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Those corporate games, Part II

On to Part II, highlighting some of the games at work most of us have experienced, or participated in..
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  1. Selective editing
    Ubiquitous at the office,but some take it to heights that are pernicious or worse. Example: a report or presentation is due, and the only information presented is to support a certain point of view, even if there are known contrary evidence or numbers by others in attendance. By withholding or shading information, the presenter is [sometimes] able to create new but misleading conclusions to get what they want, whether staff, budget, promotion, or to squash the competition, internally or externally. Everyone wants to put their budget or department in the best light, but I’m addressing a more aggressive angle.
  2. Don’t Take It Personally (see also “I’m Only Trying to Help You”)
    Instead of talking about you behind your back, some people are quite adept at the art of the back-handed compliment to your face (almost always in front of others–more impactful). It is getting dinged and not expecting it. If unchecked, it will happen again and again because it is easy pickins’–such people need to be called on it. And when told “don’t take it ‘personally'”, well, it’s all personal, isn’t it? We don’t yet work with robots.
  3. The Blame Game
    Usually done by mid level (sometimes senior) management who direct their insecurities to their boss or the company. In the former case, often couched by ‘how much better my career would be going if ______ was a better/more dynamic/insightful/friendly/smarter/helpful boss who could get things done.’ When directed towards the company (always the easiest target) the patter seldom changes, how “they” can’t get it right and how “they” are not well run, all the corporate initiatives are bound to fail, etc, and “I should be at _____ where they really value talent.” When I see CVs that have a string of 1-2 year jobs, I can make an educated hunch..
  4. If You Say So..
    This game is almost always done by [existing] staff to [new] management. A new leader arrives, and there will inevitably be some degree of resentment. When he or she decides on new directions or strategy, some long-time support staff will go along with it, but sabotage it (“we tried this 4 years ago; it’ll never fly”) and try their best to drag it down, for a variety of reasons. If the strategy doesn’t quite succeed the way it should have, there will be murmurs of “told you it wouldn’t work” and puts the leader back a notch or two if they’re not aware of what’s going on below them.
  5. Gotcha
    Done when an sr exec wants to nail someone else, but can’t easily fire them. If they have the power, they’ll change the rules of the game; new and early AM/late night PM meetings or calls, requesting reports with unreasonable time frames, unannounced meetings, piling up work demands that won’t be used or applied, etc. All done to have the person throw their hands up and quit. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. Lots of variations on a theme with this one.
  6. Hold That Temper
    This is the game of insecurity (one such game, anyhow). An exec has a well-known hair-trigger temper, and if you cross him or her, they’ll throw a tantrum. The big scenes are regularly played out, often with some visibility. Because it is easier not to cross such people, they often get what they want from others, or are left alone. It is akin to the child throwing a tantrum and usually placated to ensure they stop screaming.

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The feedback from Part I was mixed, some liked it, others thought it was too cynical. If so, that was not the thrust, but to highlight patterns we all partake of or are targeted. The more one recognises a few of those patterns, the more likely one can predict the outcome-and that can’t hurt.