What Is Office Politics and How Can You Play It?
When people think of office politics, the first thing that comes to mind is backstabbing and being disloyal.
But what if I told you that you can play office politics and still be a nice person?
Yes, you can be nice.
I’m not the biggest fan of just “being nice.”
There’s a difference between being nice and being kind.
A kind person delivers a real message in a positive way.
A nice person expresses any message in a positive way, even if it’s inauthentic.
A kind person shows authenticity, while a nice person often chases approval.
Being a nice guy in dating can backfire.
You might get friend-zoned.
But in the corporate world?
Being nice can work.
The Story of the Nice Guy
I used to know a guy who was super nice.
He worked in customer support.
The customers would yell at him all the time.
His teammates?
They would fight back.
If a customer said something rude, they’d respond with something even ruder.
But this guy didn’t fight back.
Did he feel anger?
Yes.
But instead of arguing, he absorbed the brutal words, allowed the customer to vent, and calmly responded to their questions.
Over time, the customers would feel ashamed of how they treated him and left glowing reviews about his service.
Years passed.
That nice guy?
He rose through the ranks.
His coworkers?
Stuck in the same position.
This was a case where a guy used the nice guy strategy to rise to the top.
He put on a fake personality because he had a goal in mind.
What Exactly Is Office Politics?
Office politics require two things:
- A goal.
- A strategy that doesn’t break the law.
Imagine two people want the same promotion.
Let’s call them Sal and Caroline.
If Sal kills Caroline to get the promotion, is he playing office politics?
No.
That’s illegal.
But if Sal bad-mouths Caroline to the decision-makers, influencing them to choose him for the promotion instead?
Yes, that’s office politics.
It’s about achieving your goal within the rules.
I once knew a guy at work who had zero desire to climb the corporate ladder.
One time, he got promoted to team lead, and within weeks, he asked to be demoted.
Want to know his goal?
To live an easy work life so he could spend more time with his family.
His strategy?
He was the master of small talk.
He’d break the ice with coworkers and charm his managers during one-on-one meetings.
Then, he’d ask them to assign the heavy workload to the younger guys.
Did he play office politics?
Absolutely!
Avoid This Common Mistake
A lot of people mess up in office politics because they focus on only one part:
- Some have a goal but no strategy.
They think about their promotion all the time but don’t interact with coworkers or take actionable steps to make it happen. - Others have a strategy but no goal.
These are the people who gossip endlessly at work, but with no real purpose.
Ironically, gossiping isn’t the worst thing to do in office politics.
It can even help your career if you have a goal.
But it’s risky, so beware.
To succeed, you need both a goal and a strategy.
My Personal Strategy
My goal in office politics is simple:
- Become a subject matter expert so valuable that they have to promote me.
My strategy?
- Ask unlimited questions.
When you work with me, you might find me annoying because I ask so many questions.
Sometimes, I even ask questions that make people angry.
For example:
“So, the essence of your job is just monitoring things?”
They might respond:
“Well, I do more than that!”
But that’s okay.
I don’t care if I look dumb.
I want to know the answer.
By asking questions, I show people that I’m a go-getter.
Over time, this builds my reputation as someone who is curious, motivated, and willing to learn.
My framework for playing office politics is simple:
- Have a clear goal: Be so good they can’t ignore me.
- Use a strategy: Ask questions to everyone and learn as much as I can.
I don’t backstab or gossip to get ahead.
Instead, I operate with intention.
I’m not at work to make friends.
I’m here to rise through the ranks.
For more tips on communication skills, be sure to check out my book, the Charisma King
– ArmaniTalks 
