Office Politics good or bad?

I often come across discussions on LinkedIn about office politics, bad managers, and various workplace challenges. However, I truly struggle to comprehend how these issues relate to our work, especially considering that almost 90% of corporates serve onshore businesses then the actors offshore are really that important? The leads assigned to us often function merely as material administrators, while the real decision-makers are seated across the oceans—this is a stark reality. Furthermore, the incessant complaints seem perplexing. When you sign up for a job, dedicating 8 to 9 hours daily to perform your duties diligently should shield you from any adverse impacts. Currently, I hold a respected position in the IT Security division of a major financial services conglomerate. However, my journey was far from easy, and the challenging experiences along the way have been instrumental in reaching this career level. The conditions that prompted me to switch companies were the identifiers that it was time for a change if there were no such things as office politics, bad managers I would not have change any of that job and still be doing the very same work I first sign in may be with growing cadre but same old company.

Reflecting on my start as a fresher in the IT world in India, I find it to be a topic written by some great celestial power, given its beautiful growth that's a discussion for another day. Despite of golden days of IT in India, employees in the IT sector still seem neglected in 2023. imagine the situation in 2000, particularly for contract staff right after Y2K, there were no late-hour working rules, and salaries lacked structure. Yet, these challenges taught me to handle L1 incidents during the 12th hour of a shift, fostering calmness and patience.

Transitioning to permanent staff, I encountered the real corporate world and met influential figures—my Gurus, all kind of Ram, Ravana, Karna, and even Krishna. Amidst countless situations, my knowledge armour was built, aiding my growth. For instance, when new software was exclusive to favourites, I learned it online in Japanese, becoming an SME. While others struggled, my team and I became the star team, fully capable and self-driven. Rather than complaining about favoritism, I chose to bloom. There was a situation when I was the last man standing, generally in BPO or shared service centre kind of setup operation is split within the region or working hours following the sun. with the good hold over the tool and knowing the fact that I was the last man standing I was leading successful management of two prime regions and then there was situation of shining in front of stake holders and flying onshore while it’s a dream of every corporate staff to fly on companies penny it was an attraction for me too, soon I came to know that exactly at this time another blunder is happening at the grave yard shift region when a Demi boss said and I quote “Mera Job Bachale” and not sure why or in what state of mind I said yes and started working night shift and trying to clean the mess, well my efforts were noted by superiors and I became the man who could do the impossible and turn into a fully self-managed operation, obviously credit goes to fellow team members too who tolerated my go by the book attitude soon they understood the benefits. ?Changing situation brought forth a vacant position for which I was the ideal in-house candidate. However, a candidate with more zeros on paper and a friend of another demi-boss was hired. Questions about the when, how, and who remained unanswered. This red flag prompted me to sideline myself from main operations and engage in deep thinking—a SWOT analysis in the world of management. The super boss (who was a kind person and acquaintance from previous job, when he joined floor started talking about me like I am a next crown prince, but I knew nothing’s going to change) well he mentioned in an elevator chat that I needed to ensure internal politics and team dynamics were maintained, as assigning me to that role could damage that balance. Instead of crying and showing tantrum I seized the opportunity to approach to join the governance team, not with the intention of being in close proximity to the boss but to learn P&L management, budgeting, resource allocation, and project management niceties.

I soon made the decision to transition to a different corporate. Despite facing challenges, my team and I consistently received good compensation. This was possible because I knew who to keep informed and which buttons to press in various situations. This ability was largely attributed to the skills I learned and knowledge I gained. Always bear in mind that knowledge is the most potent weapon in the corporate world. Whether it pertains to understanding the nature of bosses, uncovering a manager's wrongdoing, or comprehending the inner workings of internal systems, it's essential to actively engage and learn. Rather than reacting negatively, stay involved. While this process may be painful and potentially impact your emotional well-being, but then the ability to handle and heal yourself is a testament to your strength which will define the next course of action in your career.

This reflection covers just 8 years of experience, prompted by a conversation with a close friend who suggested I should write about it. I plan to pen down the remaining years soon. One piece of advice to fellow professionals: politics, good or bad managers, favouritism, criticism, and gossip are thoughts of an idle mind. While not denying their existence, avoid getting involved in that black hole and subjecting yourself to a miserable situation.

Here's to another 9 years coming soon!