Office Politics

In a perfect world, we'd love our job and all our colleagues. However, the truth is, people come from all walks of life, and you may not get along with everyone. Here are some starter tips to dealing with the various difficult co-workers you may encounter at your job:

• Micromanager: It's always better to overreport than to underreport with a micromanager. Keeping her in the loop may be tiring, but it'll go a long way to assuage her concerns and need for control. It may also deepen the trust between the two of you, which may lead her to relinquish some of her micromanaging ways. Before starting on a project, talk out the nitty-gritty details and what the extent of her involvement will be.
• Disorganized procrastinator: Do you feel like every time you send her an email it gets sucked into a black vortex, never to be seen again? Or maybe you've given up hope on a project that's years overdue. If your colleague lacks structure, you need to give it to her when you work with her. Set deadlines and schedules in your interactions and try to help her be accountable for her actions.
• Ultimate competitor: Any interaction with the ultimate competitor feels like a race to the finish line, but try not to get caught up in it. Do your best to divide work equally, and make sure you give credit where it's due or she might feel threatened. Set boundaries and don't let her attitude affect you. If you're worried about her taking credit for your ideas, keep records of them and try to keep them to yourself until you're able to share it with a larger audience.
• Chatty chipmunk: It's great to get to know a co-worker better, but sometimes hearing about her kids when you have work to do really isn't an ideal situation. If you don't want to be rude, one idea is to get up and continue the conversation while walking to her desk, which she will naturally sit down at. Then continue pleasantries for a bit, before making your goodbyes and heading back.

Read on for more.

Most of us have a negative image of divas. We usually think of them as enraged women throwing things at their assistants or insisting on outrageous demands.

But it's not always bad to be a diva. In fact, there are actually healthy divas that can thrive in an office, according to research cited by the Wall Street Journal. Healthy ones work hard to be in the limelight and don't mind sharing it. They are also energetic, fun, and positive, which are all good traits in a leader. This assertiveness and confidence stems from the innate belief that they are worth it.

Meanwhile, unhealthy divas can initially seem just as attractive in the beginning, given their confidence and charisma, but can quickly turn people off over time. Their behavior stems from a lack of confidence and a need to prove themselves to others. They can be manipulative, extremely sensitive, and demanding. Unhealthy narcissists can also have trouble controlling their anger and are inflexible with differing opinions from their own.

In short, it pays to be a narcissist, but only if it's coming from a positive place.

When you're dealing with someone who's really taxing you at work, the best thing you can do for yourself is to ignore them.

According to a study in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, ignoring nasty people is the most effective way of quieting them rather than talking to them or trying to persuade them. Not only does it work better, but you'll also suffer less negative effects from dealing with them. The people in the study who engaged in discussions with offensive people did poorly on aptitude tests compared to the people who just ignored the nastiness. Of course, it's different in every situation, but for the most part, trying not to react to an obnoxious person may be healthier than stewing in anger.

More and more companies are revealing how much each employee is getting paid, according to the Wall Street Journal. Advocates say this helps employees "better understand their individual contribution to the whole group."

This wage transparency is most often practiced by start-ups, but if you're keen to know how much your peers are making even though your company doesn't reveal the numbers, here are a couple of alternatives:

Glassdoor: If your company is big enough, you may be able to find out the pay of employees through anonymous salary quotes at Glassdoor.com. What's great about this tool is it gives you specific information on what someone in your position is doing at your company, so the numbers aren't too generalized.

College career center: Even if many years have passed since your graduation, you can approach your college career center and ask the counselors if they have any statistics of what your fellow alumni are making in a specific field. The college career center often surveys its graduates, so it may have information on that. What's more, some graduates may be working in the same company, and you may be able to get a good feel of what your colleagues are making.

Ask others: It's generally taboo to talk salary with your co-workers, but there are still some who do regardless. Just be aware that if you bring it up, you'll have to be willing to divulge yours in return. You are also taking the risk of coming off as rude to your colleagues, even the ones you're close to. What's more acceptable is to ask your boss what the range someone in your position is making when you're trying to negotiate your salary.

Recruiters: If recruiters are a big part of hiring in your field, you can probably approach them to ask if they are willing to give you salary estimates about your company or companies like yours, which will give you a better gauge of what your colleagues are making.

Bureau of Labor Statistics: For more official numbers, there is a federal agency, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, that has the sole aim of collecting and generating employment data. Take a look at its wage estimates page to see what people in your industry are making.

Salary calculators: There are plenty of online salary calculators like PayScale and Salary.com that will give you a rough estimate of what someone in your position is making almost instantly.

In last night's riveting interview with Oprah Winfrey, Lance Armstrong admitted that his competitive spirit turned him into a "bully" who would "win at all costs." Those who spoke against him suffered his attacks, which included lawsuits, derogatory bashing of their character, and more.

A former teammate, Christian Vande Velde, had accused Armstrong of threatening to fire him if he didn't start doping. Armstrong says that he never gave a direct order, but others may have felt pressured to follow Armstrong's example since the cancer survivor was the team lead. Dealing with bullies is an experience that many go through, and it can be very emotionally taxing. And the bullying doesn't always stop at your adolescent years; you might have to face it in your adult life at work. Here's how to deal with a bully in the office:

• Document it. The first thing you need to start doing is documenting every instance of bullying that you experience. Note the time, the date, and a description of the incident. Be sure to include eye witnesses who can possibly vouch for you. And don't delete all the written communication you have with your colleague; save them. Check the recording laws in your state to see if it's legal to record the incidents without them knowing. For more information on recording people, read this.
• Don't relinquish your beliefs. The most important thing to do is not to be intimidated by the bully. If you think giving in will make the bullying stop, think again. Most of the time it gives the bully the upper hand and lets him take advantage of you even more. Stick to your beliefs, and don't relinquish them for anyone.
• Confide in others. This is an emotionally draining experience, and you can't handle it on your own. Confide in people you can trust and get the load off your shoulders. You need all the support you can get during this difficult time. Some people may even offer valuable advice.
• Confront your bully. Before taking more official steps, talk to your bully privately. Tell him that you feel uncomfortable with his actions and that it's affecting you, then firmly and politely ask him to stop. He may not even realize that he's hurting anyone or that his behavior is really unprofessional. He may also realize that you're not the type of person to be cowed by his actions and that he needs to stop his behavior or it might mean trouble for him.
• Talk to your supervisor or HR. If the bully seems indifferent after you talked to him, then make it official by first talking to your supervisor. Bring the documentation of the incidents with you when you meet with her, and tell her how it's affecting your emotional and professional well being. If telling your supervisor doesn't seem to have made a difference, take the next step and file an official complaint with HR. And of course, if your boss is the one bullying you, talk to HR about it.
• Find an attorney. So you've tried everything and nothing seems to have worked. Perhaps you should consider finding an attorney and getting legal advice from her. Check to see if workplace discrimination laws applies in your situation. Think carefully before you go this route because going to court can be a financially and emotionally draining process. Your employer may also have deeper pockets than you do, so evaluate the risks before doing so.
• As a last resort, leave. When all else fails, consider leaving the company and finding a new job. Ask yourself if your emotional health is worth your job before taking the steps to leave. When you put in your two weeks' notice, be honest in your exit interview and why you're quitting.

There are some people who breeze through social gatherings. They seem to sparkle when they're surrounded by people. Then there is the other end of the spectrum — perhaps the introverts — who shy away from social situations. After all, it's hard to converse with people when every word that comes out of your mouth seems cringe-worthy. Unfortunately, being social is part and parcel with life and can even impact your career advancement. If you find yourself tongue-tied around colleagues, brush up on these conversation starters so there won't be any awkward silences:

• The weather. Although it's cliche, the talk of weather can become a lengthy conversation. You can start comparing how the weather was a year prior or a few days ago or even talk about what it's going to be like in the coming days.
• Weekend. The weekend is another great conversation starter because it can lead to many different topics. You can talk about what you did, and that will probably lead to other conversations on your interests or people you spent time with.
• Following up. Do you remember what you last talked to a co-worker about? Bring that up again and ask her about it. Or if you remember a life event she underwent or is looking forward to, such as a wedding or a trip, be sure to ask her about it.
• The holidays. There's always so much to talk about when it comes to the holidays. For the upcoming Halloween holiday, there is the "What are you going to be for Halloween?" question, and for Thanksgiving, there is the typical "Where are you celebrating?" query. You can always talk about what they did after your co-workers come back to work after the holidays as well.
• Comment on outfit. Commenting on someone's outfit can bring about a conversation on where she bought that certain accessory or shirt from. There's not too much that can be extrapolated on from outfit talk, but it's a good start!
• Latest news. Bring up whatever is going on in the news, be it the latest food recall or shocking celebrity breakup. Make sure that you pick a piece of news that's relevant and interesting to the person you're talking to.

What other conversation starters do you use in the office?

Although common sense dictates a graceful exit when you're leaving a company, there are always going to be some who slip up. Staffing agency OfficeTeam recently conducted a survey among more than 1,300 employers who divulged some of the strangest reasons former employees have given them when resigning from their jobs. Here are a couple of doozies:

• "A guy said he was making too much money and didn't feel he was worth it."
• "The worker told us he just couldn't get up in the morning."
• "He quit because he didn't like the way the office smelled."
• "An individual did not like the sound of file cabinets being slammed."
• "One person quit to watch a soccer tournament."
• "We had someone leave because he had to stay home to feed his dog."
• "An employee left because he wanted to watch a movie with his girlfriend during work hours."
• "A person quit because he hated the carpet."
• "He just walked out without a peep. We have no idea why he left, and we were not able to contact him."
• "One worker left to become an apple farmer."
• "A staff member quit to climb Mount Everest."
• "There was an individual who left to play the trombone."
• "Someone left because her boss lost the dog she had given him."
• "Our employee said he was joining the circus."
• "One person left because she lost her cell phone too many times at work."
• "An employee said it was his routine to change jobs every six months."

Although you may be tempted to leave a job in a manner of your choosing (especially if you harbor negative feelings), it's best to reconsider your approach.

"How you leave a job can be just as important as what you did while you were there," said Robert Hosking, executive director of OfficeTeam. "Regardless of the reason for resigning, making a graceful exit by tying up loose ends and thanking colleagues shows your professionalism and can help you down the road in your career."

For those who are contemplating an exit, here's a quick guide to leaving your job with grace.

If something feels off at the office, you may want to brace yourself for the worst. Wise Bread shares signs to look for when a pink slip is coming.

There are two types of employees. One has a good idea of what they do, who they are, and what position they play in the company. They are savvy. They know the score. They are under no delusions, and will no doubt leave for another job long before they are ever considered as cannon-fodder.

RELATED: Laid Off? You May Have to Fight For Unemployment Benefits

And then there's the other kind. The guy who could get Gandhi to hate him. The woman who spends most of her day chatting on the phone to friends or doing online shopping. Or the nice chap in sales who is completely oblivious that the recent merger means his job is now obsolete. They all have Ostrich Syndrome. They couldn't see a pink slip coming if it was 8ft tall and glowing in the dark, screaming "you're fired!"

You want to avoid being in that second category at all costs. So I've compiled a handy list. If you can answer yes to THREE or more of these questions, you may want to think about sprucing up your résumé and dry-cleaning your best interview attire.

1. Are you no longer in the loop about, well, anything?

This is a huge telltale sign. Suddenly you're finding out about company news from the cleaning lady or the new girl in accounting. If you were formally in the know about all things business related, but now suffer from "the company's doing what??!" disease, the writing is probably on the wall.

2. Did you recently screw up big-time?

We're not talking a minor faux pas here. Did you lose money on an account that was previously bulletproof? Oh dear. Were you caught having sex on the boss's desk with the boss's spouse? That's probably not a career-enhancing move. Unless you're a real dope, you know if you have screwed up. And if you know, HR knows. It may not be the final nail in your coffin, but it's a nail in the coffin nonetheless.

3. Are people avoiding you at all costs?

Eye contact is difficult to make with someone if you know his or her head's on the chopping block. Small talk is just as tough. It's best just to avoid that person altogether. So if people are no longer doing that fun "stop 'n' chat" in the hall, or the coffee room empties when you arrive, then guess what . . . you may be a marked man or woman.

Read on for more.

You’ve said yes, slipped on the ring, and called your family and best friends to share the news. But come Monday morning, it’s time to tell the people you spend 40-plus hours a week with about your newly-engaged status.

Sharing the news with your closest work buddies is a no-brainer; they’ll be excited for you, and may even be invited to the wedding. But even co-workers you’re not close to will need to know at least the bare minimum about your impending nuptials. Getting married involves taking time off, leaving during the day for fittings and appointments, and often changing your name and address — all developments your co-workers and boss should be aware of.

• The size of your office: In a smaller office, it’s important that you fill everyone in on your news right away. If you only work with 10 people, and two of them find out a day later than everyone else, count on some hurt feelings.
• Your work environment: Is your office a small, tightly knit group that you regularly have drinks with after hours? Or a more formal, professional team that rarely discusses personal info? Let the vibe at work determine how you decide to announce your news.
• Any not-yet-engaged gals on your team: You shouldn’t pretend your engagement is no biggie just because your co-worker’s BF hasn’t popped the question yet. But if she’s been complaining for months about wishing he would just DO it already, you’ll want to be sensitive — make sure your excitement doesn’t turn into gloating or smugness.
• The length of your engagement: If you’re in for a quick engagement and your wedding date is already fast approaching, you’ll need to let your co-workers know ASAP. If your big day is a year or two away, it may be OK to take your time filling in more peripheral co-workers.
• How big of an impact the wedding will have on your job: Are you the manager of a large team, elbow-deep in a big project, or responsible for tasks no one else can do? If so, you might even want to consider giving your co-workers a rough time line for when you’ll be out, and keep them abreast of any time off you’ll be taking for appointments.