Discussion on:

Use office politics to your own advantage

but beauty is usually in the eye of the beholder.

No amount of office politics is going to help you when you have a person who undermines you to make themselves look good. It is best to do your own job, to the best of your ability and STAY out of the gossip corner. It always ends like it started and people will do anything to save their own rear end. I have been undermined in the past, eventually the people who do covert action behind your back either get fired or they are demoted to a lower position.

Nothing last forever and 'hidden motives' will turn sour on the person trying to undermine you in the workplace.

Agree with sysxadmin comments, though you quickly learn when more than one person is involved in undermining you. In these instances, it could be a losing situation...and possibly time to move-on to something else. Some could even be keeping a 'rap-sheet' on you...tracking every little thing which they feel can be used against you. When the Boss listens to (or believes) them more than you, then it's virtually over. You either give-in, or move-on to something else. It's almost like you've got to constantly watch your back. Do you really have any friends? Or are they reporting information to someone else without you knowing? It's really unhealthy when you've got a 'trust no one' attitude or environment.