Chicken Politics: The Pecking Order

Most of the time, I always steer clear of office politics. I just cannot stand the constant bickering and the gossiping of who did what to who and other whodunnits. I think it is counter productive. But, I have learned that if you want to stay alive and strong in a company, you have to play the game. Establishing your rank in the pecking order is almost as important as to performing your job well. You have to know whose "vent" you have to kiss to ensure your livability in the "coop". Of course, there is always the head "rooster", the "top dog" so to speak, who knows somebody who knows somebody way up in the order. The "rooster" is like god in the coop. He gets his way even if every thinks he is wrong. He gives blessings and punishments to those worthy of his grace. Sometimes, the head rooster will have a challenger. Most often, this challenger is a newcomer in the coop and has not yet established his rank in the pecking order. The head rooster, of course have several "alipores", who will report to him the activities of the challenger. If the challenger is a threat, then the head rooster and his minions will find ways to destroy the challenger in any means possible. If not considered a threat, then the challenger will be left alone, albeit be encourage to join the head rooster's gang.

Office politics is very like the nature of chickens. For chickens to survive, they have to learn where they are in the pecking order. We usually segregate the small birds from the big birds because the small birds will definitely have a harder time to grow in a pen that is dominated by bigger and stronger birds. Is this also the way office politics should be? Separating the weak from the strong to ensure their long term survival?

Frankly, I do not know how to answer this question. It is just a good thing that sometimes my vent gets kissed, and other times, I have to kiss someone's vent. No problem with me as long as that vent doesn't stink!