Fired employee told me during Exit Interview, "I do not play office politics" (credit, payment)
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If a fired employee told me "I don't play politics" at the exit interview; I would make sure that building security is on high alert for a while after he/she leaves. This sounds like one of those horror stories you see on the evening news. You know the type. The fired employee who comes back with a gun to settle scores with some office employees.
I think it is shameful to let that continue considering that the work place is far more profitable without politics. Also why would you risk making somebody angry enough to go berserk on your company eg: Law suit, violence, etc.
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Originally Posted by tluv00
So as an HR manager you allow this behavior to continue within your organization?
One of tasks I do as Human Resources Manager is perform exit interviews on departing employees. I talk to nearly everyone who leaves the company including if possible people who are fired. I like to hear the observations of everyone.
Studies have shown that most managers will fail. It is a lot easier to hold on to a data entry job than a supervisory or management position. When you move into management you have to have unique skills in supervision and influence. Your people skills have to be used to sell ideas, and get people to do things for you that they may disagree with.
In other words most managers have to play office politics. So many people tell me that they will not play office politics and their hard work should stand for itself. That sounds good in theory but unless you have skills in working with people with conflicting needs and approaches and have an abilty to sell your ideas, your career as a manager will be short.
Do you know how to play positive and negative office politics? Tell us how you play the game?
This is a great thread because in essence people who play politics successfully need to be able to remain neutral combined with the ability to sell ideas that will positively affect the common good of a department or organization. It is truly an art to play politics in win-win way.
Unfortunately, as another poster pointed out, there are often toxic people in organizations who make it difficult to implement positive changes. This presents an uphill challenge for office politicians. Sometimes we can win in spite of these toxic people, and sometimes the toxic person is so strong that it is almost impossible to work around them. I have seen this happen several times in the past 5 years. Each time there has been a valuable lesson to learn from each of these situations.
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HR Directors help set the tone. If the culture is not changeable, or it is too big a task, the smart HR folks get out while the getting is good. They don't stick around for the blood bath. Because, they know, no one is immune.
I think this has a lot of truth in it. At the hospital where I worked for 4-1/2 years, the HR Manager was carried along with the toxic culture that was set up by the people above him. He also was responsible for his own area of dysfunction. He got out just in time to get vested in his retirement. He also was responsible for no drug testing for many years. If there had been drug testing, many of the people would be gone who were the source of the problem, including him. One day this hit me like a ton of bricks...duh!!! Something so obvious it went over most people's heads.
If a fired employee told me "I don't play politics" at the exit interview; I would make sure that building security is on high alert for a while after he/she leaves. This sounds like one of those horror stories you see on the evening news. You know the type. The fired employee who comes back with a gun to settle scores with some office employees.
Well, several people on this very thread have said something to the effect that they don't play politics. How many of them do you think would shoot up the office if they got laid off?
I agree. Too much paranoia. Sometimes it is intentional. Some people love to create drama.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tribecavsbrowns
Well, several people on this very thread have said something to the effect that they don't play politics. How many of them do you think would shoot up the office if they got laid off?
I agree 100%. I manage 65 clients and staff, you can't "just show up and go home".
Quote:
Originally Posted by Weekend Traveler
That is possible only in the most routine of jobs. If you spend your entire day alone entering data or filing or sorting documents. But as soon as you need the assistance and agreement of others you have no real power over the office politics starts.
If you try to ignore the office politics it will eat you alive. That is what happened to the guy who was fired due to lack of workplace survival skills. He ignored the politics and he was not able to get his ideas implemented. He was fired and replaced by someone who knows how to play the game.
One of tasks I do as Human Resources Manager is perform exit interviews on departing employees. I talk to nearly everyone who leaves the company including if possible people who are fired. I like to hear the observations of everyone.
Studies have shown that most managers will fail. It is a lot easier to hold on to a data entry job than a supervisory or management position. When you move into management you have to have unique skills in supervision and influence. Your people skills have to be used to sell ideas, and get people to do things for you that they may disagree with.
In other words most managers have to play office politics. So many people tell me that they will not play office politics and their hard work should stand for itself. That sounds good in theory but unless you have skills in working with people with conflicting needs and approaches and have an abilty to sell your ideas, your career as a manager will be short.
Do you know how to play positive and negative office politics? Tell us how you play the game?
Well...gee...
I don't think of politics as personal skills or the ability to sell ideas. That is professionalism. That is about social skills.
The ability to work with others, communicate, and deal with issues is
Politics means favoritism, patronizing, buddy-ing up under false pretenses, gaining favor by sexual advances, pandering, pleasing, and just verbally stroking someone to get ahead.
It is sad that you being in HR would even condone any form of politics. Businesses for too long have promoted "good politics" which is really just cutthroat competiveness, seen as a plus for the workplace. "Good politics" is really pitting employees against other employees.
Sorry, but I think that your theory is a crock that most managers will fail. Please supply me the link to your evidence or published literature. It may be true for your one little place but it is not true of most places. Office politics and people skills are two totally different things. They can be tied, for sure, but they are still two different things.
HR Directors help set the tone. If the culture is not changeable, or it is too big a task, the smart HR folks get out while the getting is good. They don't stick around for the blood bath. Because, they know, no one is immune.
I agree. HR can just encourage in-fighting and vicious, nonproductive competition. I read your post after I posted mine, and you and I were on the same wavelength. I don't see politics as social skills either.
And these HR "pros" go to school for this.......<groan>
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HR Managers set the tone
