Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Hierarchy: Separating
the Wheat from the
Chaff
was highly low-level – filing, answering the phones, and typing (yes, typing)
envelopes.
in jobs laden with other college students. This was the first job I’d held in an
office populated by people who were accepting tiny salaries in return for long-
term employment that would pay their electricity bills and rent.
the office – the ones who always seemed to be having fun, went to lunch in
cool places, and had hip inside jokes about the other employees.
The go-girls, by the way, were not all girls. Nor did my terminology for them
reflect their sexual preferences. The go-girls were about nightclubs, partying,
Of course, they were not glamorous. They were fun, but they were
miserably bad employees, and they made life wretched for those who were
not in their circle. They complained a lot, and once you were part of their
clique, it became almost impossible not to also complain. It was like being
I did work hard. I came in after my morning classes and did my slave labor
relatively flawlessly, but I did join in the face-making behind the backs of the
drones and make little comments about them. Also, oddly, I refused to
comply with my employer’s requirement that I use his car rather than my
own when I went to the bank each day to make his deposit.
Actually, I don’t know why he wanted me to use his car. It was a very
expensive car, and I was not a noticeably good driver. I’m sure there was
some reason of insurance, with him being an insurance agent and all – but
still. I don’t feel bad for sneaking around driving my own car. There. I’ve said
it.
I do feel bad – to this day – for my participation in the office chaos that was
the go-girls. It was more than unprofessional: it was childish. I mean – I was a
Avoiding office cliques is the single best thing you can do to ensure your
rise in your company. Remember the kid in high school who could float
seamlessly between cliques? That was the person who could make anyone
While it’s tempting to join a clique – you’ll have someone to eat lunch with
every day, if nothing else – it is a very dangerous political move. Most cliques
thrive on their exclusivity, which means that someone is going to be left out
of the fun. In addition, because such circles of friends often rely on a sense of
superiority over others on the team, it’s highly likely that the clique you pick
kind to everyone. You may have to seek out a lunch partner, but you won’t
participating in dissing.
Dave Saunders helps people stand out and "Be the Brand" as a personal