10 tips to deal with Organizational Politics

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. You need to build up alliances well in advance of any political conflict. Good alliances helps us to be more aware of the going-ons and be prepared.

·   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 !