Office Politics: How to Thrive in a World of Lying, Backstabbing and Dirty Tricks

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Random House, Feb 7, 2013 - Business & Economics - 288 pages

A fascinating exposé of office culture, in the style of the bestselling Affluenza, from popular psychologist Oliver James

The modern working world is a dangerous place, where game-playing, duplicity and sheer malevolence are rife. Do talent and hard work count for nothing? Is politics everything?

In this fascinating exposé, Oliver James reveals the murky underside of modern office life. With cutting-edge research and eye-opening interviews, he highlights the nasty practices that propel people to the top and shows how industries and cultures are fostering this behaviour.

He then divulges strategies and techniques for not only surviving but thriving in these difficult environments. With the right mindset, you can distinguish and deal with toxic and overpromoted colleagues, charm your way through interviews and use office politics to your advantage.

Office Politics will overthrow your perceptions of office life and set you on a new path to success.

Oliver James trained and practised as a child clinical psychologist and, since 1988, has worked as a writer, journalist and television documentary producer and presenter. His books include Juvenile Violence in a Winner-Loser Culture, the bestselling They F*** You Up, Affluenza and Contented Dementia. He is a trustee of two children's charities: the National Family and Parenting Institute and Homestart.

 

Contents

Introduction
1
Coping with Toxic Colleagues and Professions
11
A Vicious Combination Psychopathy Machiavellianism and Narcissism
13
Psychopaths
21
Machiavels
39
Narcissists
47
Impostors
55
Toxic Professions and Organisations
61
Astuteness
145
Ingratiation
175
Gogetting
191
Virtuosity
207
Dirty Tricks
215
Emotionally Healthy Office Politics
227
Endnotes and References
235
Acknowledgements
265

Improve your Office Political Skills
95
Introduction
97
The Importance of Acting
101

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About the author (2013)

Oliver James trained and practised as a child clinical psychologist and, since 1988, has worked as a writer, journalist and television documentary producer and presenter. His books include Juvenile Violence in a Winner-Loser Culture, the bestselling They F*** You Up, Affluenza and Contented Dementia. He is a trustee of two children's charities: the National Family and Parenting Institute and Homestart.

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