All of us who have been, are or soon plan to be in the job market, realize that the office atmosphere is no less a nastier place than high school and college. Rivalry, grudges and barely concealed animosity characterize a workplace raging with office politics….

Power play

The term ‘politics’ has been so much identified with government and party activity that too few remember that the word, like much of English vocabulary is very versatile. Politics by the way is variously singular and plural in usage with the inevitable shades of meaning.
My trusted 2400 page Collins lists seven major definitions for politics; most of these are admittedly revolve around the aforementioned area of governance.
One definition (# 5) however, elicited an ‘Ah Ha!’ from this writer, who had been bent on uncovering a more down to earth definition of ‘politics’, not least because the topic of this week demanded I reconcile the words ‘office’ and ‘politics’. (Please don’t slip to ‘political office – a totally different subject). Here’s what Mr. Collins told me.
Politics (functioning as singular or plural) = any activity concerned with acquisition of power, gaining one’s own ends, etc. and then I smiled in contented smugness because the sample sentence read: Company politics are frequently vicious.
My long journey through lexicon repositories confirmed, I became convinced me that despite the seemingly diverse definitions of politics – whether in the field with an insurgency, underground activity, in the halls of parliament, the home and topically; in our workplace, it all boils down to one thing power and control.
In the family, the breadwinner (usually the man figure) wields the reins of power in the family politics scheme of things. In everyday office conditions, office politics dominates every aspect of staff relations. The jockeying to stay employed or better one’s position in the company overrides all bonds of workplace comradeship, making mosts aspects of office politics an everyday exercise in crass pettiness. No wonder that in too many workplaces, there are frequent spells when the smiles are forced from tightly pursed lips, when a “good morning” becomes a rarity – often supplanted by that worst example of gutter Amharic Salutation that has infected nearly the entire population -Selam neh/nesh? (In direct translation – “are you at peace?” But more accurately as “Anything wrong”,. (this degradation of Addis Amharic is Society’s topic in Capital # 501. Look for it!).
As we were saying before I went off on a tangent, office politics is not so pleasant an affair but still remains a reality. Getting rid of office power struggles is like wishing bureaucracy would go away, just like that (Sorry, forgot you couldn’t see or hear me snap my fingers thought I was ‘on air’ or something).
There are even management theory gurus that encourage at least a tiny dose of office politics, reasoning that rivalry will keep employees on their toes and thereby aid management to wield better control for higher efficiency. Sound familiar? It must because isn’t this exactly what happens in real politics? From the earliest civilizations to the present day, the best form of attaining, maintaining and transferring power has been through the tried and proven strategy of divide and rule.
We must end with more cheer. Office politics however unavoidable can be tempered and handled to the common advantage by the whole hearted cooperation of the stakeholders (I hate using that word …. don’t know why) a good willed staff and a brilliantly sympathetic team leader answerable to a progressive management. I sure hope you work at such a place. If not, I urge you to make the change amongst yourselves and create a better, less politicized office space.
We can’t avoid politics because an effective workplace is formed along the lines of conventional political structures. The managing director is like the Meles of the office (the company’s owner/s) are akin to the United States – donor nations, the IMF, the WB…), the guard at the gate is the minister of defense – just like the office receptionist is akin to a chief of protocol. Paper pushers like yours truly, well we are the expendable infantry!

What are your opinions on petty office politics?

Meanwhile, at the office tomorrow morning, try to drop the grim look greet your colleagues nicely or at the very least, stretch that plastic smile until it snaps into a real one.
Sam C., 29
Aspiring Human Resources Manager (or Minister of Labor and Social Affairs)

Come to think of it, politics is purely about control. This means that it is not limited to the administrative arena and in fact prevails in human (and animal) activity. We grew up competing for toys, then grades, boyfriend’s, weddings, children, jobs, status …. you name it. Life is all about politics. The office is just another setting.

Ethiopia R. 33

I agree that the office atmosphere is clouded with fierce rivalry, petty trickery, mischief and deceit. I ask, should this be taken as abnormal in a godless world? Not at all; it is perfectly in character.

Menthali A. 22,
Band member
A thundering world cup opener agaist Costa Rica, Germany defender Philih Lahm rose to celebrity status overnight. Born on Nov 11,1983 Lahm had been with Stuttgart for two years on loan before bursting in to the highest level with Bayer Munich. When the duminitive defender played a one to one ball and then a clinical finish for Germany’s hard earned semi final victory over Turkey, the 500,000 supporter in Berlin streets watching live got up and danced calling him the “god.”
Philip Lahm had been on the hunting list for both Manchester United and Barcelona and the matter is yet not settled. The asking price is ten million EURO. Lahm is highly expected to help Germany win a record fourth title today.