Management Tip of the Day: Don’t Let Your Boss’s Favoritism Get You Down

 

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August 12, 2013 Don’t Let Your Boss’s Favoritism Get You Down Many managers have a pet employee who appears to get special treatment—interesting assignments, invitations to social events, or even perks. As the non-pet, you may want to scream in frustration. Instead, try this: Stop obsessing. There's little point to moaning that your boss has a favorite and it's not fair. That's not going to change the situation. Get to know your boss better. It's not sucking up to ask your manager how her weekend went or to compare notes on restaurants you'd like to try. Invite her to coffee or lunch, without an agenda. Shine your own light. Many people are reluctant to draw attention to their successes, but you need to get over your modesty; or else the pet will continue to consume your boss's attention. Adapted from the HBR Guide to Office Politics.

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FEATURED PRODUCT HBR Guide to Office Politics HBR Press Books EVERY ORGANIZATION HAS ITS SHARE OF POLITICAL DRAMA: Personalities clash. Agendas compete. Turf wars erupt. It can make you crazy if you're trying to keep your head down and get your job done. The problem is, you can't just keep your head down. You need to work productively with your colleagues—even the challenging ones—for the good of your organization and your career. How can you do that without crossing over to the dark side? By acknowledging that power dynamics and unwritten rules exist—and by constructively navigating them. "Politics" needn't be a dirty word. You can succeed at work without being a power grabber or a corporate climber. Whether you're a new professional or an experienced one, this guide will help you: (1) Build relationships with difficult people, (2) gain allies and influence others, (3) wrangle resources, (4) move up without ruffling feathers, (5) avoid power games and petty rivalries, and (6) claim credit when it's due. Buy It Now

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