Cliques are for kids. So what should you do about the one in the office?

We expect to deal with cliques as a kid in school – but the company you keep at work can get cliquey too.

Corporate trainer and speaker Marlene Chism says cliques can do damage by creating a “tribal mentality” or blind spots toward outsiders. You might be hanging with the D crowd without even knowing it and guilt-by-association could be casting you in a bad light.

If you are part of a clique – beware of a false sense of security. Safety in numbers won’t necessarily apply. Good managers don’t tolerate cliques – and presumably hire and fire individuals based on performance and attitude – not popularity.