I am a fan of the show Survivor. A very big fan. I think it’s really educated me in the ways of politics. It was while watching this show in Season 1 that I realized… it’s not how great you are, it’s not how well you do the work, it’s not about being “good”. Everything in corporate life is about not getting voted off the island. So much of climbing the ladder is about being liked. Doing the job well is secondary.

I know that sounds cynical. But it’s true for so much in today’s life.

I worked for a big company here in the Pacific NW that is known for hiring a top notch work force. When you have a bunch of stars in the workplace…what sets them apart? It’s their political skills. I started to learn it even before Survivor came on the air, but it was so hard to take. I didn’t want to be measured by how well I make friends and play the game. I wanted to be measured on my competency, my talent, my skills. I just couldn’t wrap my ego around the fact that people, who did their job worse then me, got further ahead because they played politics better.

I’ve blissfully gotten out this game for the last few years being home with my kids. I haven’t had to apply many of these corporate lessons to my life. I’ve been pretty stress free in that respect. But now I’m in the PTA. And let me just say… it’s like work, but worse. Because the people aren’t getting paid and you work with some people you would fire in real life.

To make a long story short, there’s a woman on the PTA who has her own agenda. She just wants to be left alone to do her thing. She tends to be more “exclusive” vs. inclusive. She’s catty and not someone you can trust. She has her only little clique and they do not like the idea of change. They want to do everything the same way it’s always been done.

Come to find out that she didn’t agree with a directive that she agreed to in a meeting. Days later, under short deadline, instead of dealing with “I’m changing my mind” she simply went to the principal (principal had nothing to do with it) and started bad mouthing the president. Not in a “direct” way, but in a way everyone around her is looking at her saying… “wow.. how childish”.

But, the thing about this woman is… she’s very social and she’s linked up with the other moms. She’s “working her alliances”. And it’s taking me back to what it was like when I was working. My sense of justice is screaming at me. Even though she’s wrong, dead wrong, she’s so dangerous because she knows how to work her relationships. The quest here is not for what is right… the quest is all about who isn’t going to get voted off the island. It’s like being in middle school again. Everything is a popularity contest.

It’s frustrating. But I am up for the challenge. If I have to play the popularity card, I can and will. I just wont like it too much. But I know that I can outwit, outsmart and outplay this woman. It will be my quest. Cause I love Survivor.

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