Six Secrets to Winning at Office Politics
The most qualified people don’t always get the most done or earn the best promotions. We all know someone who got promoted because they knew the right person.
Being great at your job is essential, but not enough.
Being good at office politics is being good with people, without manipulation and deception.
Ethical office politics is influencing people through relationships. Leadership is relationships.
Whisper campaigns:
Karin Hurt uses the expression, “whisper campaign,” to refer to influence through relationships. Whispering is often more effective than pressuring and shouting. Rather than barging in through the CEO’s front door, slip in quietly, through the side.
Why be subtle? Karin Hurt in her own words (0:23) :
Influence isn’t pressuring people. Pressure creates barriers and resistance. Everyone wants the freedom to make up their own mind, not be pressured into conformity.
Influence is subtle, but not malicious.
Diversity:
Maximize influence by involving diverse people, departments, and perspectives. If you’re in marketing, get the finance person on board.
You lose influence if you and your team are the only ones speaking for your project.
Karin hurt on getting the finance person on board (1:29):
Six secrets to winning at office politics:
- Relationship first. Build real relationships with people of influence before you need them.
- Check your motives. Always work for the good of your organization.
- Involve people with divergent perspectives. Include HR, finance, and marketing, for example.
- Don’t gang up on someone.
- Help others win. Don’t expect others to keep helping you if you aren’t helping them.
- Be transparent and vulnerable with the right people.
(Adapted from my conversation with Karin Hurt.)
Vulnerability:
Transparency and vulnerability influence better than pressure and coercion.
Let people know your goals and concerns. Karin using vulnerable language (0:09):
Karin’s book: “Overcoming an Imperfect Boss.”
Bonus audio, “Getting the finance person on your team,” (1:32):
How can leaders create and execute effective “whisper campaigns.”
Well the initial statement in my experience is yet.
I have yet to see in my time people do not get what is coming to them.
When I am happy now and got my vision for the future office politics do not come into play.
Happy Easter D
SP
EA
Thanks Scott. I wish you well.
On a broader topic: A world where people get what they deserve is a world without compassion and mercy. I wish you well with getting what you deserve.
Thanks, Scott. I do think it’s so important to stay true to your own values and work toward the greater good. If others are taking the “bad politics” route… stay your course… you will attract other people who will follow your lead.
True.If you are like ‘Rock’ on good values, bad politics cannot ‘Hurt’ you
This type of approach makes sense, and not only that, it is respectful and mutually beneficial. Good post Dan.
Diana
Thanks Diana. I really appreciate Karin’s approach.
Diana, I so agree with you… it’s all about respect and working together for the greater good.
Happy Easter Dan
Good blog today, “as always”! The ‘Six Secrets’ and a willingness to be vulnerable position leaders for sucsess.
I’d like to make a suggestion for a future Blog. ( Breaking the vicsious cycle of Office Clicks). There is an unimaginable number of leaders with skills, talents, and exceptional interpersonal communications that could literally take their organizations from the brink of closer, to the height of excellance. But NEVER get the chance due to short sightedness of poor decision makers who hold positions of authority. Networking, getting to know the ‘movers & shakers’ is one thing. However turning ones back on your morale principals and character to fit in the click and climb the ladder makes my skin crawl. “AND THIS BEHAVIOR IS EPPIDEMIC”!!!! Leaving these employers is frequent advice to those who work under such conditions. In my opinion, that is cowardly advice. “Your thoughts and advice would be appreciated”.
Cheers Dan
Steven, I’m with you. There are so many important angles to this conversation, and I’m loving the passionate conversation. Here’s some more of my thinking on the downsides of office politics. http://smartblogs.com/leadership/2014/02/19/the-wrong-side-of-politically-correct/
Hi Karen
Thanks for reaching out. I got a smile on my face when I saw your comment. I always take the time to read the responses to Dans blog. I find many of the comments to be useful and thought provoking. Recently during a conversation regarding Leadership Blogs I mentioned that I look forward to reading your comments. They are relevant, practical, and inspiring.
I visited the site you mentioned. “Excellent” Karen I did not notice any direction by which to sign-up and receive your blog regularly. You are welcome to send me the a link to do so if you’d like at your convenience. My e-mail address is as follows.
drakesteve@ymail.com
Keep doing what you do. Leadership is a constant growing endeavor. I appreciate what you do.
Respectfully yours
Steven L. drake
As usual, Dan the insight is really good. Although I would really like to have your thoughts on how to build professional cordial relationships with the boss. We know that relationship is important. But how to build them, if someone is totally amateur in the corporate life.
For office politics yes… But, what is the solution for politicking in the office?
Reminds me of Sun Tzu:
“Supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.”
Dear Dan,
Office politics is not good symptom of effective organization. They generally lead of differences and discrimination in the system. There are different kind of people who carry different expertise and those are incompetent in anyway engage into politics. The reason is simple. They want to pull down others so that they can be better. Giving freedom to express one’s feeling is not always good. It is good as long as people are concerned about the job and trust level in very high. But when many people engage into politics, then it can have disastrous effect. It drains the energy and enthusiasm of deserving, capable and talented people. Freedom to express feelings in low trust level organizations is generally target at people who either do not interact or engage into such practices or only concerned about their roles and responsibilities.
We need to questions ourselves- why do we need politics at workplace? Once things are explicit, targets are clear, promotion polices are sound, then where is the space for politics? I think, where policies lack proper and timely execution, it provides space for incompetent people to engage into politics. It encourages subjectivity where people with certain qualities stand out. People skill is always good as long as it is meant to develop relationship and encourage ideas. It is always good when is minimizes gap between hierarchy and authority.
Whisper campaign can be effective tool when it encourage to minimize differentiation, maximize effort and enable people to connect. IT can be encouraging when mistakes are whispered but without feeling insulted. At the same time, public appreciation and recognition can be significantly powerful motivator.
Dear Ajay,
While appreciating your views, I strongly feel that an organization culture plays a good role to curb any unproductive acts from the employees. We need to ensure that we as bosses are fair in our approach and are encouraging the work climate of good systems and procedures. All people/employees are good and productive so long as they are treated well and encouraged to perform with creativity & collaborative working.
Thanks Ajay
I could not agree more with your assesment of office Politics. As I look back on my youth, I remember as a young man, “people tried to keep up with the Jone’es” I believe this cliche is ‘no longer’ true. Those who can not compete, or choose not to find it easier to “drag the Jone’es down to their level. I whole-heartedly believe in the nessessity to network. However kissing _ss and brown nosing your way into (THE CLICK), in order to get promoted makes my blood boil.
I enjoy reading your post Ajay!
Thanks Steven
Dear Dan,
I appreciate the contents of your post and in particular the emphasis on maintaining good relationship while working good for the organization.
In real terms, there is no scope for office politics if you are good to your people and there is a respect to the organization hierarchy levels. You need to have a good supportive boss to believe in you and back you when dealing with tough situations or people engaged in spoiling the work environment or in-built good culture.
Office politics whereby there is no substantial progress in the company and nothing gets achieved is a waste of time. Cooperation , collaboration and teamwork towards better achievements would be more beneficial. Are companies hiring people to work or to gossip? In my opinion, if there is no personal progress in the company and persistently one gets demoralized and humiliated daily for doing a job well, why bother. I honestly feel that inner peace and a clear conscience is more important than a job . What say you?
Dear Choong,
I endorse your views and strongly believe that people need to work sincerely for the betterment of an organization that they work for. Give them the respect, job responsibilities with accountability and ensure adequate guidance & control with a human touch to avoid any unproductive acts. I believe in providing cooperation, seek collaboration and create good teams to deliver.
Dito Chong. Todays blog strikes a nerve inside of me. Interpersonal Communication skills should always be a qualifier when concidering others for promotion. Ackomplishments, track record, skills& talents, should be the determining factor in concidering one potential to be a sucsessful leader.
Thanks Steven
Very interesting blog. I like the way you incorporated the sound bites. Not sure if I agree with whisper campaigns, but it is probably because I am too results oriented. As a boss, I rarely believe what people are saying and pay more attention to what they do. If their words line up with their actions, great.
I do agree with developing good relationships in the office though. Anyway we can make others feel good and give them credit builds better teams in the long run.
My two cents anyways.. Again, great post.
Dan, I think your suggestions resonate when managing people in cultures where many different points of view are present. I think this is particularly true in business cultures that are primarily relational – more than just a contractual obligation. In a world that is shrinking and where diverse teams view the world through many different lenses – this is a critical piece for success. My mantra is “different…not necessarily wrong”… It really does come down to respect, understanding, and appreciation.Thanks.
We are all a mix of different personalities. Office politics is unavoidable. Personally I hate politics but if you do not participate in promoting positive office politics for the good of the organization then those people more interested in their own EGO, their own ambitions, are less likely to promote an idea that will help the office move forward especially if they do not benefit from it personally. Sometimes the more savvy negative office politics players will throw a bit of mud your way (I mean this figuratively). Counter act the “mud” and be strategic and use whatever means to promote positive office politics.
After working in a cut-throat law firm, I can honestly saying that taking the moral high ground always works out in your favor.
I really liked this blog post. In my opinion actions always speak louder than words so I focus on those. I also strongly believe that if you get respect by showing respect. It has been my experience that those who get ahead through politicking rarely stay ahead.