Office politics is something which is an indispensable part of any organization across the globe but unfortunately there is n o anti-virus software which can reduce threats caused by political viruses. It exits at each level and in every possible form irrespective of the industry or the nature of business. Most of the entities today are reeling under skyrocketing rates of attrition, but still don’t agree/introspect the existence of politics which is dampening their glossy power point slides with unrealistic and imaginary growth numbers. It’s really important to decode the root cause of this epidemic which is not apparently visible but costlier than any tangible asset owned by an entity.
The strangest fact, which is very hard to digest, is that the element of politics is induced and fueled by an entity itself but the so called “professionalism”, doesn’t allow it to accept it. Every single entity visibly/invisibly has gamut of policies, procedures, code of ethics and so on which is obviously made to set protocols for minutest possible thing being done on a day to day basis. However, in reality there are countless situations where an entity has to get pragmatic and to deviate with the set ground rules. These deviations are done, agreed and sealed at higher levels in closed glass aquariums where it is assumed that no one can see their fish mouths moving but the seeds of political epidemic are sown from this stage. These seeds are watered by the same people in the closed glass rooms as they need something do discuss with their besties. These besties are normally at the same level and were not present in the room & this chain of discussion goes on which spreads like wildfire in a forest. Although everyone is in the impression that they are senior members and the specific information is known to them only but alas, it’s like dealing in shares based on some tips/advice assuming you are the only member of the executive group who have access to this information. Now it’s implied that if deviations are known to the ones who love shortcuts in their life, they find an alternative route to success and start joining/forming the cartel of filth i.e. politics. These cartels start working on their objective i.e. rotting the iron roots of an entity under the cover of professionalism. Although their motive is apparent to everyone but as we all know justice is blind so prima facie nothing can be done as these astute stupid’s can consume tons of burger without leaving ketchup stains at any place. As an entity grows, these cartels also mushroom as the current members need more morons to operate a separate entity within an entity with their self-written rules and regulations.
The domain of office politics is mammoth and is spread more than just doing favoritism to few non-eligible people and making them at par or even better than the best people in the organization. This epidemic has casted shadow on every possible thing i.e. hiring, yearly appraisal, wrong projection of few members who have good skill set apart from work, recognizing the wrong talent, unfair distribution of work load, giving preferences for better opportunities, passing on filthy work to non-bootlickers and last but not the least and the most dangerous of all is the ego. In every organization there are numerous people who are very high on their ego, so called self-respect and attitude. Their only motto is to survive with a fake identity just like the poor quality of veneer pasted on any furniture which may make it look glossy at the start but very soon it will come apart and then nothing can fix it.
The worse affected are the ones who love their job and day to day work. They can smell lot of things and even being optimistic and positive they see negativity hovering around them & headless chickens flying high. The worse of all is to see new joinees who will be at par or even senior to them but in reality they have lesser experience. They were hired just to meet number targets for the upcoming financial year without even realizing that an entity is digging its own graveyard. It resembles to real life scenario where a family member is concerned with the smallest possible thing happening in the whole world but don’t give a damn as to what is happening at home. I think that’s the reason it is being said that an employee leaves an entity for a person/group of people and has nothing against an entity per se.
In reality, any problem can be solved only when it is identified, understood, acknowledged, diagnosed and rectified. If the problem is created by the entity itself as a ticket to enter the kingdom of successful organizations, then surely the element of politics is going to foster & bloom like anything. There is no dearth of smart people who have their own way of playing politics in a very sublime way. That means in real the competition is for the best politician and not the best talent. Today every single entity devises ways of cost cutting by every possible means, but what about the cost which can alone take care of all the targets set for the years to come. If the entities still want to walk in dark and ignore the monster standing at the end of tunnel, days are not far when political bankruptcy will outshine financial bankruptcy, when the financials of an entity might look quite robust and bright but in reality the entity might be on the verge incurring huge losses which are not even envisaged. If an entity keeps snakes in their backyard and expects them only to bite the outsiders, it’s not going to happen. So think before you are at the brink of getting sinked!!!
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