Office politics isn’t a dirty word and it isn’t just about “sucking up.” Office politics is about gaining visibility and improving relationships to help you be successful on the job. If you don’t participate in the political game, you risk not having a say in what happens and allowing people with less experience, skill or knowledge to influence the decisions being made around you. Your personal success, and often your work satisfaction, depends on your ability to collaborate with team members even when their goals may be different than your own.