In the 2008 presidential election, 56.8 percent of U.S registered voters cast their ballots [www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0781453.html. Last accessed Sept. 2, 2009]. Although participation in this election was strictly voluntary, you may want to think twice about not participating in a more local arena (i.e., politics in your workplace).

John M. McKee, author of Career Wisdom: 101 Proven Strategies to Ensure Workplace Success, defined office politics in his book as "those productive and counterproductive human factors present between coworkers jockeying for positions."

"While office politics are commonly regarded quite negatively as a culture rife with back-stabbing, gossiping and brownnosing, it also has a very strong upside," McKee continued. The key is to make the system work for you, not against you. If this isn't your cup of tea, you may be tossed out to sea (i.e., get the dreaded pink slip).

To avoid this, you must strategize. Create an action plan detailing specific strategies to circumvent political landmines. Office politics occur anytime three or more people are in a conversation, a common occurrence in the workplace, McKee wrote. Use these opportunities to get yourself, your point of view and your ideas into play.

Keep Others Informed

One way to stay atop your political game is to inform others of your current projects. "A great deal of negative office politics occur because people feel left out of the loop and uninformed," said Sandy Gluckman, PhD, president, The Gluckman Group Inc., Dallas.

People don't like to be surprised by new information they should have known. To prevent this from happening, make it a habit to ask yourself a few questions every time you make a decision, devise a plan or receive information. These might include:

• Whose input should I ask before I make the decision or develop the plan?

• Whose support do I need for this to be successful?

• Who else needs to know this so they can do their jobs well?

Ultimately, by keeping others abreast, you'll get buy-in. "It's important to ensure everyone who may be influenced by your programs or initiatives is aware of what's going to happen and feels like they've been involved-or at least were able to weigh in with their opinions or recommendations," McKee said. "Ideally, they will be supportive, but even in the worst case, you'll know who supports you and who doesn't. Knowledge is power."

Ask Open-Ended Questions

Another technique is to ask a lot of questions of different people in different areas of your laboratory or hospital, McKee advised. When you hear the perspectives of individuals in departments or operations other than yours, it helps you to see the world as they see it and understand what they deem important.

When asking questions, don't trap individuals into an either/or answer, Dr. Gluckman suggested. People want to have the safety and freedom to express their perspectives in the way that feels real for them.

When you are asking others for their input be sure to:

• Ask the question in as broad a manner as possible.

• Send the message that there are no stupid answers-every perspective is valuable.

Keep Yourself in Check

It's also important to keep your cool and train yourself not to get sucked into a toxic situation and difficult behavior. When you feel yourself floating into the fight or flight syndrome, take a deep breath, count to 10 and say to yourself, "this is a test. This is only a test. This will not be important in 10 minutes, 10 days or 10 years," advised Marsha Petrie Sue, MBA, CSP, professional speaker and author, Communicating Results Inc., Scottsdale, AZ.

Also remember to play nice. There is always room for courtesy, graciousness, politeness and common etiquette. Your coworkers will mirror your behavior, Sue said.

Additionally, don't let your ego get in the way of your ability to be objective.

"When we take things personally that were not intended that way, we become emotional and fearful of failure and humiliation," Dr. Gluckman explained.

Manage Your Emotions

If you've been maligned, it is up to you to address the issue at the source, Sue said. Shake hands and move on. Carrying grudges or, worse, returning fire, will only damage you and your reputation to the point of no return.

As tempting as it might be to serve as the source of juicy information, bite your tongue. While gossip and spilling the beans can be titillating, it can also be cruel.

"Think of office gossip as verbal spam or junk mail and hit the 'delete' button," Sue recommended. "When gossipmongers realize no one is listening, they'll quiet down and get back to work."

Moving Forward

Make office politics work for you by following these strategies, and watch your career move forward in a positive direction.

Karen Appold (KarenAppold@comcast.net) is an editorial consultant in Royersford, PA. Visit www.WriteNowServices.com for more information.

RECOMMENDED READING

• McKee, John M. Career Wisdom: 101 Proven Strategies to Ensure Workplace Success. Tucson, AZ: Wheatmark. 2007.

• Petrie Sue, Marsha. Toxic People: Decontaminate Difficult People at Work Without Using Weapons or Duct Tape. Scottsdale, AZ: John Wiley. 2008.