The Emancipation Proclamation declared that the government will recognize and maintain the freedom of persons held as slaves, and “will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.” While this was said in the context of great oppression, we can take lessons from this act and incorporate it into our daily lives.

In a perfect world, we would all live and work in harmony. When we take to heart the wise words of Abraham Lincoln, we would not even contemplate the seemingly inevitable side effect of working in an office environment known as company politics. In reality, we are human with emotions and agendas.

In an office setting, there are often a wide variety of personalities that must meld together for the common goals of the company. Some of these people have different desires and career goals. Some naturally take a stronger role than others. The challenge is when the actions of some create an environment in which all are unable to participate fairly. Then you must learn to navigate your way through that world without losing your drive and spark. This will take some careful planning.