[PEN-L:30264] time to suck up; crony capitalism for the mammals

["Ian Murray" <seamus2001@xxxxxxxxx>]

You Schmooze, You Win?
Cultivating Office Alliances May Make the Difference in Keeping a Job

By Amy Joyce
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, September 15, 2002; Page H06


Hi there, boss. My husband made some great chili. How about having some? Oh, and
while we're at it, that project you mentioned, I'd love to get in on it . . .

Oh, I heard you like rock climbing, too! I just happened by REI and picked up
two of these pulleys. Have one. Maybe we should go together next time?

Afraid of schmoozing too much? Or, on the other hand, afraid you're not "in"
with the right management folks? Fear not. Talking to, interacting with and
finding ways to get in with higher-ups is a workplace necessity.

Especially in today's economy, when pink slips are fluttering about and job
security seems to be a thing of the past, forming alliances is just smart
procedure. In today's job market, employees find they must look out for their
own careers. Workplaces are going to look more at profit and less at employee
happiness and career development than they did during the boom of the late
1990s. With that in mind, alliances are being formed left and right. (Have you
noticed people asking how your dog is lately?)

It's not currying favor or empty flattery, it's a wise thing to do.

Alanna Weaver, a coordinator of Web technologies for Merck & Co., has had some
experience in forming alliances. She hasn't been shy about approaching upper
management to talk about ideas or a desire to get on a certain project or team.
And top managers, in turn, think of her when they consider who needs a
promotion, or who should be a part of that new, interesting project.

"As long as the person gets out [of his or her office] a little bit, you can
always find something to talk to them about. If they have some sort of meeting,
ask a question and then go up and ask afterward one-on-one," Weaver said. "It's
nice to have a little feedback, as long as you're not doing it smarmily."

Because Weaver's boss worked closely with the department's vice president,
Weaver has had a lot of access to the vice president. So Weaver found common
ground and made sure to discuss that with the vice president. "I would ask her
how to pronounce a word in Spanish, her native language. I also work on a
women's network group here and we actually pursued her as a speaker, another way
to get in with her."

What did Weaver accomplish? "It certainly made me more comfortable and able to
ask for favors," she said. For example, Weaver is on a project team that the
vice president is on as well. "I get a chance to talk to her one-on-one there.
If something comes up in a meeting that I want to be involved in, I'm perfectly
comfortable asking to join."

Weaver is in control of her career as much as she can be today. She put forth
effort to meet and greet and learn the lay of the land. That, say experts, is
great -- especially now.

"You need to take responsibility for building your own internal networks. You
will gain a great deal of liberty. If you are seen as a hub or key individual,
you don't guarantee a job, but you show yourself as value rather than just an
addendum," said Larraine D. Segil, workplace consultant and author of the book
"Intelligent Business Alliances."

Alliances go the other way, too. Managers can get some good information from
employees. They can learn what the general mood among team members is about the
newest procedure, or they can find out who might be interested in a job opening.

But forming an alliance is a difficult balance between making pals and
confidantes and simply cuddling up to the boss or seemingly so.

"There will always be those who think you are schmoozing too much. It's one
thing to be obsequious in praise for a manager, and another to do good work and
volunteer," Segil said.

Focusing efforts on getting in with a boss or manager is not going to get you
far if the person isn't interested. As Weaver put it: There will always be
bosses who just want yes men. She had a boss like that previously, who listened
only to those who agreed with her. "She was never challenged and never knew when
she was wrong," Weaver said. Weaver likes to challenge her bosses if she thinks
they may be a little off base. In doing so, she feels that she has formed some
strong alliances.

Is Weaver being too "schmoozy"? She doesn't think so. She has formed comfortable
relationships with higher-ups, even though she is on a lower rung of the ladder,
at age 27, and has just a few years at her company.

"I get a lot more exposure to the people who would do the hiring or push to
hire. So if I wanted to switch departments, and [the vice president] puts in a
good word for me, well . . . "

You know how that sentence ends.

"If you have a certain degree of fearlessness or energy, it will bring you to
the attention of senior management. When in the limelight, you can . . .
understand what it is they are looking for," Segil said. "It's just like when
trying to sell a product externally. If you have to sell yourself, you have to
know what customer wants to buy."

Michelle Edwards, a senior instructional designer for a management-training
company in Vienna, said the line between schmoozing and just making good contact
is a pretty obvious one. "You do it because you have a genuine interest in doing
so, not so much because someone might take your job."

If forming an alliance isn't your thing, then you may be out of luck, said
Edwards. "They don't know you, they don't know what you do or your value, so
it's really easy" to lay you off, she said. "If you like the company, what
you're doing, you have to protect that."

Join Amy Joyce at 11 a.m. Tuesday at washingtonpost.com for Life at Work Live
video edition.