1. Accept the situation: Office politics is inevitable…Accept the situation and stop cribbing about it. The more you operate from the victim’s position, the more you will suffer.
2. Be Aware: Do not get so immersed in your work that you do not know what is happening around you. Get to know what is happening at your work place.
3. Keep Emotions in Check: Keep your behavior professional and don’t let any emotional leakage to take place. Be particular about the language you use with others, both in oral and written communication.
4. Don’t Participate in Gossip: Spend time with like-minded people and stay away from those who like to gossip. If you happen to be in a gossip-group, refrain from expressing your views.
5. Be Politically Correct: Always remember to follow the protocol and to be politically correct. Do not give any chance to someone to use your expression and blow it out of proportion.
6. Build Rapport with your Boss: Make genuine efforts to know your boss. Find out what matters to her, what irritates her or makes her happy. A good professional relationship with your line manager makes life a little easy.
7. Map out your Networks: Build your network with people. Understand that people are your greatest resource. Develop your social skills and learn how to utilize your professional relationships to create win-win situations.
8. Display your Work: Lot of people do the work and deliver it; very few know how to display their work too. Learn the art of displaying your work in front of the right people at the right time and in the right manner.
9. Find a Mentor: A mentor at work or outside work can really help you to look at things from a different perspective. A mentor’s wisdom can help you cope up with difficult people and situations.
10. Be Harmlessly Diplomatic: Being straight forward is not always the best choice. There is no harm in being diplomatic at work. Learn the art of being harmlessly diplomatic.