As a business coach, the question I hear most often is simply, "Should I go along to get along?" The fact is, if you aren't good at playing corporate politics you might eventually find yourself caught in the spokes of the moving wheel! OUCH!

You don't have to be a woman in business to experience the harsh realities that result from a corporate culture of too much office politics. But, as more and more women move into  middle management with aspirations of breaking through to the executive team, corporate game playing has gone to a new level. Playing the game may be required for career success at your company as it is how you will learn to navigate power and influence.

Of course, in order to be good at playing office politics you must first be a politician. Unfortunately, the female role models in this arena are slim to none. Even Hillary Clinton let most of us (some of us) down when she easily rolled over for Barack Obama, but I digress. The fact is to be a competent politician you must be prepared to:

(1) Adapt your message for every audience

(2) Learn to communicate forcefully without sounding too committal

(3) Watch over each shoulder while at the same time keeping an eye open on both sides of your head

(4) Daily measure the balance of power, carefully shifting positions on a dime if necessary

If you are ready, willing and able as a woman in business to become a corporate agent with these abilities you must also be prepared to:

(1) Become visible in your company by tooting your own horn at every chance

(2) Be an assertive leader ready to push through company initiatives around the clock if necessary

(3) Be a team player no matter what your boss is doing - back him/her up at all times

To go along to get along may be a no-win strategy if there is someone scheming to sabotage you and your position.

In office politics, like a game of chess, each player begins the game with pieces (in this case colleagues): one king (CEO), one queen (COO), and let's say 14 pawns.  Colleagues are used to attack and capture the opinions of other pawns, with the objective to 'checkmate' the king's (CEO) attention. In addition to checkmate, the game can be won by the voluntary resignation of the pawn (you). A game may also result in a draw in several ways, where no player wins. 

Amazing how a simple game of chess can accurately describe what too often happens in corporate America, defiling the hard work of loyal employees who are given no other choice but to go along to get along.

This is one of the many reasons women entrepreneurship continues to soar even in a down economy. My advice as a business coach is that every hard working employee, male or female, be true to herself/himself. If the thought of spending your time participating in office politics makes you cringe, then STAY OUT. Outliers have been known to shine too, although not as often by climbing their way to the top.

As a woman in business and a woman entrepreneur, my energy and passion is spent doing what I believe in as I would rather be right with myself than rich by behaving like someone else.

The choice is always yours. But, beware of sitting back and doing nothing as that will guarantee the end of your career as you know it.

If you choose the treadmill of going along to get along make sure to keep a step ahead with your eyes wide open because there will always be someone ready to edge you off.