BUSINESS: The Ultimate Resource

April 2003 Upgrade #7

ACTIONLIST
Handling Office Politics
Getting Started
The old adage if you want to get ahead, you have to work hard doesnt necessarily apply in modern organizations, especially those that are predisposed to have a political culture. In these organizations, who you know tends to matter more than what you know. The context in which relationships have been built is also an important factor, because different contexts create different kinds of loyalties (or perceived obligations). Family, school, or social networks that intrude into professional territory can embroil people in all sorts of political maneuvrings that eventually lead to a politically charged work environment.

FAQs
I have unwittingly become involved in a political situation which I fear will compromise my reputation in the business. What should I do? If you are unable to confront the situation directly, its important to go through the correct channels to avoid compromising yourself further. Communicate with your supervisor or manager and explain what has happened. If the political situation involves your boss, you may want to approach your human resources department to ask their advice. If you have one, a mentor is often a good sounding board for helping you resolve your dilemma. I am a woman with a management position in a large organization, and I am always battling male politics. How can I continue to succeed without getting drawn in to ugly gender battles? Male networks have controlled the power in businesses for hundreds of years and they sometimes seem impenetrable. You may find it helpful to find a mentor, male or female, inside or outside the business, who will champion you and look out for information and opportunities for you. Build your relationships carefully and find ways in which you can make connections that bring value to your male colleagues. Dont let them get away with abusing your gifts; follow up and ask for feedback. In this way, you will build their respect and hopefully attain parity among them. You might also consider documenting your work output performance carefully, so future reviews will make clear where you are (in terms of pay, promotions, and so on) in relation to male counterparts. Im tired of the politics of big corporations, yet I love what I do. How can I find an environment where I can just concentrate my energy on my work? You may find that a change of scenery meets your needs. This doesnt necessarily mean a move out of the organization entirely, but perhaps you could transfer to a small business unit or specialized department where the likelihood of a different
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 2003

BUSINESS: The Ultimate Resource

April 2003 Upgrade #7

political culture exists. Smaller work units are very often structurally simpler and less political than large ones.

Making It Happen
Watch for Signs of Office Politics Politics plays a part in all organizations; its inevitable when you put human beings together in some sort of hierarchical arrangement. Indicators of office politics are often fairly easy to pick up. Employee complaints about discrimination or other unfair treatment may offer clues about how a company actually operates. If you notice that people seem to succeed by flattering their superiors and devoting their energy to selfpromotion, youve learned something about the organizations culture and how it rewards behavior. Find Ways to Discourage Political Behaviors In any workplace setting, decision making based on politics encourages hypocrisy, double-dealing, cliques, self-interest, and deception. These are the behaviors that need to be reined in if the business is going to thrive in the long term. Here are a few ideas for creating change:

promotions should be given to the candidates who have a relevant track record of success. Conduct structured, formal interviews and consult with others affected by the decision. Match the successful candidate to the job description. Remember that although a good working relationship is necessary, the talents and values of the individual need not precisely match those of their new manager. reward and recognition must be based on performance, not personal relationships or favors. Give promotions and pay raises on the basis of an employees success in achieving the key performance indicators set during performance reviews. Employees should have access to their own performance data and reviews; there should be no room in the process for hidden agendas or secret evaluations. communication should be open and transparent. Only unhealthy organizations hide information and spring unpleasant surprises on their employees. Communicate anything that affects your employees and their performance, including bad news, challenges, and initiatives for change. new initiatives, projects, and ideas should be initiated on the basis of their value to the business, not on the basis of favoritism or the potential for personal benefit. A formal process for proposing new initiatives and tracing their implementation and evaluation creates confidence in an unbiased outcome. politicking can be tempting, especially when you can see an opportunity to benefit either yourself or the organization as a whole. Dont give way to the temptation. If you manage people on this basis youll destroy your teams trust in you and their collective performance will deteriorate.

Guarantee Your Own Survival If your organization is rife with politics, you can survive by following some simple rules.
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BUSINESS: The Ultimate Resource

April 2003 Upgrade #7

Observe the organizations political style without getting involved until youre sure you know whats going on. If you notice coincidences or inconsistencies in the way the organization operates, continue to watch until you can begin to understand what the patterns and motivations are. Be discreet during this period and stay true to your own values. Dont betray your own sense of whats right in order to blend into the organizationit will eventually lead to stress and conflict. You cant please everyone all the time, so use your own integrity to make decisions. Build a network of trusted allies. During your observation phase you can identify who these people might be. Build a network outside the organization to create options and opportunities for yourself. Use it to broaden your focus beyond your own company and reconfirm or realign your values. Expose other peoples politically motivated behavior. When coworkers say one thing and do another, or seem to be sabotaging your decisions or work relationships, use your assertiveness skills to challenge their motivation: You seem to be unhappy with the decisions Ive made, would you like to discuss them? They may deny your assertion or confront it, but at least the issue will be out in the open. Find a mentor with whom you can discuss your observations and concerns. You may gain a deeper understanding of the political processes at work and some insight into how you can manage these more effectively.

Common Mistakes
You Misread a Situation and Make a False Accusation of Politicking At best this reveals your naivet, at worst your own politicking or neuroses. If you think a coworker is politically motivated, observe the persons behavior until you are sure you understand it. You may wish to share your thoughts with someone you trust or if it serves a purpose, confront your coworker. Sometimes, however, its best to do nothing, and let a political scenario play itself out. You Build a Network Purely for Your Own Ends Some people try to short-circuit the path to promotion by building what they believe to be critical relationships. Theres a big difference between building professional networks and using your contacts shamelessly in headlong pursuit of your own selfish ends. Remember that if you launch yourself into an early promotion without having developed the skills to be successful, you may be setting yourself up for a very public and career-damaging failure. Build your networks prudently and use them to help develop your skills and open up new opportunities. It may take a little longer, but it will pay off in the end. You Get Involved in the Politics Too Early When you first join a new organization, try to remain politically unattached. Your newness in the business will allow you to ask naive questions that will help you create a picture of the political environment. Keep your relationships open and friendly and build your network with a variety of people. Observe the patterns of relationships closely to understand the power structure. After a few months you will probably have a fairly accurate idea of what is going on and can then decide to what extent you want to get involved in organizational politics.
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 2003

BUSINESS: The Ultimate Resource

April 2003 Upgrade #7

Communication Channels Are Unclear Politics in the workplace is sometimes an intentional construct, set up by misguided people. In other cases, the politics is merely a byproduct of other things, largely unintentional. Poor communication is probably the most common unintentional cause of a destructive political culture. In the absence of information or explanation, people fill the gaps with speculation and rumor, which produce bad information, distrust and resentment. The best way to combat this is to maintain clear channels of communication. Internal newsletters, intranet bulletin boards, and companywide meetings are all useful vehicles for getting the word out, along with more local activities such as team meetings and personal briefings.

For More Information

Books: Hawley, Casey. 100+ Tactics for Office Politics. Hauppauge, NY: Barrons Educational, 2001. Moats Kennedy, Marilyn, and Linda Mitchell. Office Politics for Dummies. New York: Hungry Minds, 2002. Serven, Lawrence MacGregor. The End of Office Politics As Usual: A Complete Strategy for Creating a More Productive and Profitable Organization. New York: AMACOM, 2001. Wolfe, Rebecca Luhn. Office Politics. Normal, IL: Crisp Publications, 1997. Web sites: Career Link.com article on Surfing Office Politics: http:// careerlink.devx.com/articles/hc1199/hc1199.asp High Technology Careers Magazine: www.hightechcareers.com/doc298/officepolitics298.html

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 2003