This American Life

208: Office Politics

March 1, 2026

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  • Office politics, characterized by greed, jealousy, and ambition, manifest in diverse workplaces, from traditional banking firms to open-plan startups and even street vending operations. 
  • Workplace conflict resolution ranges from subtle sabotage, as seen in the story of the executive who was intentionally misinformed, to overt physical altercations. 
  • The intense emotional dynamics inherent in personal relationships are fully present in the workplace, but the inability to express them openly leads to bottled-up feelings manifesting in indirect or destructive ways, such as the need for a 'crime psychic' to resolve corporate disputes. 

Segments

Office Sabotage in Banking
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(00:00:34)
  • Key Takeaway: In traditional, hierarchical companies, office politics manifest as secret subterfuge, such as an underling intentionally withholding key information from a boss before executive meetings.
  • Summary: Sociologist Calvin Morrill studied an executive who was destroyed by his subordinate, Jacobs, who neglected to share anticipated questions before committee meetings. The boss remained convinced his subordinates were incompetent rather than suspecting intentional sabotage. This illustrates how secrecy shields political maneuvering in rigid corporate structures.
Open Conflict in Toy Company
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(00:02:20)
  • Key Takeaway: Companies lacking clear hierarchy, like the toy firm PlayCo, experience office politics as open conflict, including public arguments and physical fights between executives.
  • Summary: At PlayCo, the absence of clear leadership meant fighting occurred openly, with executives prioritizing honor and respect over rational business evaluation. This environment led to incidents like a fistfight between two executives, Greer and the Terminator, in the parking lot. Decisions in such settings are often driven by personal maneuvering rather than the bottom line.
Host’s Workplace Violence Story
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(00:05:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Extreme frustration over unaddressed workplace issues can lead to physical violence, even in seemingly calm environments like public radio offices.
  • Summary: Host Ira Glass recounts punching his boss multiple times after weeks of burnout and having his practical ideas repeatedly dismissed in favor of an unachievable ‘original idea.’ He notes that all personal relationship feelings exist in the workplace, but they must be suppressed, causing them to seep out in other ways.
Startup Office Turmoil and Psychic
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(00:11:47)
  • Key Takeaway: When internal corporate sabotage fails to yield results, employees in some industries resort to hiring external psychics to resolve workplace mysteries like missing property.
  • Summary: Kelly, working at a startup rife with extreme politics, sexual tension, and paranoia, lost irreplaceable photographs and suspected her bosses. When conventional methods failed, she followed industry custom and hired a psychic in Long Island for corporate problem-solving. The psychic confirmed her suspicions about coworker dynamics, which provided Kelly with vindication and emotional release, even though the photos remained lost.
Publishing Assistant Holiday Rituals
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(00:29:31)
  • Key Takeaway: In hierarchical publishing environments, assistants cope with low status and job hatred by creating counter-cultural rituals around holidays like Secretary’s Day and engaging in nightly drinking sessions.
  • Summary: David Rakoff describes how assistants distinguished themselves from secretaries, despite similar duties, primarily by salary differences and the promise of future promotion. Assistants celebrated ‘drinking’ nightly at hotel bars, fantasizing about being the Algonquin Round Table while enduring job hatred. During Christmas, they subsisted on discarded gift basket contents, unnoticed by their absent bosses.
Street Vendor Hierarchy and Politics
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(00:45:29)
  • Key Takeaway: The informal business of street vending on 6th Avenue and 8th Street in New York City develops rigid corporate-like hierarchies, job roles, and territorial disputes.
  • Summary: Street vendors operate with defined roles such as entry-level panhandlers, placeholders who secure spots overnight, storage providers, and established vendors like Ishmael, who fought physically to secure the best corner location. A vendor’s position often correlates with their level of addiction, with cleaner individuals achieving higher status like owning a table. Even in this informal economy, ambition drives individuals to fight for prime real estate and operational control.