1. Office Politics and Gossiping Cynthia Gordon School-to-Work Coordinator International Finance and Career High School

2. Office Politics • Office (Work) Politics Defined • Detriments of Office Politics • Benefits of Office Politics • Five Rules Concerning Office Politics • How to Avoid Office Politics

3. Gossiping (Office) • The Grapevine Concept • Detriments of Office Grapevine Gossip • Benefits of Office Grapevine Gossip

4. Pre-Test True or False • Office politics takes place in nearly every business organization. • Many working class people are happy that office politics exist. • There are positive and negative effects from office politics. • Office grapevine occurs when you add state-of-the-art telecommunications into the workplace. • Managers differ with regard to what information should be disseminated within the workplace. • There are good and bad forms of gossip.

5. Office (Work) Politics Defined • The complex struggle for dominance that takes place in any organization. • When workers actively seek ways to make their abilities and achievements known. • Ruthless manipulation of other people in an attempt to gain power.

6. Detriments of Office Politics • Initiates Ruthlessness • Unwarranted Power Struggles • Encourages Hypocrisy, Secrecy, and Self-interests • Produces ineffective team work among staff members

7. Benefits of Office Politics • Highly motivated employees • Productive employees • Employee Recognition Increases • Boosts Employee Morale

8. Five Rules Concerning Office Politics • Nobody Wins Unless Everybody Wins • Don’t Just Ask For Opinions…Change Them • Everyone Expects To Be Paid Back • Success Can Create Opposition • Don’t Ignore The After-Math Of Success

9. How To Avoid Office Politics • Wear No Mask • Be Transparent • Flex and Bend • Listen • Park the Ego

10. How To Avoid Office Politics (Cont.) • Forget the Empire • Don’t Gossip • Focus On the Business Issue at Hand • Apologize Later

11. Gossiping (Office) The Grapevine Concept The Grapevine Concept is the informal communication network of an organization. It is also….. An unofficial way of relaying news Personal Gossip Informal and Unstructured

12. Detriments of Office Grapevine Gossip • Incorrect Information is passed along • Contributes to the spread of rumors • Creates conflicting loyalties • Counteracts Company Values • Encourages Resistance to Management Plans

13. Benefits of Grapevine Gossip • Provides an outlet for stress, tension, and anxiety • Makes work less boring • Showcases future leaders • Provides feedback on employee attitudes

14. Post TestTen True or False Questions • Office politics takes place in nearly every business organization. • Many working class people are happy that office politics exist. • There are positive and negative effects from office politics. • Office grapevine occurs when you add state-of-the-art telecommunication into the workplace.

15. Post TestTen True or False Questions (Cont.) • Managers differ with regard to what information should be disseminated within the workplace. • There are good and bad forms of gossip. • The informal communication network of an organization is called the Grapevine Concept. • One of the five rules concerning office politics state that not everyone expects to get paid back.

16. Post TestTen True or False Questions (Cont.) • Hypocrisy, secrecy, self interests, ruthlessness, and power struggles are all examples of office gossip. • One way to avoid office politics is to focus on the business interest at hand.

17. Answers to Pre and Post Tests • True 6. True • False 7. True • True 8. True • False 9. False • True 10. True

18. Office Politics and Gossip Web Resources Assignment: Select one of the following websites listed below to create a brochure on the possible negative and positive benefits concerning gossip in the workplace. http://www.slackermanager.com/2006/04/how-to-avoid-office-politics.html http://www.fastcompany.com/online/14/politics.html Nebraska WBL Instruction Guide, Competency #6 – Acting Professionally, The Grapevine, pgs I-143 – I-148.