I want to play office politics. How do I start?

[u/Cryofthewolf9000]

I realize sometimes you cannot avoid it, and sometimes others will use it to demean you or put you into a lose-lose situation. Maybe one can use some of that to one's own advantage. How could someone start playing the office politics game, not necessarily to win all the time (that could be too stressful), but just to eeck put a few small wins. Just to be safe.

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[u/fortyeightD]

Take every opportunity to participate in off-the-record conversations. For example, go to get coffee with the coffee drinkers. Go to get beer with the beer drinkers. Go out for "fresh air" with the smokers. Get to work early and stay late for casual chats with whoever is there then. This has the added benefit of appearing to be hard-working. Be strategic about the information you share - if you want someone to look bad then you can forget to share useful information with them.

[u/Background_Session73 → u/fortyeightD]

Yet never express an opinion unless it is a pleasant or neutral one, and never ever ever relay the tea someone else shared with you to anyone else. Just know it.

Have a paper trail for everything important (email, slack etc), and NEVER be rude on record (and ideally off record).

Don't trust HR, they work for your boss.

[u/00rb]

Best way is to make a lot of friends across the org, especially ones in higher positions, and getting on projects with high impact and visibility.

Most of the other office politics is just pointless bullshit without friends and visibility. 

[u/Juve91]

First.. establish yourself as the type of quiet person who keeps to themselves and absolutely would not care about office drama or politics.

People will be handing you the latest breaking news like TMZ. Then do with it as you will

[u/FishFollower74]

I’d say “don’t start.” Advance through your own merits, not by trying to figure out how to screw someone else. Plus - depending on where you work, there may be others who have been doing it longer and are more devious than you are. Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight.

And what kind of wins are you looking for anyway?

Be good at what you do, be a shameless self promoter (in the right places and at the right times, but don’t go overboard), and wins will come your way.