One question am regularly asked by job seekers is how one should deal with  office politics. Whether you are working back home in Kenya or here in the  West, office politics are rampant and you have to know how to stay ahead of  the pack. In an effort to help people struggling with this issue, I have  compiled a few points here that can go a long way to help you:

1. Don’t take sides. As much as possible try to appear neutral
2. Listen much talk less. Try not to talk too much, or else you will give  yourself away
3. Respect company drivers, secretaries, tea girls(might not apply in the  West) and personal assistants. Though at the bottom strata of the  organisation, these people are the unspoken of “information  disseminators” in any company due to the much information they know and  hold
4. Don’t create enemies unnecessarily
5. Identify the movers and shakers in your organisation and know how to deal  with
6. Concentrate on doing your job and steer away from politics. All you want  to do is get paid and pay your bills; why hassle with the extras beyond that

You can find more of my career development articles at 

www.myafricancareer.net, under the Career Advice tab.

James Muritu