21 Dirty Tricks at Work

Dirty Tricks

Do you dream of working in an organization that is totally devoid of office politicking, maneuvering and Machiavellian managers? Alas, such a workplace simply does not exist. Every person is vulnerable to “dirty tricks” of one kind or another. Office politics, lies and tricks cost organizations money, divert focus and energy away from business, and turn bright, enthusiastic employees into cynical, tired clock-punchers. However, if you can learn to recognize common workplace dirty tricks, you can diminish their power and deal with duplicitous behavior to gain an advantageous outcome. For a maneuver to be a dirty trick, these “conditions” must prevail:

• The belief that honest behavior will not produce results.
• A “player” feels it is his or her right to exploit someone else.
• A prize is on the line or a circumstance is ripe for manipulation.
• Information gets deliberately distorted or misdirected.
• Selfish motives masquerade as helpfulness.
• Self-interest trumps the interests of the organization.
• The situation has a loser or victim, and a winner or protagonist.

If you are the victim of a dirty trick...