surviving the office

Career Management Center


Politics Occur Naturally in Politics Occur Naturally in OrganizationsOrganizations

Competition for scarce resourcesCompetition for scarce resources

• Salary • Staff• Dept. budget • Office• Position • Space• Recognition • Benefits


What is Office Politics?What is Office Politics? Communicating indirectly Using covert tactics to advance Controlling other people through psychological manipulation Being cautions about telling the truth Hiding vulnerability Currying favor


Organizational PoliticsOrganizational Politics

“Involves intentional acts of influence to enhance or protect the self-interest of individuals or groups.”


Organizational PoliticsOrganizational PoliticsPolitical Tactics:Political Tactics:Attacking or blaming others.Using information as a political toolCreating a favorable image.Developing a base of support.Praising others (ingratiation).Forming power coalitions with strong allies.Associating with influential people.Creating obligations (reciprocity).


Are there politics Are there politics

in your in your

organization?organization?


Politics Reflect the Competing Politics Reflect the Competing Interests of StakeholdersInterests of Stakeholders Stakeholders: Groups with an interest in the Stakeholders: Groups with an interest in the

organization, its inputs and outputsorganization, its inputs and outputs Managers Staff Shareholders Customers Suppliers


Examples Examples

of Office Politicsof Office Politics


PetePete is a supervisor who is ambitious to a fault. Everything he does is for effect. One of his ground rules is that only positive information makes its way from him to his boss. Negative news is totally ignored. He makes it clear that anyone in his group who says bad things about him or the organization risks getting fired. If an employee openly disagrees, he or she is labeled a non-supporter. Everyone who reports to Pete agrees the best practice is to fall into line and be a “yes person”.

Example: Looking GoodExample: Looking Good


MikeMike is a young marketing manager. He sees work as a game and compulsively seeks to be a winner. He gets turned on by challenging, competitive activities where he can prove himself. He hates being pushed around. His goal is to become more powerful because power means freedom. To expand his influence and to increase his chances of advancement, he is developing very strong relationships with major customers who can make demands on his company.

Example: Power by AssociationExample: Power by Association


LarryLarry was hired as the heir-apparent to the CFO. Cora, a financial analyst who had been with the company for two years, made herself indispensable to him. When Larry was placed in charge of the annual budget review, he made Cora his assistant. At a point where his views clashed with those of a Senior Auditor, Larry fired the auditor and promoted Cora to that position even though she wasn’t the most qualified person for the job.

Example: FavoritismExample: Favoritism


When When Kate became a copywriter for a newspaper in a large city, she was invited to join her group for lunch her first day on the job. She discovered the group met informally once a week to gossip, to exchange inside tips, and to get to know one another better. Kate quickly learned the value of trading information at these events. The message was clear: lunch was political. A final note: It’s important to remember that to be human is to be political. Whenever people’s priorities, values, and interests diverge, some type of politicking usually takes place.

Example: The Copywriters’ CliqueExample: The Copywriters’ Clique


Problem: Problem: A non-management employee runs the department grapevine for gossip and her information is usually correct, including the news that you are about to take over as manager.

Solution: Solution: It might be tempting to sit her down immediately and explain that the grapevine is dead and that any information will come from you in the future. An effective manager must have access to the grapevine to learn employee concerns. Even when the message is untrue, gossip usually reflects employee concerns and fears.

Office PoliticsOffice Politics


Tips for dealing with the office grapevine:Tips for dealing with the office grapevine: Listen to whatever is being said without getting too

emotional or losing your temper. You don’t know what message will get sent back through the grapevine.

If the information is accurate, don’t go on a witch hunt to find the leak. You can’t close the grapevine down, but you can put a crimp in access to it.



If the information is totally false, don’t make a public denouncement. Nothing cuts a grapevine deeper than a completely false story.

Pump as much accurate information into the system as you possibly can. Prevent rumors by consistently leveling with employees. Correct false rumors immediately. Communicate in person whenever you can. Memos, e-mail messages, and comments that get passed through numerous people are usually wide open to interpretation.



Don’t try to kill the grapevine. It’s human nature for people to want to exchange “inside information” about what’s happening in the office. Too many attempts to manage the flow of information will make employees suspect you’re covering something up.



Managing Office PoliticsManaging Office PoliticsReduce System UncertaintyReduce CompetitionBreak Existing Political

Fiefdoms or clichésCreate interdependent reward

structure


Positive Political StrategiesPositive Political StrategiesKnow your own interests and goalsFocus on common interests rather

than differencesBuild relationships

Social groups Inside the organization Outside the organization Vertically as well as horizontally


“Politics is a necessary evil and often it’s just plain evil. Unfortunately, it’s also how things get done.”

Mr. Blaine Pardoe, Director Technology-Education Services

Ernst & Young LLP


“Office politics fills a leadership vacuum… If you build a unified company-wide team, politics won’t have a place.”

Mr. Lawrence B. Seruen Author “The End of Office Politics”, published by the AMA


1. You can’t win unless someone else loses.2. Just because you don’t get what you want doesn’t mean you’re getting the shaft.3. Politics is about power — and power is measured in weird ways.

Principles:Principles:


“Always learn the unofficial history of your company: who got into power, how they did it, where the bodies are buried. The unofficial history isn’t always accurate; history gets distorted by the victors. But it will teach you how politics gets played at your company — how far people will go, what happens when you lose. You’ll never see that stuff in the annual report.”

Principle 4: The past is prologuePrinciple 4: The past is prologue


“Information is power, and lots of information comes in the form of rumors. But too many people believe too much of what they hear — and make bad decisions as a result. Whenever I hear a rumor, I think about it for a day. Does it make any sense? Who stands to gain from spreading it? Is there an acid test that I can use to evaluate whether it’s true? Nine times out of ten, I conclude that it just doesn’t hold water.”

Principle 5: Principle 5:

Don’t believe everything you hear Don’t believe everything you hear


Influence TacticsInfluence TacticsRational persuasion. Trying to convince someone

with reason, logic or facts.Inspirational appeals. Trying to build enthusiasm

by appealing to others’ emotions, ideals or values.Consultation. Getting others to participate in

planning, making decisions and changes.Ingratiation. Getting someone in a good mood prior

to making a request; being friendly, helpful and using praise or flattery.


Influence TacticsInfluence TacticsPersonal appeals. Referring to friendship and

loyalty when making a request.Exchange. Making explicit or implied promises and

trading favors.Coalition tactics. Getting others to support your

effort to persuade someone.Pressure. Using intimidation or threats.


How To Extend Your InfluenceHow To Extend Your Influenceby Forming Strategic Alliancesby Forming Strategic Alliances

Mutual respect.Openness.Trust. Mutual benefit


Conflict between Self-Interest and Mutual Conflict between Self-Interest and Mutual Interests Requires Managerial ActionInterests Requires Managerial Action

OrganizationalStakeholders• Individual

• Groups

Self-Interest

Political tactics

MutualInterests

(organizational

effectiveness)

Influence tactics

Empowerment

Motivationteam buildingcommunicationleadership


Impression ManagementImpression Management

“The process by which people attempt to control or

manipulate the reactions of others to images of themselves

or their ideas.”

Delegation, Initiative Delegation, Initiative and Empowermentand Empowerment


None

HighPower DistributionFollowers: grantedauthority to make

decisions.Power Sharing

Manager: leader & followers jointlymake decisions.

Influence SharingManager: leader

consults followers when making

decisions.

Deg

ree

of E

mp

ower

men

t

AuthoritarianPower Manager:leader imposes

decisions.

Domination Consultation Participation Delegation

The Evolution of Power:The Evolution of Power: From Domination to DelegationFrom Domination to Delegation


DelegationDelegation

“The process of granting decision-making authority to subordinates.”


Barriers to DelegationBarriers to DelegationBelief in the fallacy, ‘If you want it done right, do it yourself.’Lack of confidence and trust in lower-level employees.Low self-confidence.Fear of being called lazy.Vague job definition.Fear of competition from those below.Reluctance to take the risks of depending on others.Lack of controls that provide early warning of problems with

delegated duties.Poor example set by bosses who

do not delegate.


Personal Initiative:Personal Initiative: The Other Side of DelegationThe Other Side of Delegation

Levels of Action

Decreasing time to action to solve a

problem

Taking action

Asking for approval to act

Asking someone else to act

Telling someone about a problem

Noncompliance

Apathy


Tips for Personal Initiative Tips for Personal Initiative and Taking Actionand Taking ActionGo beyond the job.Follow through on new

ideas.Don’t be defeated by

criticism; learn from it.Look ahead and around.


Avoiding ActionAvoiding ActionOver-conformingBuck passingPlaying dumbDepersonalizingStretchingSmoothingStalling


Avoiding BlameAvoiding BlameBluffing (making something

look better than it is)Playing safeJustifyingScapegoatingMisrepresenting


How to Keep Office Politics How to Keep Office Politics from Derailing Your Careerfrom Derailing Your Career

– adapted from “Get your foot off my neck! How to move up when office politics has you down,” by Dawn M. Baskerville and Joy Duckett Cain, in Essence


Make superiors accountableMake superiors accountable Meet with your direct supervisors and ask for

a written list of what you need to accomplish in order to advance to the next level. If you

can demonstrate that you have already met these goals, ask when your status will change. If not, work with your supervisor to create a timetable for meeting the goals and being promoted.


Be the squeaky wheelBe the squeaky wheel After your initial meeting, continue

asking for your supervisor’s feedback and direction – and make sure your supervisor is aware each time you check off something on the list. Do not assume your boss knows all your accomplishments.


Find a mentorFind a mentor Find someone high up in the ranks who can

become your champion, guiding you through the maze of corporate politics and helping you develop professionally.

Look for someone with whom you share a common background, interests, and chemistry – someone who will take a

personal interest in helping you get a head.


Raise your profileRaise your profile Join professional organizations and

become active in community programs. Many times, those in power positions are more likely to take notice if you are hosting a charity event than if you are back at the office with your nose to the grindstone.


Cut your lossesCut your losses Remember that timetable you created

for getting ahead? If you keep your end of the bargain, but the promotion is not forthcoming, start looking for new opportunities elsewhere. Why waste your energy continuing to play a game you can not win?


Summary of Survival StrategiesSummary of Survival Strategies Know your goals / interests Focus on common ground. Not

differences with your stake holders Build, nurture personal relationships - internally - externally - laterally, vertical Be true to yourself Think before you speak

surviving the office

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