How To Play Politics With Political People.

I'm bad at politics. Most of us are. 

If you experience evil political people at work or in your business, this article is for you. 

Political people suck - in the everyday business world, we call them 'empty suits'. In Texas, they call them 'All hat, no cattle'. They are a natural predator of the business savannah and we probably bump into them every day, in a meeting room where they hone their craft.

I've come up with 5 rules to help navigate around these scoundrels effectively:

1. Be Switzerland. Be neutral. Political people try to snare you into a political cage of their thinking - and then try to turn it on you. Don't play their game - don't take one side or another - act matter-of-fact and don't play the game — walk away.

2. Be nice to the person who gives you money. Never gossip about your boss or clients to ANYONE. It always has a way of coming back to bite you where it really hurts. In today's business world, inside information is currency and unfortunately, you can't trust anyone. So keep your comments to yourself. If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.

3. Don't gossip. We all love to gossip — for some reason we like to hear about other's failings, misfortune, and travails (there's actually a word for that - schadenfreude). Candidly, it's NONE of your business. Stop focusing on other people and better understand the reason why the person gossiping is telling you - they probably have an angle or ax to grind. And they're probably gossiping about you too.

4. Communicate often. In a highly politicized environment, you need to regularly and effectively communicate/document your activities, accomplishments, and ideas. Political people love to fold reality - you need to fight back with facts. Make a regular process to communicate frequently with your boss/clients with weekly updates to 'CYA' any possible future misrepresentation of your activities.

5. Do your BEST work. The easiest way for a political person can take advantage of you is to stab you in the back when your defenses are low. It's usually when you rushed something or didn't complete it within a stated timeframe (and you slipped it through). They will be there with a shiv at the right moment and announce it to everyone. The best way to combat this is to work efficiently, effectively, and if you do drop the ball, let your boss/client know ASAP before your enemies storm the gates.

6. Extra Credit - Stand up to bullies. Let's face it - political people are assholes. They thrive and bank their careers on pointing out other's misfortune, and manipulating the facts for their advantage. Sometimes we need to stand up for ourselves and take them to task when they hurt you. One way is to meet with them one-on-one and vehemently point out you know their game. Be calm but be stern, most low-level politicians will slink away and never darken your doorstep again. Higher-level politicians need a light to be focused on them (during a meeting). The best way to do that is to use incontrovertible FACTS and keep hammering their wishy-washy statements until they wither and die. Stand your ground.

Political people and organizations suck. But they are a reality of business - if you do all five (six) rules I've presented, you'll be happier and work more effectively around these stinkers.

November/December: The BEST Time To Start Your Job Search!

You think I'm crazy. 

Most people are powering down their searches for Thanksgiving and hibernating for the holidays. They will rocket out of their cave on January 2nd with vim and vigor to attack the marketplace.

That's crazy. It will be too late. Why?

1. A cast of thousands. You'll be just commencing your search again, with thousands of other aspiring job searchers. The competition is fierce where you will be seeing hundreds of applicants for the same job. You need to start earlier to escape the onslaught.

2. Now is the time to act. In a healthy economy with low unemployment, many people come back from the holidays with renewed energy and a fresh focus. They might not like their job — so they will be getting their materials organized and out looking for a new one in January.

3. Meet new people. It's easier to get a coffee or lunch with a potential target now instead of January. Most organizations tend to start slowing down at this time of the year, final sales have been made, everyone is more relaxed and waiting for the onslaught of holidays and parties. They're more approachable — they know they have a budget next year to hire, why not meet with potential applicants NOW?

4. Plan now. If you're just beginning or revising your job search, Nov/Dec is the best time to start getting a plan together, refreshing your resume and LinkedIn profile, and start targeting new companies. It's going to take a few weeks working with a coach to get all your ducks in order before you hit the streets.

5. You have the time. Over the next 4-6 weeks, you're going to have a lot of holiday buffer to prepare all the materials required for a powerful search. This rarely happens at other times of the year.

6. You're a slingshot. Psychologically, this will be the time for you to start pulling back on the band and stretching it as far as it can go. When January 1st hits, you release the slingshot and rocket off into the marketplace with your best suit on prepared to dazzle your interviewer.

7. It's the smart thing to do. If you need help with a Job Search coach, Resume-writer, or LinkedIn expert, NOW is the time to get one and help you gear up for 2020.

And if you're interested in working with a Job Search Coach to accelerate your search, give me a call at 203-500-2421 or email me at hello@richgee.com. Or just check out my site at richgee.com and see all the other clients I've helped find great positions during the year. 

Happy Holidays!