10 ways to survive office politics

TechRepublic author, Calvin Sun, writes: "Office politics will never go away. It’s a fact of company life. However, destructive office politics can demoralize an organization, hamper productivity, and increase turnover. Here are some tips, applicable for both staff and management, on dealing with office politics..."

The article then goes on to list ten suggestions. Here's a summary:

1. Live at peace with others
2. Don’t talk out of school
3. Be helpful
4. Stay away from gossip
5. Stay out of those talk-down-the-boss sessions
6. Be a straight arrow
7. Address the “politics” issue openly when appropriate
8. Document things
9. Set incentives to foster teamwork
10. Set an example for your staff

Read the list in full detail...

Working together: Teambuilding seminars gain popularity

Birmingham Business Journal: "Unique seminars are popping up around the area to unite employees. Most managers would equate the thought of their staff banging on drums in a circle with other inappropriate office behaviors, such as excessive e-mail usage or gabbing with unproductive co-workers who just won’t leave your desk.

But one local “teambuilder” sees things a little differently. He’s even taking drumming to another level by using its rhythm to bring coworkers together..."

An interesting angle on team building activities. What do you think? Are these promising alternatives, or just 'same seminar, different day'?

Trouble at the Office?

Business Week launches special "Business @ Work" report. This is a insightful collection of articles covering topics such as:

• Toxic Bosses: How to Live with the S.O.B.
• Rigid Bureaucracy: Breaking Out of the Box
• Count Results, Not Hours
• Staying Creative: Success on a Shoestring
• Are You Being a Jerk? Again?
• And other great topics
  

Best Way to Annoy Your Co-Workers? E-mail

"ALL CAPS, Passive-Aggressive Copying Top Etiquette Experts' Electronic Don'ts List:

• Netiquette No-No #1: The Passive-Aggressive Copy
• Netiquette No-No #2: Reply All
• Netiquette No-No #3: SHOUTING AT YOUR COWORKERS"

Read the full article...

Coworker Word-of-Mouth Strongly Influences Purchases

WorkPlace Media & BIGResearch: "Americans in the workforce have a significant impact on their coworkers’ consumer shopping behaviors - 96% say they regularly or occasionally give shopping advice to their peers, according to a recent WorkPlace Media survey conducted by BIGResearch.

Moreover, nearly 93% indicate that they seek similar advice from their coworkers before making purchases.

Rising food and gas prices and busy schedules - in combination with a higher-than-ever-before percentage of time spent at work (60% of waking hours) - are driving consumers to consolidate shopping trips and make purchases on their drives to and from work, or during their lunch breaks, the study found."

Read the full article (plus charts) and download the PDF study here.

One in three IT staff snoops on colleagues: survey

Reuters: "One in three information technology professionals abuses administrative passwords to access confidential data such as colleagues' salary details, personal emails or board-meeting minutes, according to a survey.

U.S. information security company Cyber-Ark surveyed 300 senior IT professionals, and found that one-third admitted to secretly snooping, while 47 percent said they had accessed information that was not relevant to their role...

(the report) added that seven out of 10 companies rely on outdated and insecure methods to exchange sensitive data, with 35 percent choosing email and 35 percent using couriers, while 4 percent still relied on the postal system."

Read the article
or
Try a legitimate search instead ;-)

Don't Forget Your 4/1 Zinger!

A Zinger private message is useful on any day. The question is, who are you going to send one to on April Fools' Day?

Take Those Numeric Ratings and - Make Them Motivational

about.com: "Do numeric ratings make a contribution in the workplace? Done well, I believe numeric ratings can motivate excellent work performance; done poorly, numeric ratings undermine your positive work environment... these six recommendations set the stage for what makes an appraisal rating system, for employees or non-employees, sound, and potentially - motivational...

1. should be objective rather than subjective;
2. should be job-related or based on job analysis;
3. should be based on behaviors rather than traits;
4. should be within the control of the ratee;
5. should relate to specific functions, not global assessments,
6. should be communicated to the employee."

As the article states "Numeric ratings can have a positive impact on your company". Read the entire article to see other guidelines, as well as common things to avoid.

Already hip to this? Create a Coworkers.com review now

How Well Does Your IT Shop Welcome New Hires? Ask Them

cio.com: "Want to find out what new employees think of your IT department? Just ask them, says Direct Energy CIO Kumud Kalia... This kind of information has a short shelf life; employees forget their early experiences once they're settled. New employees obviously won't want to be too harsh, "but it is possible to get at the truth without overt criticism of coworkers [or] the company..."

Ongoing, unbiased, requested feedback - now that's something we certainly 'get'.

Tip: Fight Your Way to Breakthroughs

behance.com: "Many creative teams believe that their greatest mistakes are made when nobody argues. When you really care about an idea, you are likely to develop an opinion; when multiple people have a strong opinion, you’re bound to disagree - and clash. Your approach to managing the impassioned "fighting" that ensues is a critical factor in your ability to find the best solution. While some people shy away from confrontation, we have found that a healthy dose of tension helps ideas thrive...

In poorly run teams, the person with the most power or experience just makes the call. Or, sometimes people openly disagree and eventually some people become apathetic and give up... Rather than focus on the discomforts of fighting, consider the benefits from opposite perspectives duking it out!" Read on...

This is an interesting perspective. It's important to consider the effectiveness of disagreeing, when balanced against a genuine effort to move an idea forward toward success.

New Feature: Coworkers.com Adds Personal Avatar & Multiple Picture Upload Support

Coworkers.com has added picture-uploading tools for registered users! Users can upload multiple images to share with others. In addition to having a picture library, users can upload a default photo to use as their avatar (personal icon), which will be displayed on their Coworkers.com profile page.

We feel that it is a good opportunity for our users to share images related to their professional identity. This can be as standard as a great portrait photograph to display on their profile page, to screen-shots or project images from their business portfolio. Pictures speak volumes, and a handful of impressive images coupled with our other features such as unbiased reviews, and work experience, can help project a balanced representation.

Supported image formats are jpg, gif, and png with a maximum individual file size of 3 MB. Animations are not supported.

Inc.com: "Are You a Bad Boss?"

From inc.com: "Seven signs that your employees detest you. (By you, of course, we mean some other boss.)"



"There's a reason Dilbert, The Office, and their ilk are so popular. Satire gets old fast, but the appeal of realism endures. And the real world, sadly, is full of lousy bosses. Someone ought to do a study on where these louts come from. Were they abused by their own bosses? Did they toss overboard the ballast of human kindness to hasten the ascent of their career balloons? Or is this an example of absolute power corrupting absolutely? Such research might also demonstrate how ubiquitous miserable managers are. The proliferation of boss-bashing screeds with titles like When You Work for a Bully, Nasty Bosses, and How To Work for an Idiot suggests a plague..."

The article outlines "seven signs that you are a bad boss". Here's our favorite excerpt:

"Sign # 4: Your 360-degree evaluations come back short and full of generically positive comments, with one very mild criticism ("Sometimes she works too damn hard for her own good") thrown in for credibility's sake..."

This is exactly why Coworkers.com Reviews are a more effective solution to providing and receiving unbiased feedback!

Understanding Office Politics

dumblittleman.com: "Many people say they hate their job because they don't like office politics. Not all office politics are bad and my assumption is that they don't like is negative office politics, such as gossip or sabotage... once you understand that politics within an office is unavoidable, instead of wasting your time "hating office politics," why not, instead, learn the rules that will make it work for you?"

Here's a summary of the key suggestions this article has for "gaming" office politics:

• Cozy Up to Detractors
• Don't Gossip
• Always Be Positive About Others
• Play Dumb and Busy to Keep Out of Toxic Conversations
• If You Want People to Help You, Understand Their Needs First
• Before Engaging in Political Battle, Know How Much Power You Have
• Grow Your Power Base Strategically Over Time
• Work Hard, But Look for Ways to Partner with Others
• Don't Look for Immediate Reciprocation
• Integrity: Be Positive, Be Kind, Be Honest, Be Realistic, Be Professional
  

"Ask About My Co-Workers" Cartoon

via talentzoo.com: This cartoon by 'Brandtoonist' Gary Kopervas gave us a good chuckle...



Coworkers.com would like to remind you that there are indeed more subtle & informative ways to share your opinion ;-)

Happy Halloween (*subject to certain terms and conditions)

CareerJournal | Beware of Workplace Horrors: Office Halloween Do's and Don'ts: "While some people can't resist the prospect of wearing a costume while performing daily work tasks, others would rather dress for business as usual. And even though the young-at-heart employee might see it as the perfect time to express creativity through an elaborate get-up, it's best to fully consider whether the witty garb is innocuous enough to make every co-worker smile or if some might deem it offensive...

If the office party-planning committee encourages employees to get into the Halloween spirit with a costume, the choice is up to the individual. Just remember this: Scheduled fun at the office is 'professional fun, which is different than when you're out of the office,'..."

So, is Halloween full of fun or stress at your workplace? Know any ghouls who could benefit from a bit of feedback?

Photo credit: Dane Kantner

CareerBuilder.com Survey Reveals How Many Workers Commit Office Taboos

So where do you fall, or might you care to note something interesting about your coworkers?...

via creativepro.com: "Ever wonder why you can't seem to get anything done in the office? It may be because your co-workers are preoccupied with something other than work. 'Workplace Taboos' is a new CareerBuilder.com survey, conducted by Harris Interactive of more than 5,700 workers. The most common workplace taboos that workers admitted to taking part in include:

• Falling asleep at work (45 percent)
• Kissing a co-worker (39 percent)
• Consuming alcoholic beverages while on the job (21 percent)
• Stealing from the office (22 percent)
• Spreading a rumor about a co-worker (22 percent)
• Snooping after hours (18 percent)
• Lying about an academic background (4 percent)
• Taking credit for someone else's work (2 percent)"

Social Networking in Plain English

The work of Common Craft, a NC Video Production Company, has been making the rounds on the web - and for good reason. Their simple demos are very well done - and the sparse, hands-on (put intended) art direction is extremely refreshing! Here's their explanation of social networking. Our only nit, is that they are missing a link at the end of the presentation ;-)

Showing Bad Customers the Door

Inc. - Women in Business: "Conventional wisdom says 'the customer is always right'; entrepreneurial need often compels you to take any client that pays. Living by these beliefs can cause you to overlook or excuse a customer's bad behavior, but when your business begins to suffer, it's time to take a page from Trump's playbook.

Following is a guide to firing those who pay you, including the types of clients to watch out for and some subtle (or not-so-subtle) tactics for letting them go:"

The article goes on to categorize axe-worthy customers into the following categories: The Bad Seed; The Toddler; The Narcissist; The Felon. An interesting read for consultants and other soloists. Don't forget to review your clients and customers as well. You can also look up a prospect on Coworkers.com to see if they might already have been identified as fitting any of the categories above.

Suggested Reading: The No A#*hole Rule

The No A#*hole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't, by Robert I. Sutton.
Based on our last blog entry, I'm sensing a theme here. This will be last A-bomb in a while, we promise.

Whether you are a worker trying to improve your skills at navigating the social intricacies of the workplace, or a higher-level manager trying to keep an eye out for trouble makers, this book may be of interest.

From the publisher: "Sutton then uses in-depth research and analysis to show how managers can eliminate mean-spirited and unproductive behavior (while positively channeling some of the virtues of a#*holes) to generate an a#*hole free—and newly productive—workplace. Enlightening case studies include an analysis of how Google's "don't be evil" maxim helped launch the company to unprecedented early growth, how JetBlue and Southwest Airlines "fire" passengers who demean their employees, and how a "belligerent" e-mail from Cerner CEO Neal Patterson made his company’s stock plunge 22% in three days (and how his graceful apology helped the stock bounce back)..."

Feature Update: Enhanced Profiles

We're busy making refinements to the overall Coworkers.com user experience. We are pleased to announce some recent refinements to the way Profiles are presented. Improvements include a more prominent highlighting of the overall rating, and quick links to options for the profile.



This is just a taste of some of the updates coming in the weeks ahead. Thanks again to all of our users. We'll keep you posted as other stuff goes live.

48% Stretch the Truth, 10% Outright Lie on Their Resumes

The Monster Blog: "Here are the results...

• 10% chose “Yes, I told a whopper.”
• 48% chose “Not really, though I may have prettied-up the details a bit.”
• 42% chose “No, my resume is the stone-cold truth.”

Now let’s look for a moment at the purpose of your resume. Your resume’s job is to get you an interview... But remember, there are ethics in marketing, and you need to have ethics in your job search, too.

Do you know how annoying it is to see former coworkers’ resumes that set their work and experience in a completely different light than the truth?... It’s always disconcerting to see someone taking credit for another’s work or inflating a title to encompass responsibilities well out of the person’s domain..."

KillerStartups.com reviews Coworkers

KillerStartups.com: "As is has been previously stated above, Coworkers.com is considerably more reliable than other business social networking sites because it provides anonymity. This being said, perhaps the individual would prefer a site where only good reviews could be written according to social acceptability, but on the other hand this is a more reliable source for employers who desire an honest reflection of abilities on the part of current and former colleagues. Everyone knows that resumes and written testimonials themselves rarely act as an unbiased source of information, and this website provides more than an excellent solution..."

Read the full review...
- and feel free to give it a "+" vote ;-)

Playing e-Detective

"Checking out applicants online can save you trouble - and get you into it."

This is an older article, but still pertinent.

Coworkers.com Spring 2007 iPod Giveaway

We're giving away an iPod Nano (8 GB), and we want YOU to win it! No purchase is necessary, get the details here.

Hey, this is a new website and traffic is still relatively low, which means you have great odds of winning. You haven't clicked yet?

And we're off...

Hi there, and thanks for stopping by. We are excited to announce the official launch of Coworkers.com! As you may know, we were previously operating in semi-stealth mode under the name huRu.com. In addition to the name change, we have worked our tails off to make Coworkers.com as fast, friendly, and bug-free as possible. We are proud of the new and improved site, and we think it's pretty darn cool (if we do say so ourselves). But we're not planning to stop here, or even to slow down... we will keep listening to our users and adding more and more cool features. So come back often, and please pass the word around. Our goal is to make this the destination for coworker reviews, ratings and feedback.

Welcome to our blog!

Welcome to the Coworkers.com blog! We will use this as a way to let users know what's new, what's coming, and what's hot. We will also post lots of links to work-related articles from around the net. And of course we will share random thoughts and commentary. We look forward to your comments!