Workplace Politics – is it possible to survive the game, or even to thrive?
“I am so tired of the politics in this place!”
This is a common statement from many of my corporate clients, a significant factor in decisions to change roles and organisations, and a major contributor to stress at work. Research shows that when employees perceive their workplace as more political they are less engaged, less productive, and more likely to leave.
Most of us have experienced politics at work, and recognise the impacts, but what exactly is it? In this blog I am going to explore some of the manifestations of workplace politics and consider if it’s possible to survive, and even thrive in the political game.
Office politics are the unwritten rules that determine who gets what, when and how – the promotion, the pay rise, the juicy project, the budget.
The majority of work involves dealing with people, emotional beings with conflicting needs, desires, biases and insecurities. Our business relationships can be complex, people gossip to exchange information, vent their frustrations and bond with colleagues when they don’t trust the boss – this all creates complex, politically charged environments.
This is further exacerbated by some common issues, including: disparities that appear to be driven by popularity rather than contribution; job insecurity; poor allocation of work; importance attached to job titles and hierarchical positions etc. These aren’t just issues for large organisations either, politics can easily occur in small companies too.
One of the most destructive aspects of organisational politics is the fact that it often isn't explicit. Coalitions are created behind the scenes and positional power is abused to get things done. This is often exacerbated by scarce resources and inequality. People often try to distance themselves from politics, considering it to be inauthentic and dirty – is to possible to play the political game without selling your soul? Is it something you can chose to sit out?
Whether we like it or not, politics have a big influence on what happens to us at work, it’s hard to ignore it. It’s no wonder we hate it – our fate is often in the hands of unwritten rules! Unwritten rules that often conflict with the stated rules, making the environment feel rigged or hypocritical.
“Organisational politics can be a full contact sport. It needs to be played with diligence and a full understanding of the landscape, players and rules”, wrote The Daily MBA. One thing’s for sure, navigating politics takes effort, and people can become overwhelmed!
In his Harvard Business Review article, “The 4 Types of Organisational Politics”, Michael Jarrett said, “dysfunctional politics can sink an organisation, and yet most executives I teach react with distaste at the idea of being a savvy organisational politician”. He views politics as a normal reality and therefore important for leaders to understand, in all it’s forms. This is reinforced by Plato – “the risk of refusing to participate in politics is that the big decisions that affect you wind up being made by those with less experience, less insight, and fewer honourable intentions. There is a way to use the unspoken rules to contribute to the greater good, advance your interests, and maintain your honour and dignity.”
Whatever form organisational politics take, it all boils down to behaviours, the rules of play are the behaviours that frame the game. Organisations can address negative politics by creating great cultures. Bad cultures are usually the result of bad behaviours, not bad people. Great cultures are created through a focus on positive behaviours, orchestrated to scale throughout the organisation. The work of Leandro Herrerro on Viral Change is pivotal to enabling organisations to achieve this.
So if choosing not to play the game puts you at a disadvantage, how can you make it work for you? Is it possible to play without being inauthentic and feeling like you’ve sold your soul?
For individuals, there are two key aspects to surviving organisational politics:
- Be authentic – be yourself, know your own mind, your values and your goals
- Be emotionally intelligent – one of the best ways to improve your ability to navigate organisational politics, and remain authentic, is to strengthen your emotional intelligence – it’s a key differentiator of high performers.
Through authenticity and emotional intelligence individuals become more socially astute, aware of how others see them and the impact of their behaviour. They also network better, forming mutually beneficial relationships with a wide range of diverse people.
If you are struggling with politics in your workplace, and would like to explore how coaching could help you, please get in touch and arrange a free introductory coaching session.