As a kid, I was bullied. It sucked.
It was an unfortunate and emotionally draining experience that still affects how I approach social interactions. Naturally, I made a vow to never be at the mercy of bullies again. And I was doing great.
That is until I joined the corporate space.
It turns out you can unintentionally become a workplace bully. You see, the unspoken but highly coveted and touted skill beyond hard work is playing Office Politics.
Modern literature and networking experts extol the virtues of playing this game to build solid and valuable relationships. They go as far as insinuating that your career advancement hinges on your ability to do so. With facts to back their claims, most people and I believe them.
To make any sort of career progression, I knew that I had to align myself to the person with significant influence within the organization. In this case, that person was my manager.
My strategy? Hard work and relationship building without the awkwardness of ass-kissing.
