Teamwork and other issues

You ever notice that the same people who talk about teamwork in your office are the very same people who screw you over? Their version of teamwork is you do what they think you should do, no matter how dumb it is . I have noticed that these same people who always say "down here we work as a team" are also the most likely to be playing little games in office politics.

WHAT THEY SAY
Here we work as a team

WHAT THEY MEAN
Screw you, i have been here longer so just sit there and do what i say while i try and undermine the trust others have placed in you.

Needless to say these people can be very successful until the time comes where they have to prove their worth and all their flaws are exposed. Needless to say their protectors are exposed as well, the sheer stupidity of gossip, lies and pushing of responsibility in a work environment means more time is spent playing games instead of doing work.
I also notice that these games are often played by low level coolies who tend to hero worship someone in management and do their bidding and always exaggerate minor issues. These trouble makers like to sow the seeds of discord and when confronted play a simple game of "oh but the manager asked me to report" "or oh the system here is like that" implying that the system is at fault not the individual. The managers who pander to these weak willed individuals who hero worship them are seriously flawed as well, they encourage a culture of fawning and the currying of favour and will take anything the "worshiper" says as gospel truth...that is until it becomes in-convenient to have a sniveling lackey loiter around.

How do you handle these problems? Well you can either ignore it and hope it will go away, you could say i will allow my work to stand for itself. This can work, if you didnt have the "Manager" above you who wants the lackey to help put you on the defensive, the manager who could not perform in your job and so is threatened when you performing better then them in the same post. So allowing your work to stand on its on is a long term hope for the best solution.

You could go higher up and bypass your immediate superior. This has potential provided you have an enlightened higher up to seek redress or understanding from. In most cases they will say settle it yourself or ask the "manager" and be told oh him he is a trouble maker according to my lackey he is giving alot of problems.

You could as i do try and create concensus with a majority of people you work with, above and below you. Show them that both your work and your attitude are an asset not a hinderance. These means taking credit for work that you have done, and done well. Also it means sharing the credit with your staff who have performed beyond expectations . IT means selling yourself but in an honest and humble way, as well as selling your staff without selling out yourself. If you or your staff make a mistake make sure you take responsibility for it but if the mistake is not yours do not throw yourself on yoursword or your staff to the wolves. Concentrate on rectification and ensuring no repeats.

The above option is not sustainable, how long are you going to keep clean when your surrounded by mub. IT is an option only if there is a run out date on your service with these people. You do not leave with a bad taste in your mouth but the success of your efforts. The only way to stay clean in a mud hole is not get in. SO ask for a transfer, or let senior management know your are planning to leave and the circumstances that brought you their. Do not play games by saying i want to resign because of them, and then not follow through. There is only one rule in bargining and that is you must be prepared to leave the item on the table and walk away.

There is one final option, i call it the american option that is to take a sub machine gun and go crazy, but i stress if you are the one with the sub machine gun then you are the one with the problems.