How to Win Playing the Office Politics Game

Dear Career Vanity,

I’m a Technology Sales Executive working for a conservative, “IBM-type” company that has 1,500 people within our division and only 19 female managers.  My appraisals are stellar and I’ve worked hard to earn a great promotion and reputation within the organization.

After an incident, where I passionately disagreed with a senior level executive about a process that would save the organization millions of dollars in research and development, I realized that I might now be perceived as defensive and unfortunately emotional.

How do I maintain my middle ground when I believe something is right, without taking the easy way out? I want to play the game at work, but not without sacrificing my dignity and reputation. Read the rest of this entry »

Should You Have an Office Affair with Your Boss?

Dear Career Vanity,

There is strong physical chemistry between my boss and me. His body language tells me that he wants to sleep with me, but I have my reservations. I love my job and want to get a raise. Are there any advantages to sleeping with him? I want to know.

Should I have an office affair or sex with my boss to get ahead? Read the rest of this entry »