Office politics

OFFICE POLITICS

Col Mukteshwar Prasad(Retd)

Group Formation &

Efectiveness

Principles Gestalt

Social Field

Consistency

Group Development

Formation

Exploration

Competition

Co-operation

Discipline

Free association

Essential components of Group

Effectiveness

Effective level of functioning-Ability to

contribute towards functional aspect of tasks

Group cohesiveness-Ability to relate

emotionally to each other and task

Stability- Ability to stand up to resistence and

frustration

Conflict

Conflict is natural in any group especially in new group like ours –After formation/exploration competition is natural Group is also a living organism and behaves like one

Effect of environment has polluted healthy competition

We tend to walk on corpse of others

Unrealistic sense of superiority and ego

Overlap of personal and official act

Modernisation and cultural upheaval has its own effect

till Culture is set in

Org becomes superior to individual

Conflict leads to politics

Manifestation

Giving wrong input

Misdirecting

Keeping information secret

Trying to be one up man or I am the best

Unexpected problem in process and procedure

Below par performance of the group

Passing on buck

Feeling happy on failures of others rather than being happy on others success

Jealous versus zealous & envious

Me and me alone matters

Group is subservient to individual

Individual game rather than group game

Power game to keep people under thumb

Office politics

Cherrington defines ”Activities within

organization designed to acquire develop

and use power in conscious way to obtain

once preferred outcome or to manipulate a

situation for one’s own purpose” In politics perception is more important than

content/substance.

Office politics – a taboo word for some people.

It’s a pervasive thing at the workplace.

Definition… contd

In it’s simplest form, office politics is simply

about the differences between people at work;

differences in opinions, conflicts of interests

are often manifested as office politics. It all

goes down to human communications and

relationships.

There is no need to be afraid of office politics. Top

performers are those who have mastered the art

of winning in office politics.

Organisational politics

Legitimate-Normal common politics used are

like Complaining to superior

Short circuiting the boss

Forming coalition

Working to rule

Stalling

Stonewalling

Organisational politics…contd

Illegitimate(Risky and may invite sanction and even dismissal) Whistle blowing

Mass bunking

Go slow

Power politics With purpose

Reason-Use of facts and data to make a logical or rational presentation of ideas

Coalition

Friendliness-Getting support of the people in the Organisation to back up request

Bargaining-Use of negotiation through exchange of benefits or favour

Assertiveness-Use of direct and forceful approach such as demanding compliance with request ,repeating reminders ,ordering individuals to do what is asked and pointing rules that require compliance

Higher authority-Gaining support of higher levels in the Organisat6ion to back up support

Organisational politics…contd

Subordinates

Reason

Assertiveness

Friendliness

Coalition

Bargaining

Higher authority

Sanction-use of rewards and punishment like

negative report ,pay withdrawl

HABIT #1 – BE AWARE YOU

HAVE A CHOICE

Common reactions to politics at work like normal

human are either fight or flight.

Office is a modern jungle, but it takes more than

just instinctive reactions to win in office politics.

Instinctive fight reactions will only cause more

resistance to whatever you are trying to achieve;

while instinctive flight reactions only label you as a

pushover that people can easily take for granted.

Neither options are appealing for healthy career

growth.

HABIT #1 – BE AWARE YOU

HAVE A CHOICE

• Winning requires you to consciously

choose your reactions to the

situation. Recognize that no matter

how bad the circumstances, you

have a choice in choosing how

you feel and react. So how do you

choose? This bring us to the next point…

Habit#2-Know What you are trying to

achieve

When conflicts happens, it’s very easy to be sucked into tunnel-vision and focus on immediate differences. That’s a self-defeating approach. Chances are you’ll only invite more resistance by focusing on differences in people’s positions or opinions.

Hence rather than showing you’re fighting to emerge as a winner in this conflict focus on the business objectives.

In the light of what’s best for the business,

discuss the pros and cons of each option.

Eventually, everyone wants the business to be successful otherwise nobody in the organization wins.

It’s much easier for one to eat the humble pie and back off when they realize the chosen approach is best for the business.

Habit#2-Know What you are trying

to achieve

By learning to steer the discussion in this

direction, you will learn to disengage from

petty differences and position yourself as

someone who is interested in getting things

done. Your boss will also come to appreciate

you as someone who is mature, strategic and

can be entrusted with bigger responsibilities.

HABIT #3 – FOCUS ON YOUR

CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE

At work, there are often issues which we have

very little control over.

Common to find corporate policies, client

demands or boss mandates which affects your

personal interests.

Bitching and complaining are common responses to

these events that we cannot control.

But other than that short term emotional outlet, what

tangible results do bitching really accomplish? Mostly

none.

Instead of feeling victimized and angry about the

situation,

HABIT #3 – FOCUS ON YOUR

CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE

focus on the things that you can do to influence the

situation – your circle of influence. This is a very

empowering technique to overcome the feeling of

helplessness.

It removes the victimized feeling and also allows others to

see you as someone who knows how to operate within

given constraints.

You may not be able to change or decide on the eventual

outcome, but you can walk away knowing that you have

done the best within the given circumstances.

Constraints are all around in the workplace; with

this approach, your boss will also come to

appreciate you as someone who is understanding

and positive.

HABIT #4 – DON’T TAKE SIDES

In office politics, it is possible to find yourself stuck in between two power figures who are at odds with each other.

You find yourself being thrown around while they try to outwit each other and defend their own position. All at the expense of you getting the job done.

You can’t get them to agree on a common decision for a project, and neither of them want to take ownership of issues;

they’re too afraid they’ll get stabbed in the back for any mishaps.

HABIT #4 – DON’T TAKE SIDES

In cases like this, focus on the business objectives and don’t take side with either of them – even if you like one better than the other.

Place them on a common communication platform and ensure open communications among all parties so that no one can claim “I didn’t say that”.

By not taking sides, you’ll help to direct conflict resolution in an objective manner. You’ll also build trust with both parties. That’ll help to keep the engagements constructive and focus on business objectives.

HABIT #5 – DON’T GET

PERSONAL

In office politics, you’ll get angry with people. It happens. There will be times when you feel the urge to give that person a piece of your mind and teach him a lesson. Don’t.

People tend to remember moments when they were humiliated or insulted. Even if you win this argument and get to feel really good about it for now, you’ll pay the price later when you need help from this person. What goes around comes around, especially at the work place.

HABIT #5 – DON’T GET

PERSONAL

To win build a network of allies which you can tap into else during a crisis someone screw you up because they habour ill-intentions towards you – all because you’d enjoyed a brief moment of emotional outburst at their expense.

Another reason to hold back your temper is your career advancement. Increasingly, organizations are using 360 degree reviews to promote someone.

Even if you are a star performer, your boss will have to fight a political uphill battle if other managers or peers see you as someone who is difficult to work with. The last thing you’ll want is to make it difficult for your boss to champion you for a promotion.

HABIT #6 – SEEK TO UNDERSTAND,

BEFORE BEING UNDERSTOOD

The reason people feel unjustified is because

they felt misunderstood.

Instinctively, we are more interested in getting the

others to understand us than to understand them

first.

Top people managers and business leaders have

learned to suppress this urge.

HABIT #6 – SEEK TO

UNDERSTAND, BEFORE BEING

UNDERSTOOD

Surprisingly, seeking to understand is a very

disarming technique.

Once the other feels that you understand where

he/she is coming from, they will feel less

defensive and be open to understand you in

return.

This sets the stage for open communications to

arrive at a solution that both parties can accept.

Trying to arrive at a solution without first having

this understanding is very difficult – there’s little

trust and too much second-guessing.

HABIT #7 – THINK WIN-WIN

As we understand political conflicts happen

because of conflicting interests.

Perhaps due to our schooling, we are taught that

to win, someone else needs to lose.

Conversely, we are afraid to let someone else

win, because it implies losing for us.

In business and work, that doesn’t have to be

the case.

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HABIT #7 – THINK WIN-WIN

Learn to think in terms of “how can we

both win out of this situation?” This

requires that you first understand the other

party’s perspective and what’s in it for him.

Next, understand what’s in it for you. Strive to

seek out a resolution that is acceptable and

beneficial to both parties. Doing this will

ensure that everyone truly commit to the agree

resolution and not pay only lip-service to it.

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Master game of Office politics

“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.”

Empathy is key to deal with senior/junior/colleagues alike helps crumble wall of politics

“Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. And experience is often the most valuable thing you have to offer.”

Expertise/competence-Be the best in whatever and where ever you are at present . Organisationor the people have no option but to give you way. Cultivate Expertise. Dependency is key to power and will happen if you have something scarce unique and important


Fairness and firmness and honesty in all

action/speech/dealing cannot be shrouded

Be Positive: Never say no when asked to do

favours and cash it when you need to get

things done

Always explain your benefit to the company

Squeaky clean reputation

Present ideas to help organisation


Align with the powerful: Be visible ,make

friends with those who have power to influence

(Unethical but true)

One step a time-Inch your way

Wait for crisis: Go out of way to help. You will

look good

Cultivate nuisance value: Be loud complainer

.You will be heard (Unethical and non paying

in long term)


High energy-Remain afloat in spite of

Organisational stress /strain . Sustenance of

energy which decides the winner. Remain a

fighter and fighter fights to win and you cannot

leave

Balance between office and home- Don’t

allow office to interfere with home and vice –

vesa


Credit theft is lowbrow -Credit theft is the trademark of the unsophisticated (and greedy) operator. He or she might look powerful, but it's probably an illusion.

Embrace Change -Change creates turbulence, and turbulence creates opportunities. Stability is for those who want to play a defensive game, and in today's environment, defense is not where you want to be.

Be funny when you want to be -Humor can make the difference between confrontation and collaboration. If you aren't funny, you can learn; if you're already funny, take care to use your talent sparingly and at the right times


Bottom of Form

Know that workplace politics isn't a game -

Sometimes we talk about "playing the game,"

but thinking of politics that way is self-

destructive. Workplace politics is not a game.

Skill in managing organizational politics is

helpful to managers who must compete with

others for resources, but it's also helpful to

project managers.

If you are sucked in to it then..

Practice Positive Politics

Know the difference between Blame and Responsibility

Deal with Rumors Decisively

Practice ethical influence

Exploit Smart Tactics

Be Prepared to lead

Know How to Face the Tough Challenges

Practice Smart Strategy

Understand the Politics of Communication

Manage Your Relationships with the More Powerful

Know How to Deal with the Devious


Politics can be constructive

Understand what politics is

There is a time and place for both pragmatism

and ideology

Favor inclusiveness over domination

Shorten your time horizon

Abandon behaviorism and revenge


Narrow your own goals

When things turn toxic, get help

When a difficult conversation is ahead, prepare

Know your options when you're asked for a favor

Know how to respond to requests for favors

Know how to make peace

Know the difference between Blame

and Responsibility

Know the culture you work in

Be attuned to language

Notice diagnoses

Notice the grumbling

Notice whether Blame runs downhill or uphill

Notice whether we blame processes

Notice whether CYA is a standard business

procedure

Know the difference between

Blame and Responsibility

Notice whether you apply revised policy

retroactively

Notice whether you revise policy in response to

success

Notice whether you have people who are

"designated winners"

Notice whether we blame people for breaking

unwritten rules

Notice whether people get sandbagged

Avoid blaming yourself

Treat retrospectives with care

Know the difference between

Blame and Responsibility

Acknowledge failure -- maybe

Never, ever, kill the messenger

Messenger deaths have long-lasting effects

Watch out for spin

Re-educate and reassign, but don't destroy

There's no way to use Blame constructively

Conflict isn't always what it seems


Be careful how you think about rumors

You can't shut down the rumor mill

In responding to rumors, make your self-esteem

your first priority

Manage your knee-jerk reactions

Don't spread rumors

Rumors become more damaging with age


Most rumors are credible

Packaged rumors spread more rapidly

Quelling a rumor is a waste of time

Dismissing rumors doesn't work

Respond constructively

Circulate the truth


Truth flies on emotional wings

Openness can be risky

Leave no voids

Don't wait for rumors to develop

People will worry if they want to

The First Rule of Rumor Management

Be prepared to reorganize


As a "newbie", learn about ethics from the

veterans

In for a penny, in for a pound

Trust only the trustworthy

Don't appeal to judges or the public

Accept that loyalties change

Avoid actions that need to be covered up

Behave in ways you can be proud of

Beware personal benefits


Even inaction is action

Tricky language is neither protection nor a valid

excuse

Know the law, but don't abuse its protection

Finagling budgets to conceal trouble is trouble

Know the indicators of gray areas

Be skeptical of security precautions

Check politics at the door


Avoid exporting your troubles

Looking the other way is usually unsafe

When you look the other way, you risk involvement in

discrimination


cronyism


bullying

When you look the other way, you risk involvement in theft

or goldbricking


sexual, political or religious harassment

Seekers of illicit information use "holography"


Delay is always an option

Choose your battles

Practice the art of compromise

Sometimes it's best to walk away

Choose your dance partners

Make agreements explicit

Make exchanges contemporaneous


Keep loads uniform

Space milestones evenly

Milestones near deliveries are critical

Deliver usable results at regular intervals

Help the customer with the post-delivery

environment

Expect confidences to be broken


Negotiate time limits for confidences

Negotiate a limited right to repeat confidences

Negotiate escape clauses for confidences

Don't staff the ammo dump

Choose your enemies carefully

Ask permission (and get it) before you give

advice, feedback or help

Be funny when you want to be

Be Prepared to lead

Share the credit

You can't control what people believe

Use empathy to frame messages effectively

Knowing when to act or speak is as important as the act or the speech

To lead, motivate, inspire or deter, appreciate the internal state of others

Know how to inspire people to achieve an immediate goal

Know how to inspire people to achieve a distant goal

Know when people are overloaded

Be Prepared to lead

Work always to improve your empathy skills

Reject the myth that a few firings will shape

them up

Reject the myth that pay-for-performance is

the answer

Reject the Strategy of the Whip

Do what you can to enhance retention

Learn how to build a trusting environment

Know the signs of an untrusting group culture

Be Prepared to lead

Know how to deal with "knife-edge performers"

Don't do virtual terminations

Be skeptical of indirect measurements

People aren't bolts of cloth

Leader, measure thyself

Measure your metrics

You don't always get what you measure

Know How to Face the Tough

Challenges

Know what problem you're solving

Be certain that the problem you're solving is

yours to solve

Consider what happens if you wait

If the problem isn't yours, whose is it?

Be certain that you're solving the right problem

Address first the smallest problem you can

usefully address

Know How to Face the Tough

Challenges

Consider asking for help

Know what kind of help would help

Consider the confrontation option

Take inventory of what you already know

In meetings, be aware of solution-seeking

In problem-solving meetings, diplomacy is

essential

Negotiate from their perspective


Superior job performance is your foundation

Get a coach

Know that workplace politics isn't a game

Understand how political attack differs from routine politics

Political attackers have the advantage of planning

Political attackers have the advantage of surprise

Political attackers control the tempo of the exchange

Political attackers can control timing

Political attackers can choose their venues

Political attackers can exploit prepositioned assets

Political attackers are usually more comfortable with attacking


Think beyond precedent

Work hard but not too hard

Rest when you can

Acquiring resources can be a distraction

Don't ride point

Always, always have a backup plan

Know what to do when all your options are bad


Accept the bad news as good news

When you hit a dead end, change your tactics or strategy

Dogma, politics, budget and schedule tend to bias our hunt for solutions

Suspect first the distasteful parts of a broken solution

When trouble strikes, increase information distribution

When trouble strikes, take smaller bites

For first-of-kind efforts, educate everyone about the inevitability of setbacks


Be wary of near-completion setbacks

Reward honesty and failure

Reduce overload

Read

Know what other people are reading

Change your experience instead of changing other people

Get in touch with your "No"

Organizational psychopaths do exist

Embrace Change

Understand the Politics of

Communication

Deliver the headline first

Use the "So What?" test to determine the

headline

Deliver the bad news first

Choose task names and code names carefully

When in trouble, don't talk -- deliver

Short schedules help perceptions

Don't expect breakthroughs to erase anxiety


Communication

Use a four-step framework when presenting to persuade As presenter, don't evaluate questions

As presenter, stay out of the rabbit hole

As a virtual presenter, make special preparations

As a virtual presenter, beware technology

Know the special techniques of virtual presenters

When you're asked a question, let the questioner ask the question When you're asked a question, make sure you

understand

When you're asked a question, withhold derision

When you're asked a question, stay in bounds


Communication

Don't joke about serious matters

Know how to handle spacing out

Be right

Learn to recognize brilliant questions

Learn how to ask brilliant questions

Learn to deal with ambush questions

Learn to deal with leading questions

Know some tactics for ending conversations


Communication

Learn to deal with loaded questions

Learn to deal with implied accusations

Learn to deal with pressure tactics

Learn to deal with cheap shots

Learn to deal with trap construction

Learn to deal with zingers

Know the most common dismissive gestures

Know some tactics for changing the subject


Communication

Keep a working journal

Understand the three varieties of

condescension

Know when to hold back

Know when to walk away

Groups have their own minds too

Language does count

Become familiar with the rhetorical fallacies

Manage Your Relationships with

the More Powerful

Be careful about how you experience

mistreatment

Avoid the Fundamental Attribution Error

When the situation is unacceptable, accept

that it is unacceptable

When in trouble, seek support

When in trouble, remember that some things

aren't about you

Base your self-esteem on yourself


the More Powerful

When leaders fight, everyone feels the pain

A fight between leaders is a performance issue

for the feuders' supervisor

In proximity to a leadership feud lies danger

In a leadership feud, you can lose (win) even if

your boss wins (loses)

Prepare for the day when peace arrives


the More Powerful

Avoid the role of fender

Hands-on project managers risk schedule collisions

Hands-on project managers have inherent conflicts of interest

Hands-on project managers are more susceptible to distraction

Hands-on project manager roles create team risk

Decision-makers are biased in favor of the hands-on project manager role

Currying favor is a corrosive tactic


the More Powerful

Know the tactics of ingratiators

Know what to do when others curry favor with

your boss

If your boss really is a dolt, look above

If your boss is a dolt, worrying won't help

If you're really unhappy in your job, fish or cut

bait

To stay in a so-so job, make a commitment to

it


the More Powerful

Know what to do if your boss's poor

performance affects yours

If you undertake a coup d'etat and fail, you pay

Managing your boss really isn't in your job

description

What you can do to others can be done to you

Know and recognize the three

types of promotions

Know & recognise three types of peromotion If you're aiming for a promotion, know your real motivations

To get the right promotion at the right time, know your true capabilities

When seeking a promotion, see yourself as others see you

For a promotion in place, know that your contributions won't change in kind

To gain a promotion in place, understand your employer's goals

To gain promotion, clean up your act

To gain a promotion, attend to relationships

To gain a promotion in place, get known as a resource

To gain a promotion, document your contributions

If you're aiming for a promotion in place, check

the resources

For a promotion in line, understand your

employer's goals

To win a promotion in line, demonstrate capability

To win a promotion in line, be replaceable

To win a promotion in line, make the people you

work with look good

To win a promotion in line, be flexible about

relocation and travel

When you're entering as the lowest in rank,

enter gently

As a "newbie", know the value you bring to the

team

As a "newbie", establish credibility

opportunistically

Know how to identify a micromanager

Know how to deal with a micromanaging boss

Know when to break the rules

Know How to Deal with the

Devious Your enemy might not be your enemy

Credit theft is lowbrow

Talk about credit theft

Credit thieves spare no one

Watch for blowback

Complexity is your friend

Know how to deal with the minimalist stonewaller

Know how to deal with the parental stonewaller

Know how to deal with Major-Major-Major stonewalling

Know how to recognize a lateral micromanager

Understand the tactics of the lateral micromanager

Fight back when you must

Beware the hypothetical trap

False opportunities abound

Beware diversions

Flirtation, flattery and romance are not always what they seem

Know how to deal with nepotism and patronage

Beware the non-chance chance meeting

Some people fly false flags

Trust-building isn't just for the trustworthy

It seems like a mistake, but it could be bait

Disinterest isn't always what it seems

Relationship-building isn't either

Beware the conspiracy as tactic

Recognize rhinestone opportunities

Decline diversions

Avoid dead ends

Forgo forays

Don't do calisthenics

Don't run three-legged races

Recognize the hit-and-run

Recognize the proxy target

Learn to recognize confidential disinformation

When there is a favored subordinate, make a decision

Beware unfair information swaps

The rational model of human behavior is often wrong

Negotiators might not be acting irrationally

Deceptive negotiators can use intimidation tactics

Deceptive negotiators can use shame-based tactics

Deceptive negotiators sometimes seize the drafting role

Deceptive negotiators can exploit the drafting role

Injustice for one leads to injustice for all

Beware the Hospital Pass

Anticipate alliances

Be wary of empire builders

Dividers-and-Conquerors are dangerous

Office politics

Education

Transcript of Office politics