Office politics: the art of the possible

Playing politics is like having sex. Almost everyone does it, but no one feels comfortable discussing exactly what they do. However, we will talk for hours about what other people might be doing. Typically, we use the term “playing politics” only to describe our colleagues’ behavior, never our own. They are sucking, scheming and manipulating, but we are building relationships, developing strategies and opening channels of communication.

The above paragraph was quoted from Dr. Marie McIntyre’s recent book, “Secrets to Success in Office Politics.” And it’s true! When people come together in a corporation (or in a family, or on a reality TV island), it’s part of human nature to compete for power, influence, rewards, and recognition. The way people conduct this competition and the value individuals place on loot are what we call office politics.

Ignore the policy at your own risk! One surefire way to blend in at work is to simply let the brilliance of your work speak for itself—unless, of course, your work is winning Nobel prizes or you’re just generating millions in sales. And going unnoticed is a surefire way to kill your career. Have you ever noticed that team players, not necessarily the hardest workers, often have the most influence? It is totally naive to believe that you can ignore the interaction and influence of your coworkers and bosses and still be successful.

There are always people who naturally navigate through the organization to get things done. For those of us not born with a genius for getting along with people, success in office politics can be as simple as being liked without being a phony. You can learn to communicate persuasively and develop an assertive style backed by facts.

Companies that practice performance management actually value the communication and influencing behaviors of their employees, even at the lowest levels of the organization. They believe, correctly, that they get the best out of their employees when the employee is fully engaged not only with the tasks at hand, but with the company as a whole.

There are cases where office politics is demotivating. Gossip can be dangerous. When it’s vicious and personal, it’s almost unethical. If you are involved in a conversation that turns into gossip, you can try to subtly redirect the conversation to more constructive topics. And clinging to your boss can be dangerous if it is later used against you.

The cliques seem so high school. However, they persist in the office. It’s actually quite natural for people with similar interests or experiences to associate with each other, especially if they’ve been through a lot together. If there is a positive culture at your job, the cliques you might naturally gravitate towards will be slow to accept it. Persist with a positive attitude.

Backstabbing colleagues are one of the worst. They seem positive to you, then they denigrate your work or your character or steal your ideas behind your back. Dealing with them can be treacherous to your career and only after you are sure you are not the problem. From your point of view, you better practice office politics in a positive and uplifting way.

Bad bosses can make your workplace seem very political. When the boss shows little rhyme or reason, normal modes of communication and influence break down. Hint and perception become operative. The facts seem to matter little. You will have to choose a strategy to deal with a bad boss to maintain your career.

A company’s culture is defined by the way decisions are made and how influence is allowed to flow up and down the hierarchy; in short, by his politics. Embracing the culture will usually benefit you. And when you join, you’ll have the opportunity to put your own stamp, for better or worse, on the company’s culture.