Losing at Office Politics

[ploe]

I am on a graduate programme at a company. We have to do 6 month stints in four teams. After that we get to interview for a permanent position with one of those teams. It's very back stabby and competitive and a lot of behind the scenes schmoozing.

I would like a permanent position with one of my previous rotations, but I do like the work in this rotation. The other grads in this rotation have smelt blood that I seem to want to go back to my old team. They have been spreading gossip how I don't love the work, the culture, the people, in this team.

I still may want to a permanent position in this team if the other team falls through.

My current line manager looked through my work calendar and told people I was meeting with the managers of the old team so I clearly didn't want to work in this team.

The other grads in the team are very good and being friendly with the seniors and are very well liked. I'm the undesirable non-traditional girl.

I just feel that I am losing at politics because I don't take part, and people don't like me.

Well you ARE taking part in office politics and behind the scenes schmoozing if you are having meetings with previous rotation contacts for your own reasons rather than for delivering your tasks. You just need to get better at it if you want to work at a super-competitive company.

Stop telling people that you want to work on a previous rotation.

Keep private meetings out of your work calendar or call them something else. Learn how to use the privacy settings on calendars. (And it's really best to have a very crowded calendar.)

Keep a record of the gossip and whether it crosses the line in case you need to deal with HR.

As far as I can tell the people you're supposed to be competing with have found out some information on you that will help them. This is par for the course.

ok thanks, got it

Also just want to say that if networking and managing upwards isn't part of your natural style, it can come across as obvious and a bit clunky. (Speaking from experience.) Other people who can naturally glide through the elevator chat and schmoozing can do it more subtly. Unfortunately the only way to get good is to keep practising. Network and have coffees with everyone, not just the managers of your preferred rotation.

Good posts from @FKAT.