- Welcome to Mind Tools Video Learning Series. Office politics are a fact of life in every organization, simply because we all have different needs, emotions and ambitions. And even when everyone's working toward the same goal, we don't always agree on the best way to achieve it. But office politics doesn't have to be all about backstabbing or sucking up to the right people. With the right approach you can advance your and your team's interests without acting unfairly or inappropriately. Let's explore seven ways that you can use office politics positively and keep your integrity intact. Your organization will likely have a formal organization chart in place, but office politics can often circumvent this. Observe and map where the real power and influence lies. To do this, ask yourself questions like, who are the real influencers? Who's respected? And who is the brains behind the business? Next, examine people's interactions and relationships to understand the informal or social networks. Who gets along with who? Who finds it difficult to interact with others? Are there in groups, out groups or cliques? Now that you know where the power lies, it's time to build your own network. Find ways to interact with people at all levels of the business, and be polite and friendly to everyone that you meet. Work on your people skills. This will help you to build and develop your network. Reflect on and regulate your emotions. This will help you to think before you act. And listen carefully to what people say so that you can learn from them. The more people you know, the more chances you'll have to give and receive support and feedback. And if you impress them, they'll likely introduce you to valuable new contacts and maybe even open doors for you in the future. Be alert to anyone who uses office politics in a negative way, such as gossips or manipulators. Watch how they operate and try to understand why they're doing it so that you can avoid or counter the impact of their negative behavior. It's easy to get sucked in when people are hatching plots or spreading rumors, but remain professional at all times. Treat everyone with respect and avoid taking sides. Remember your positive influence can help to make your workplace happier and more productive. To learn more about using office politics positively, see the article that accompanies this video.  © 2022 Mind Tools by Emerald Works Limited.