balance. His overly political qualities may coincidentally be coupled with a male chauvinist and ageist bias against you, but we suspect those are not as big a factor as his own "hyper-active ego gland" which you need to fly under in order to get through and excel. In other words, if you were an older male IT consultant, we predict he would act the same way. Here are some suggestions: 1) ADJUST YOUR SELF-TALK 2) APPEAL TO HIS EGO AND IMAGE CONSCIOUSNESS 3) WRITTEN TEACHING • It bypasses his verbal interruptions. 4) BECOME HIS AMBASSADOR 5) HEART TO HEART AND/OR TALK TO YOUR BOSS TO COVER YOUR BASES Hope these ideas help! He sounds most unpleasant. But it isn't Iraq and he's not Bin laden! Thanks for writing to Office-Politics. Best, Rick Brandon, Ph.D. and Marty Seldman, Ph.D., Co-authors
The Ethics Letters that appears as a feature of this Website is an educational and discussion oriented column designed to help the reader better understand ethical issues. The matters discussed in the letter are reviewed in a summary/abbreviated way and are only meant to foster thinking on the part of the reader. If a person decides to adopt or implement suggestions, they do so at their own risk. No representation or warranty is provided in relation to suggestions or the contents of the letter. Neither the authors of the letter, Franke James, John W. Burton, or the owners of this Website accept any liability whatsoever for any opinions expressed in the letter or for errors and omissions. Submission of letters to the Office-Politics Forum grants the Publisher, Nerdheaven Ltd. the right to reproduce, republish, repurpose and excerpt the submission in any and all other media, without compensation or contacting the author. Copyright Nerdheaven Ltd. 2002-2005
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