Office Politics 101

[Dragon]

Not to mention it's a positive reflection on your attitude if you show up for company functions. Powers that be will take note of those that regularly don't attend company events.

If I ever got dinged on a review for not showing up to company events outside of work I'd throw a motherfucking fit. I dont get paid to show up for picnics and happy hours and it sure as hell isnt in my job description

It's exactly that attitude that will hinder you in a large company.

No manager is stupid enough to say on a review "doesn't show up for company events" but they can say poor interpersonal skills, poor interaction with coworkers/managers, poor attitude, etc.

Working in a large company is basically like being in politics, it's all about how others see you, and then comes your actual work performance. The company I worked at before this one screwed me over several times because I didn't really interact with too many people there. I basically kept to myself, did my work, and went home at the end of the day. I did socialize with certain coworkers, but apparently not the right ones. The place I'm at now I've made the right friends, gotten to know the right people, and hang out with the right people after work (and no this doesn't mean kissing ass). I've gone from being a lowly administrative assistant to being the lead developer on several projects and I've got more work coming my way now than I can handle. My review this year promises to be a very very good one.

[Dragon]

i am friends with my coworkers... we regularly hang out on weekends.

Exactly, plus it's good to get to hang out with people you're friends with outside of the work environment. Not to mention it's a positive reflection on your attitude if you show up for company functions. Powers that be will take note of those that regularly don't attend company events.

However, getting trashed in front of the boss isn't necessarily the best way to get ahead

If you're stupid enough to get totally trashed at a company event you deserve the consequences.

[.RJ]

It's exactly that attitude that will hinder you in a large company.

No manager is stupid enough to say on a review "doesn't show up for company events" but they can say poor interpersonal skills, poor interaction with coworkers/managers, poor attitude, etc.

There's a difference between the at work attitude that you described, which is something that you need to work on no matter the size of the company and getting dinged by *only* not going go company sponsored events, which is where i was going with that. I dont huddle behind my desk, do my work and never talk to anyone, especially now that i'm taking on PM work and I want to keep on that path.

[Andy]

i am friends with my coworkers... we regularly hang out on weekends.

Exactly, plus it's good to get to hang out with people you're friends with outside of the work environment. Not to mention it's a positive reflection on your attitude if you show up for company functions. Powers that be will take note of those that regularly don't attend company events.

However, getting trashed in front of the boss isn't necessarily the best way to get ahead

If you're stupid enough to get totally trashed at a company event you deserve the consequences.

Matt<Joke

[Mike]

i wanted to eat grits this morning, but i forgot to clean my bowl yesterday and it was all encrusted with the little bastards. instead, i had an apple flavored quaker oats breakfast bar while my bowl sat in the kitchen sink full of hot water to loosen the old grits. i went in around 2pm today and wiped it clean. i will be eating grits tomorrow morning. actually, no i won't because tomorrow is bagel day. i hope they don't give us day-olds again. i'm sick of that shit.

[Sijray21]

i agree with both of you. I'm already seeing how outside interaction helps with the relationship between workers/bosses and colleagues. I usually come out to as many social events as i can get to, but most of my exposure has to do with how i act around them during office hours (most business, some casual talk) and i enjoy that more than just going out to social events. Doing your work does help, but i do see how not coming out to events hinders you a little.

(Example: We have a team of 5 people - 2 Northrup / 3 CSC. One guy always brings his lunch and never really comes out socially with the rest of us. We usually go out to lunch together if we're in the same location. Just something small, but the 4 of us are becoming closer and we all feel more comfortable. The other guy isn't doing anything bad and we know that. He contributes a lot to our team. Everyone knows that and that never really becomes an issue.)

If promotion and success in the company is based on professionalism then the need for social networking and build isn't necessary. Sometimes it is and sometimes it's not. Going to social events certainly shouldn't hinder your professional development, but it doesn't hurt. We use social events for an excuse to bill the company for "Team-Building Events". Which it does do, but they shouldn't be factored in reviews for an individual. Saying the person has poor interpersonal skills is a strong statement and he/she better have some office examples to back up that claim.

Cliff Notes: Being involved in business social events helps to smooth the situation (usually). Should not be neccessary, but helpful. It all depends on the company.

[Dragon]

There's a difference between the at work attitude that you described, which is something that you need to work on no matter the size of the company and getting dinged by *only* not going go company sponsored events, which is where i was going with that. I dont huddle behind my desk, do my work and never talk to anyone, especially now that i'm taking on PM work and I want to keep on that path.

Of course there's a difference, but that doesn't mean that the manager giving you your review is necessarily going to seperate the two. Considering that whole work attitude is an opinion based review item it's easy for them to have one effect the other in their mind.

I'm not saying this is right, or good business practice, but you can't deny that it happens, so why tempt it. In a perfect world your review would be based solely on things that are only work related, but this is hardly a perfect world.

[Dragon]

Not to mention those non-official considerations that the powers that be make. For instance assigning you to a a lead position on certain projects, reccomending you for special awards, etc. They need no justification for why they do or don't do those, that's solely based on their opinion.

[Evan]

Coworker: "Evan Ive got a ton of pictures of you from last nights xmas party"
Evan: "Nice"
Coworker: "You're throwing the shocker in every single one"
Evan: "Nothing says 'promote me!' like 2 in the pink and one in the stink"



ps- If you think going to any company function gets you promoted, you are kidding yourself.
If you schmooze, self-promote, and otherwise suck the corporate cock, then thats your ticket to stardom, (or to get labeled as a dipshit brownnoser) which you happen to be able to do at corporate functions as well as just about anywhere else, but if you are'nt then dont think that you are getting anywhere.

[white_2kgt]

ps- If you think going to any company function gets you promoted, you are kidding yourself.

Think of it like this, you and a person equally qualifed for a promotion/better position, the other person goes out to happy hour, attends party's, hangs out around the boss or boss+1 level, then a year down the road a higher position opens up, you both apply. Who do you think gets the job? I'll tell you, it is the person the boss or boss+1 knows the best. If you don't think companies work that way, then you are kidding yourself. I work for one of THE largest compaines and everytime we ask a superior how they got to that point, the answer is ALWAYS because they 'knew' somebody.

[.RJ]

Of course there's a difference, but that doesn't mean that the manager giving you your review is necessarily going to seperate the two.

You're missing the distinction here.

If you are a strong employee, and do good work, showing professionalism, positive attitude, and solid communication skills then it absolutely should not (and in my experience doesnt) matter when it comes time for review/promotion/raise....

Now if you are an anti-social interovert all the time and have the communication skills of a tree stump, never socializes with other employees (lunchtime, after work, etc) then again it doesnt matter whether you go to these company functions or not, you're going to get dinged big time on the review because of the poor image you're presenting - no matter how good that last requirements document was.

I'm not saying this is right, or good business practice, but you can't deny that it happens, so why tempt it. In a perfect world your review would be based solely on things that are only work related, but this is hardly a perfect world.

If your managers look down on you for not going to a company happy hour or picnic then there's something wrong with the way they are running their team(s). Just my opinoin on that.

Not to mention those non-official considerations that the powers that be make. For instance assigning you to a a lead position on certain projects, reccomending you for special awards, etc. They need no justification for why they do or don't do those, that's solely based on their opinion.

And getting assigned to those projects has to do with your performance and strength of your role as an employee, not whether you went to the company picnic or not. Thats the point I was making.

[.RJ]

Think of it like this, you and a person equally qualifed for a promotion/better position, the other person goes out to happy hour, attends party's, hangs out around the boss or boss+1 level, then a year down the road a higher position opens up, you both apply. Who do you think gets the job? I'll tell you, it is the person the boss or boss+1 knows the best.

You can build those personal relationships without being under the boss's table with his D in your mouth during every company happy hour, IMO.

I'm not saying never go to them, but to expect to be at all of them, all the time, is a bit much - especially if you are already spending 50-60 hrs/week at work already.

[.RJ]

3PBRIAR (hey its my thread)

[Evan]

ps- If you think going to any company function gets you promoted, you are kidding yourself.

Think of it like this, you and a person equally qualifed for a promotion/better position,

wrong. there is no such thing as equally qualified. A promotion will never come down to if the hiring manager happened to see you across the room (which he probably didnt) at the holiday party.

you can put out the exact same "team player" social, outgoing persona without going to corporate events. You can get to know managers better at other places than those corporate events. Know why? Because every corporate cocksucking peon like you is trying to do the exact same shit.
And even when you do go to those events, if you arent schmoozing, you are wasting your time. Just showing up doesnt give you shit.

[white_2kgt]

ps- If you think going to any company function gets you promoted, you are kidding yourself.

Think of it like this, you and a person equally qualifed for a promotion/better position,

wrong. there is no such thing as equally qualified. A promotion will never come down to if the hiring manager happened to see you across the room (which he probably didnt) at the holiday party.

you can put out the exact same "team player" social, outgoing persona without going to corporate events. You can get to know managers better at other places than those corporate events. Know why? Because every corporate cocksucking peon like you is trying to do the exact same shit.
And even when you do go to those events, if you arent schmoozing, you are wasting your time. Just showing up doesnt give you shit.

Well, I use to feel the same way you do, now, I know how the real world works. Personally, I don't goto those things, I have no desire to be a corporate cock suck, but one thing I do know, in big business, to get ahead you have to be noticed. Those events ARE a place to get noticed.

[Dragon]

Well, I use to feel the same way you do, now, I know how the real world works. Personally, I don't goto those things, I have no desire to be a corporate cock suck, but one thing I do know, in big business, to get ahead you have to be noticed. Those events ARE a place to get noticed.

Ding Ding Ding, we have a winner. Like I said, in a perfect world none of this bullshit would matter it would all be based off your performance, and your work ethic, but this isn't a perfect world.

I'm not saying never go to them, but to expect to be at all of them, all the time, is a bit much - especially if you are already spending 50-60 hrs/week at work already.

I never said go to all of them, but there's certain ones that are a lil more important than others, and typically the holiday/year end party is one of those.

[.RJ]

Ding Ding Ding, we have a winner. Like I said, in a perfect world none of this bullshit would matter it would all be based off your performance, and your work ethic, but this isn't a perfect world.

You guys need to find new companies to work for if your managers seriously take these things into consideration. I have no idea how they can form a different opinion of you because you're showing up at happy hour vs. what they see in an every day basis from you in the office.

Not like it matters for me, I'm sure as shit not going to work for TheManÔäó forever, thats for damn sure. There's no point in wasting away until retirement working for someone else's dime in a cube farm.

I never said go to all of them, but there's certain ones that are a lil more important than others, and typically the holiday/year end party is one of those.

Y'all have fun with those.

Edit: Just to make it a little clearer where I'm coming from with all of this. I make a very clear distinction between my personal life and my professional life. I tend not to mingle the two at all, if I can help it. Why? I dont know. Maybe its all my old shitty jobs

[Evan]

Ding Ding Ding, we have a winner. Like I said, in a perfect world none of this bullshit would matter it would all be based off your performance, and your work ethic, but this isn't a perfect world.

I never said this "bullshit" (read: relationship building) didnt matter. I said that there are much better ways of going about it, and that these corporate functions arent doing as much to build relationships as you think they are.

Everyone who really wants to climb the ladder should pick up golf. Its a much better, more effective, and more natural way of schmoozing. Ill even sell you some clubs, cheap. Brand new, 7 iron used once at the driving range.

[.RJ]

Selling the racecar would buy a lot of golf clubs! :lol:

[Feersty]

Wanna get rich quick....? Own your own business. It never fails but you gotta work your ass off.