politics is not a dirty word!
DESCRIPTION
Office politics is not always a bad thing. It's relationship building to acquire a position of influence and help you achieve your goals.TRANSCRIPT
“how to survive office politics”
“playing to win at office politics”
“dealing with office politics”
“how to avoid office politics”
“Office politics: how to thrive in a world of lying, backstabbing and dirty tricks”
“navigating office politics”
“how to win at office politics without selling your soul”
flickr: El Nagual
The Tarnish of Politics’ Name
Lying Cheating Gossiping Backstabbing Sucking up Manipulating Ego-feeding
flickr: mbgrigby
The “Positive Politics” Shine Fair team distributions Elimination of silos Strategic prioritization Reduction of egos Working toward “the greater
good” Healthy conflict resolution Constructive criticism with the
goal of improvement Contribution to the success of
others Strong working relationships
flickr: helen.2006
What IS Office Politics?
“Working with human beings who have complex feelings and motivations” (Will Sansbury)
“Human relationship management” (Wayne Wilson) “Learning to work with different personality types,
understanding what drives your coworkers” (Meredith Kramer)
“Managing people, not politics” (Sue Heim) “Use of power and social networking within an
organization to achieve changes that benefit the organization or individuals within it” (Wikipedia)
My Definition
Relationship buildingto attain a position of influence
to achieve your goals
(with credit to Edwin Skau also)
Who is Involved in Office Politics?
flickr: tecnomovida
flickr: le temple du chemisier
flickr: kylemac
YOU
Why do We Care?
Impact on deadlines Team members’ time Better content reviews
Approval for headcount and/or projects Value of team members Evangelism of our work Influence decision-making
Support for change initiatives Targeted content Usability testing Videos Improved processes
Why do We Care?
Understanding of pushback on scope/timeline/approach Allies in other departments
Understanding of the work we do
Healthy work environment Constructive criticism
Reduced conflict
Social aspects
Career advancement Understanding others’ perspectives
Level of abstraction as you rise in an organization (management path)
Ability to guide and persuade others (non-management path)
What do You Need to Know?
flickr: ky_olsen
flickr: eclectic echoes
flickr: owenbooth
How do You Get There?
Relationship building Build your network.
to attain a position of influence Adapt your approach to your audience.
to achieve your goals Know, defend, and evangelize your business
objectives.
Building Your Network
Who should you build relationships with? What can you do to build relationships with people? How can you help others to strengthen those
relationships? How do your actions influence your work
relationships?
flickr: vuhung
How do You Engage Positively?
Bring proposed solutions or ask for help when faced with problems.
Understand office protocol and stay within it. Avoid those who practice bad politics. Avoid gossip and emotion-fueled rants.
Adapt Your Approach to Your Audience
Who is your audience and how mightyou tailor your message to that group?
What should you know aboutothers when building these relationships?
What are some ways to work through conflict withoutgetting personal?
flickr: Sundve
Know, Defend, and Evangelize Your Business Objectives
What are your goals in your organization? How can engaging in “positive politics” help you
achieve your goals? How do your goals fit in to your organization’s
goals?
References and Further Reading
“7 Habits to Win in Office Politics,” Lawrence Cheok, http://www.lifehack.org/articles/work/7-habits-to-win-in-office-politics.html
“Fame, Glory, and Tech Comm” presentation, Sarah O’Keefe, https://www.slideshare.net/Scriptorium/fame-glory-and-tech-comm
How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0671027034/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0671027034&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2
“Know Your Own Hot Buttons at Work,” Lorene Schaefer, http://winwinhr.com/know-your-own-hot-buttons-at-work/
“Office Politics: Must You Play? A Handbook for Survival/Success,” Cheryl Conner, http://www.forbes.com/sites/cherylsnappconner/2013/04/14/office-politics-must-you-play-a-handbook-for-survivalsuccess/
“Practical Politics: Survive the Office” presentation, Eric Tachibana, http://www.slideshare.net/selenasol/practical-office-politics
“Stop Avoiding Office Politics,” Linda Hill and Kent Lineback, http://blogs.hbr.org/2011/11/stop-avoiding-office-politics/
Strength Deployment Inventory website, http://www.strengthdeployment.com/