Written by: Emma Collyer, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Office politics is something that exists within a lot if not all organisations. I used to think of it as something fearful and to be avoided because I did not truly understand how it operated. We also often hear about the negative side to office politics, or we may have suffered it. Behaviours such as manipulation, favouritism and undermining fall into this category and can be upsetting and exhausting to experience.
What my encounters taught me though, was that whilst politics can be frustrating at times in terms of progress against action for example, it can also be successfully moved within and around once you understand the boundaries. My top 5 tips below provide some guidelines on how best to work with politics, whilst maintaining professionalism and your personal integrity.
Understand what it looks like at the organisation you work for. This involves observing how decisions are made and by whom, seeing where unofficial collaborations exist and where there are teams within teams. What alliances are there and where does the power lie?
Be an independent thinker and performer that is focused on doing their job well, rather than looking out solely for yourself. Build your credibility through the work you do and your commitment to the organization. This will earn you respect irrespective of politics.
Avoid aligning yourself with any one person or team. Things can change rapidly, so you don’t want to find your one and only supporter is no longer there. Aim to be a neutral and objective contributor. Avoid the gossip!
Build quality relationships with others. Take time to build trust and respect with colleagues and those more senior than you. Strong relationships will help protect you from future issues.
Prioritize your own goals. Ensure you have your own career plan in place so that you can evaluate whether getting involved in politics will help your journey or become a distraction.
Ultimately, done well, office politics can create a positive working environment that is supportive, collaborative and that helps your career. The key is to fully understand how it operates in your organization and how you can work with, rather than against it, to fully appreciate the benefits it can provide.
If you would like some support with navigating office politics, please use this link to schedule a free confidential call.
Emma Collyer, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Emma Collyer is the founder of Aspire Executive Coaching, a company dedicated to helping executives, leaders and aspiring leaders, to grow and succeed in their business and careers. She created the business after experiencing firsthand the transformative power of coaching on her own development and growth. Her coaching draws on her own leadership experience, working across the built environment sector alongside environmental specialists, engineers, planners, project managers and architects. Her mission: to empower individuals so that they have the courage to embrace change and achieve exceptional results.
