Everyone aspires to be successful, and win trophies with the title “best” inscribed. Some people will go to any length, even if it means backstabbing, breaking a few bones, or getting a colleague fired.
Some organizations have limited roles for promotion. This leads to team members competing to be perceived as qualified for a role. You can see adults bring others down or expose secrets. And what’s worse, they might not get the position.
Politics has expanded its wings; it’s no longer a word used to describe politicians, we now use them for colleagues.
Wikipedia defines workplace politics as an involvement in the use of power and social networking within a workplace to achieve changes that benefit the organization or individuals within it
Types of Workplace Politics: Negative and Positive Politics
Negative politics seeks to advance one’s own interests to the detriment of others and the organization.
Negative Political Behavior Includes:
Sycophancy: Falsely praising those in positions of authority in order to gain something from them. They have zero worries about selling you out for their selfish desire; understand how to spot and deal with sycophants at work. Hey, not everyone who praises people in authority is a sycophant.
Intentionally withholding important information: I wasn’t informed, I don’t know, nobody told me, sometimes colleagues withhold the entire information/withhold some information, or give inaccurate information in other to prove their target isn’t proactive.
Blackmailing: Blackmail is a demand accompanied by a threat to harm one’s reputation. Blackmailers may demand anything—cash, property, or anything else they desire that isn’t physically present. At work you might be threatened to cover up a lie if you want to keep your job. Blackmail never ends, it goes on and on till you say NO MORE.
Forming malicious alliances: Can politics exist without allies? I guess not. You become a part of the group when you start listening and thinking like them.
Backstabbing: Backstabbers can come in several forms and if you are talkative, backstabbers will use the personal information you’ve shared to hurt you. Be mindful of people who talk about other people and avoid colleagues who consistently tear others down. They are the backstabbers.
Gossiping/spreading rumors: Gossip and rumors are false, they are sometimes based on assumption. While gossiping and rumor sharing are fun they actually waste a lot of productive time, it also increases anxiety among employees and damage reputations. And colleagues who spread rumors lose colleague’s trust and respect.
Positive Political Behavior
Although engaging in office politics is often a negative behavior, it is possible to be successful without sacrificing your own or your organization’s principles.
Positive politics refers to actions intended to persuade people while benefiting both the organization and the player of the game. Positive workplace politics is advantageous since it can improve coworker relations, boost productivity, hasten change, and benefit both the company and its employees.
Office politics, which can be very harmful when employees prioritize their own interests over the interests of the organization, can be practiced by both individuals and groups.
How to Know your organization is politicized
Let’s pretend as a leader, you’re oblivious to the fact that workplace politics exist in your organization. It is important to take notice and identify the root cause. Below are some signs that your organization needs to be assessed.
- People who consistently fail to deliver results are not fired or penalized.
- People who are not qualified get employed or promoted.
- The company cares about the financial growth of the company more than the struggles of its employees.
- The average employee isn’t permitted to contribute to the company’s strategy. Employees aren’t permitted to question authority- they just follow the rules.
- Leaders/colleagues keep fighting each other via words or facial expressions.
- Good employees leave because there is no clear path to advancement.
Your team will be more likely to achieve its goals if all employees are given equal opportunities to develop and contribute.
What Leaders Should Do
- Do what is right: for your team and organization.
- Promote networking and creating strong connections across departments.
- Institute firm policies that support open feedback.
- Stop negative political behaviors: don’t encourage them by engaging in office gossip.
- Distance is a barrier- break it by associating with employees.
What Staff Should Do
Office politics is inevitable, we see it, we talk about it. But sometimes it doesn’t change. Especially if the top management is heading the negative politics team, this makes office politics impossible to break. You can however do the following:
- Build relationships: True friendship can take you far, including creating a strong, positive relationship with colleagues.
- Be professional: Be professional in your work, words, and action.
- Develop your skills (soft and hard): The skilled are sought after by businesses because they are valuable. You’ll be able to navigate office politics and move up by honing your talents.
- Speak up for yourself: Being courageous and speaking up might be challenging. However, understanding when and how to defend yourself is a remarkable ability to have. Talk about it – words that are left unsaid result in mountains.
Key Takeaway
No matter the size or kind of organization, every organization will inevitably experience office politics. While there is a chance for self-serving exploitation, there are constructive approaches to deal with them.
- Change is an individual effort; everyone has to play a part.
- Keeping an eye out for negative politics helps you avoid unnecessary hardship.
- Don’t join the negative team
This guest post was contributed by Cynthia Epelle, a psychologist and writer.
