You Can’t Sit Out Office Politics
https://hbr.org/2021/07/you-cant-sit-out-office-politics
Office politics aren’t something you can sit out. Most people look down upon them, but the truth is, they are a part of every organization.
- Office politics are about relationship currency and influence capital — and the power these two things give you or don’t give you. The myth that “office politics” are always unethical or evil need to be debunked.
- Start by reframing what office politics mean. Do you see informal conversations as “lobbying” (with all the negative connotations this generally carries) or do you see them as “doing important homework”?
- Focus your time and energy on understanding what kind of political environment your organization has, the degree to which it suits your personal political style, and how you are going to be most effective in it.
- Realize that focusing only on your performance is very unlikely to get you the success you’re aiming for — be it a bonus, promotion, or recognition from senior executives. However, investing time in your networks and building the connections that can speak for you and your work will.
