Making others "feel" smart

This is my smart office politics tip of the day. You'll move far in the world, if you know how to make others "feel" smart. It doesn't matter if you know more than them, the whole thing here is about making people like you.

If people like you, then they are more apt to accept your fuck-ups which allows you to stretch the boundaries of a lot of things. If people like you (especially people in a position of power), you'll be forgiven when you come in late, forget some shit, etc... and you will be less likely to be given shitty grunt work. Why? because they just might think to themselves, "this is pretty shitty work... lets give to X instead of curtis."

There is this person I can't really stand in the office, but they're important and the boss likes this person, so you know what I tolerate them. Everyone that has worked closely with this person usually ends up leaving the company. So I try my best to avoid having to deal with them. But in order to keep from getting stuck working with them and to at least make this person feel like we're cool, every once in a while I give them the opportunity to be smart.

It's as simple as saying, "So I haven't heard anything about X in awhile... how is that going?" which translates too "Hey, do you have a minute to gloat to me about how important you are?" It's kinda like giving a baby some nipple.

Smart office politics tip of the day, make someone you can't stand like you. This works great, especially if no one else likes them, the powers that be will hopefully notice your ability to work with anyone. You run the risk of being asked to work with this person since no one else wants to, but your newfound amicability will then work in your favor as you respectfully decline in order to remain focused in your desire to follow your current project through to completion.

~C