Companies are tribes. Firms are too.
Yet, many of us walk into work each day oblivious to the subtle tribal customs and communications going on around us. We assume we know who’s in power, who’s in favor and what it takes to reach either status.
Of course, every group – including your current workplace — has some basic similarities to other groups. But every group also has nuances specific to it alone.
The people who pick up on those workplace nuances are the ones who get included in the “lively banter” before meetings, get adopted as protégés and get more kudos than their actual work might merit.
So, what if that last sentence doesn’t describe you? You can change that – but, first, you need to do some field research.