1 Handling office politics

Life would be wonderful if you could work in an office without worrying about other people and what they’re up to. But everyone has a network of relationships throughout the organisation, and if you don’t handle them carefully, you could be heading for an office nightmare.

You don’t have to work somewhere long to work out whether or not is has a ‘political’ culture. In these organisations, who you know tends to matter more than what you know. Friendships and casual conversations take on a new significance—one wrong word to the wrong person could end up scuppering that promotion.

The context in which people have come to know each other is also important in a ‘political’ culture, as that can imply certain kinds of loyalty. Family, school, or social networks that intrude into professional territory can embroil people in all sorts of Machiavellian manoeuvrings that eventually create a politically charged workplace. If you find yourself in this sort of minefield, this chapter offers advice on how to pick your way through. It also suggests ways for managers to avoid and discourage ‘politicking’.

Step one: Watch for signs of office politics

Politics plays a part in all organisations; it is an inevitable effect of putting human beings together in some sort of hierarchical arrangement. Indicators of office politics are often fairly easy to pick up—just hang around near the kettle, water cooler, or canteen in any organisation.

Listen out for clues about how the business works under the surface. Perhaps you might hear comments from people who have been passed over for promotion in favour of the recruiting manager’s former golf partner.

Watch out for those who succeed by publicly supporting their boss, or by ensuring that they are always in the right place at the right time. Such successes again indicate that hidden agendas may be at play.

TOP TIP

If you’re already embroiled in a political situation, it’s important to go through the correct channels to avoid compromising yourself further. Explain what has happened to your supervisor or manager. If the political situation involves your boss, you may want to approach your human resources department if you have one to ask their advice about how to proceed.

Step two: Ensure your own survival

Self-preservation is always desirable, but don’t use political dirty tricks to survive, whatever your level of responsibility— they will only create new nightmares. If your organisation is rife with politics, you can survive by following some simple rules.

Observe the organisation’s political style without getting involved until you’re sure that you know what’s going on. You may have started to notice coincidences or inconsistencies. Bide your time and watch the process so that you can begin to understand what the patterns and motivations are.

Keep your own counsel during this period and work according to your own values; don’t try to change your values to match those of the organisation; under pressure, your own values will reassert themselves forcefully. Remember that you just can’t please everyone all the time, so use your own integrity to make decisions.

Build a network of trusted allies. During your observation phase you will have identified who these people could be. It’s also a good idea to build a network outside the organisation to create options and opportunities for yourself. This will take the focus off work for a while and gives you time to reconfirm or realign your values.

TOP TIP

Male networks have controlled the power in businesses for hundreds of years and they are almost impenetrable. If you are a woman in a man’s world, 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 to contribute your skills and ideas that will be valued by your male colleagues. Don’t let them take advantage of your talents, though; follow up and ask for feedback. In this way, you will build their respect and find a tenable position amongst them.

Expose other people’s politically motivated behaviour. When colleagues 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 I’ve made; would you like to discuss them?’ They will either have to 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.

TOP TIP

If you’re in a large organisation but want to avoid politics in your working life, you may find that a change of environment meets your needs. This doesn’t necessarily mean a move out of the organisation entirely, but perhaps you could consider a move to a small-business unit or specialised department where there may be a different political culture. Smaller work units are very often structurally simpler and less political than large ones.

Step three: Discourage political behaviour

In any working environment, decision-making based on politics will encourage hypocrisy, double-dealing, cliques, self-interest, and deception. These must be reined in if the business is going to survive in the long term. Here are a few tips for those in managerial positions on how to create change and avoid potential nightmares:

Give promotions to the candidates who have demonstrated 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 candidate don’t have to match those of their new line manager exactly.

Offer rewards and recognition solely for good performance, not in return for favours. All promotions or pay rises must be based on the individual’s ability to reach or exceed the key performance indicators set during the performance review. Performance data should be available to those it concerns, with no hidden judgments or decisions.

Communicate openly and transparently. Only unhealthy organisations 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.

Introduce new initiatives, projects, and ideas on the basis of their value to the business, not on the basis of favouritism or possible personal benefit. Setting up a formal process for proposing new initiatives and tracing their evaluation and implementation will create confidence in an unbiased outcome.

Don’t be tempted to indulge in ‘politicking’, even when you can see an opportunity to benefit either yourself or the organisation as a whole. For example, you might want to offload a member of your team in order to attract someone you feel may perform more effectively. However, this is where the rot sets in. If you manage people on this basis, you will destroy any trust your team has in you and their performance may deteriorate.

Common mistakes

You misread a situation and wade in with an accusation of politicking

At best this reveals your naïveté, at worst your own politicking or neuroses. If you think a colleague is politically motivated, observe the person’s behaviour until you’re sure that you understand it. You may wish to share your thoughts with someone you trust or, if it serves a purpose, confront the situation. Sometimes it’s best to leave things alone. You will be the best judge of this.

You build a network purely for your own ends

Some people try to short-circuit the path to promotion by cultivating what they believe to be essential relationships. However, there is a big difference between building professional networks and using your contacts shamelessly in a 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 deliver 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 join a new organisation, try not to get embroiled in the politics at an early stage. Make the most of your first few weeks in your new job: your newness in the business will allow you to ask naïve questions that will help you create a picture of the political environment. Keep your relationships open and friendly and build your network with a diverse range of people. Observe the patterns of relationships closely to see where the information lies and where the power sits. After a few months you will probably have acquired a fairly accurate idea of what is going on. You are then in a position to be able to make your own decisions about the extent to which you should get involved in organisational politics.

You communicate badly

Poor communication within an organisation is probably the most common cause of a destructive political culture. In the absence of sufficient information or an adequate explanation, people will fill the gaps with speculation and rumour, which circulate around the office grapevine very fast. Clear and transparent communication, leaving people in no doubt about plans or decisions, helps protect an organisation from becoming a breeding ground for politics. Newsletters, bulletin boards on an intranet, and company-wide meetings are all useful vehicles for disseminating information, along with more local activities such as team meetings, departmental get-togethers, and personal briefings.

STEPS TO SUCCESS

Listen out for signs of political machinations. Informal situations can be the most fruitful for this kind of research.

Communicate openly and transparently in order to discourage gossip and encourage trust.

Don’t be tempted into politicking—it’s unlikely to end well. Keep out of it and keep your integrity.

Build a network of trusted allies and confidants, both inside and outside the organisation.

If you must confront a political situation, go through formal channels so that your position isn’t compromised.

Try not to get involved until you fully understand all aspects of the conflict.