# Performance and Peer Respect By:: [[Brian Heath]] 2023-02-08 What I do at work tends to result in ironic eye rolls and people saying things like, "here he comes with something fancy" and "you are such the teacher's pet." These mostly come from people with whom I have good relationships, and sarcastic humor is acceptable and the norm. However, humor contains elements of truth. Being the "favorite" or outperforming your peers has as many benefits as it does risks. Benefits include promotions and being trusted with information before anyone else. Risks include alienation and pressure to conform to performance norms. If you find yourself in this situation, the real skill is striking a balance. Perform at high levels but in ways not seen as self-promotion. Instead, build up other team members. Flaunting wins rarely result in positive long-term outcomes, so let others do it for you. This is the key the office politics. To be liked and respected, you must do good work but let others spread the news. After some time, you'll find yourself in unexpected and unanticipated positions of influence. So, if someone makes a humorous statement about you being a superstar, be humble and play it down with a smile. The humor reveals the perceived truth of the collective organization - this is what you need to climb the ladder. However, if you choose to climb the ladder, beware of the [[Management in Quandary - A Critique of Organizational Power|risks]] as you might get what you want. #### Related Items [[Management]] [[Strategy]] [[Performance]] [[Politics]] [[Humor]]