Ask HN: How to get good at workplace politics to get ahead? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: How to get good at workplace politics to get ahead?

7 pointsyehninja7 comments

I am working as a manager for a large tech company (20k+ employees). I am wondering what are the ways to become best at workplace politics. It's not that I am naive, but I am not the best either. Of course, I want to support my team and help them grow in their career. But, at the same time I want to make sure that I am also progressing up in the management.

I read the book The Prince. I am going to read Gervais Principle next.What are your suggestions in terms of blogs,videos, books and also any personal anecdote how you got better at playing games?

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I have 2 recommendations:

1. "Thinking Strategically," written by a professor at the Yale School of Management and an economics professor at Princeton.[1]

This one is basically a primer on game theory, which I think would be useful for you particularly if you are facing off someone at work. It gets you thinking about incentives of each party and figuring out the different ways situations could play out.

2. "The First 90 Days," published by Harvard Business Review Press.[2]

Obviously, it's targeted at those transitioning into a new leadership position, but in my opinion the strategies can apply even to those who are in incumbent positions as it's never too late to turn the page and start taking a fresh approach or step up one's level of effort at work.

It includes an actionable plan for feeling out the pain points of others you need to impress and tackling their problems in a visible manner. This one is less about politics per se but more about being a very effective leader in a highly visible manner, which can help one to move up the ladder.

[1] http://amzn.to/2vwXwhH

[2] http://amzn.to/2uLYXLI

I would suggest that if you have any friends who work for either a state or federal government pick their brains. I spent several years in public service and you would be amazed at the level of workplace politics that surrounds the business of politics. I refer to myself as a reformed public servant because I try to do what is right for the users of any service and for the company. I rarely worry about the agendas that drive most politically driven decisions. When you put politics first you always have your eyes on the toes you could step on before you have your eyes on the recipient of your products/services. My experience is that government employees do this exceeding well. As an aside, government employees are also the best at being able to talk and never really say a damn thing. It is truly a skill that you pick up even if you do not want that skill in your toolbox. It will serve people well if they have to be political in their organizations to advance.

I also have found in my career that if I hire people who can take my place then I was able to move up. Many times bosses won't promote someone they would really like to promote because there is nobody to fill his or her position if promoted. Always hire someone capable of replacing you. It takes courage but it is the right thing to do for the company and in reality it makes you look better in the long run.

Never sacrifice yo ur integrity for the sake of workplace politics or advancement. In the long run it will bite you in the butt. Take on projects that are a bit outside of your comfort zone and continue to work on your own professional development as well as those around you. If you do these things, hopefully the politics will not be as necessary as you think.

Read "48 Laws of Power" by Robert Greene. I find it to be a far better book than The Prince, well explained with examples from history.

It is a skill though. A lot of people have contempt for politics, but I believe you have to embrace it and work with it to get ahead. Much like dealing with black hat hackers, sometimes you just have to know the techniques to defend yourself wherever needed.

This book addresses power in corporate politics directly:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003V1WSZK/ref=dp-kindle-redirec...

I can't vouch for it - I work in a small team of 5 so that shit don't fly but it makes sense.

48 laws is another recommended here, if not a bit more diabolical.

Build rapport with everyone, asks good questions and be a great active listener.

Short Answer: Self-awareness

You will need to become very comfortable at being aggressive, yet very calculated.

Pick your battles.. Empower your team to deal with the others.

NO ONE LIKES A SHIT TALKER... just don't do it.. don't entertain it.

If you are a KISS ass... ("Insert your own thoughts").

More meetings !== more productivity..

You should only be racing yourself, but glance to see your surrounding every so often, safety first.

Enjoy what you do.. if you don't like the company.. leave.

Build genuine relationships with boundaries, the world isn't so nice.

Don't say you know something when you don't. NO MATTER WHAT.. don't talk if you have too, its called having standards.

Paint a vivid path in your mind, and use OneNote to prevent you from loosing your mind. Organization is key, which isn't the same as being OCD.

Respect your time, if you said 8am, get there at 8am, make it 7:50pm if your fly like that.

You need to experience wars and understand what it means to resolve that trauma, everyone deals with trauma... resolve yours no matter the degree. Your unresolved projections build destructive cycles.. This is your responsibility as an adult even if you don't now what this means.

Your brain is a system that is continually attempting to reach equilibrium, be aware of this. One hemisphere is trying to hold on the current paradigm and the other is trying to convince the other that it's paradigm is more emotionally beneficial. Old dogs don't learn new tricks?

When your mind feels defensive or wants to protect itself, chemicals are released, which put your brain in a more primitive state. You are now more influenced by the other foreign neurochemical interactions you are participating in, you in control? All the time? Yeah me too :)

Our brains are smart (you and the rest of the world haven't figured the damn thing out yet), and cannot handle the idea that an action wasn't completely their action to being with. And that's call backward rationalization, you smart silly goose.

Make sure your emotions are balanced, and that includes excitement... I do not mean stop partying (loosen up).. BE BALANCED.

There are some comments that you should just keep yourself, leave the weird shit for those that accept you and just ignore you when needed.

Every interaction is another stroke on the canvas, don't forget to washes your brushes.

Stop asking everyone how you make it. Listen and make sure you make it.

You need to manage the politics without talking to anyone about the politics. You do not include these skills on your resume.

*Oh yeah, did I say BE SELF-AWARE? It's a life style not a thought process :)

totally meant 7:50am..

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