The Role of "Niceness" - Part 3

I've written about the The Role of Niceness in the Workplace a couple of times now, so I was pleased to see this posting from The Brazen Careerist on how Office Politics is about Being Nice.  Many times when I talk to people about the politics in their office, they immediately tell me, "Oh I don't do politics." As BC wisely points out: 

"Here is a message for people who say office politics don’t matter: You will die a slow, painful career death. This is because there’s no getting around office politics, and mastering them is essential to being able to steer your own career."

As I say in my About Me section:

"I've noticed that when it comes to career growth, most folks stand or fall on the basics."

So don't think of office politics as a cloak & dagger escapade, rather think of them as simply the reasonable dialogues and actions that need to occur in order to define goals, allocate resources, and move business forward.  And it all starts with conversation.  Think my approach towards office politics is too simplified (or naive)?  Check out Master Career Coach Billi Lee's 7 Savvy Tips for further explanation.   Then leave us a comment encouraging others with your story of how you have encountered, approached, and succeeded with office politics.