Several centuries ago, Pericles, a Greek Statesman said "Just because you do not take an interest in politics, it does not mean that politics won't take an interest in you !"
Whether you like it or not, you will have to deal with Politics. There is no organization where there is no politics.
Organizational politics is defined as Activities
that are not required as part of one’s formal
role in the organization, but that influence, or attempt to influence, the distribution of
advantages or disadvantages within the organization.
And Politics is not always bad. You have to be in the system to change it. If you cannot deal with politics, you might be thrown out of the game .
The following are 10 tips to deal with Politics.
· Foster
relationships & Alliances: Relationships and alliances can help you navigate the political landscape.
· Every move should be for the best interest of the company: This is the best thing you
can do when in a politically charged company. No one can debate you motivation
when it’s in the best interest of the company.
· Always Tell
the truth: However difficult the situation is , always tell the truth. You might feel that this will not make you look good and tempt you to skirt the issue. Make sure you have the
facts straight and that you are striving to seek the truth about the situation.
· Emails are not private: Be very careful about the written word. Email can be a
curse in a political environment since it’s a record of half-baked ideas and
half-truths. Use email sparingly.
· Stand
up for yourself: When you right,
let everyone know it. Don’t cower when someone attacks you. Rather, state the
facts and be proud of how you handled the situation.
· Agree
to disagree: Sometimes a
situation will descend into such chaos that the only solution is to agree to
disagree. This should be your last alternative but it’s a powerful tool when
you are deadlocked.
· Help
others: By helping others,
you earn their trust and respect. You also earn their gratitude that will come
in handy when you need help.
· Be
the peacemaker: It’s best that you
get the reputation of someone who finds solutions to tricky problems. Being the
peacemaker is one way to achieve that. Peacemakers are looked at favorably
because they transcend the politics and focus on making progress.
· Know
When to Say “I don’t know”: Saying I don’t know takes courage. It’s
much better to say I don’t know than to try and make up an answer on the fly. When used correctly, those three simple
words can diffuse a volatile situation for another day. Just be careful not to
use it too much.
· Admit
when you are wrong: The power of
admitting when you are wrong is seldom understood. When used correctly, it
diffuses a politically charged situation within an instant. The trick is to use
it sparingly since if you are wrong too often, people will start to question
your competence.
Hope this helps !
Cheers !
