Workplace Challenges

Outwitting and outlasting at work

The Survivor chain of reality shows has missed the boat: the real down-and-dirty, cut-throat competition for dominance is happening not in the jungles of Panama or the African desert, but in workplaces all across North America.

SHARON ASCHAIEK


[ 2006-05-24 ]

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The ugly office politics, difficult bosses and backstabbing co-workers that characterize the hostile terrain of many modern workplaces are the daily endurance tests that many office workers face.

Attempting to arm these workplace warriors with coping strategies is The Office Survival Guide: Surefire Techniques for Dealing with Challenging People and Situations (McGraw-Hill, December 2005, $22.95). Author Marilyn Puder-York covers every possible point of stress or conflict that might arise at work, from unco-operative subordinates to micromanaging bosses to unclear management directives to corporate restructuring. A clinical psychologist and executive coach, she offers practical tips on managing or resolving these issues through both self-analysis and objective exploration.

The book kicks off with a source of anxiety for many office workers -- their managers. Some employees have to deal with the "overstressed good guy" who dumps his/her problems on them. For others, it's the micromanager or the panicky boss who makes life difficult.

According to Puder-York, tackling the problematic boss first requires objectively reflecting on the situation -- the more insights you gain about his management style, reputation among his peers and subordinates and possible personal stresses, the more you can understand his behaviour and plan your next move.


Introspection is also part of this process. Very often, she writes, the way we respond to our boss relates to our earliest experiences with authority -- our parents. Once we can make that connection, we can better understand and adjust our own contributions to the problem.

The action you take depends largely on the type of boss you have; for example, when dealing with a "bad guy/destructive narcissist" -- someone who lies with impunity, blames others, steals ideas or devalues co-workers to get ahead -- tread carefully. Puder advises seeking advice from a mentor, documenting all communication with the boss, and if possible, finding an immediate exit strategy.

For some, it's co-workers who are the cause of grief. According to Puder, a lot of it may have to do with sibling rivalry you experienced growing up.

"An internal reality analysis should, at the least, help to remind you that your co-worker is not your brother or sister and the office isn't home," she writes. "You can, and perhaps should, do things differently than you did in that other environment."

When dealing with supercompetitive peers, she writes, your possible courses of action include ignoring certain behaviours, acting friendlier, keeping notes and tactfully approaching them to resolve matters; however, if you're dealing with an intentional backstabber, report the behaviour to management, and decide if you should leave.

Adapting to new technology is another source of stress for many office workers. For some, it's a fear of failure that holds them back; for others, it's the training format that may not suit them.

"SELF-ANALYSIS"


"This kind of self-analysis can go a long way transforming the amorphous, free-floating anxiety you experience when staring at the new software or gadget on the job, into an understandable, manageable, maybe even interesting challenge," she writes.

Maintain a positive outlook, fight for the kind of training that suits you best and talk to your peers about their experiences, she advises.

If office politics plagues your work environment, you may need to play the game yourself -- to a point. Make yourself invaluable to your superiors, take fashion notes from colleagues on the fast track, join the corporate softball team -- but control the impact on your self-esteem by separating your ego.

"You need not value these behaviours; you can believe they're not highly admirable or a little silly. At the same time, you can convince yourself that you can and should adapt, and you will not take it all to heart so much. 'Playing politics' is an apt phrase. This is a bit of a game, like Monopoly. It's worth your while to get in the game."



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