Becoming Part of the Power Crew Okay, you’ve decided that you want into the in-group crew. How? Working hard? Taking one for the team? If the world were fair, that would do it. But plenty of hard-working, dedicated, and decent guys are thanked for their contribution but never invited in. Hard work is a given. In-groupedness seems something else. First, don’t make it obvious Don’t look desperate to get in. Remember the cartoon with...
Preventing the Slide out of the Elite Group In the last post, we discussed whether you were being ousted from your work’s in-group elite. This post is about how to prevent the slide if you can. Verifying your status in the elite Before you panic, you need to confirm that you are actually on the way out. Don’t talk to your boss. I know it’s the most direct route—he’s the one who creates the elite. But think a moment. Suppose yo...
Are You Out of the Clique? Yes, I know there shouldn’t be a clique at work or an in-group of any kind. But there often is, so deal. As I outlined previously, whether you are in or out can materially affect the progress of your career. Even if you’d rather not play this game, you at least need to know the signals so you can decide whether to pay attention. How to know if you are on your way out of the clique This can be subtle and ma...
Are You in the Gang at Work? Being Part of the Gang or Not Being part of a gang is a fun thing growing up but companies don’t like admit they exist at work—it conflicts with the one-big-happy-family thing they have going. They want to believe that everybody is equally valued and there are no first among equals. But, of course, organizations are set up exactly that way. There are in-groups at every level of a hierarchy, usually consi...
Are There Factions at Work? It’s a silly question to some If you have a boss who clearly favors some subordinates, and especially if you’re not one of the chosen, this seems a silly question. It’s as plain as the nose on your face that factions, at least an in-group and an out-group, exist. But for those either new to work or to the concept, it can be hard to tell. Are there factions at work? There probably are. It’s just human ...