Office politics for career growth?
Political ploys for progress?
Apparently your growth at work doesn't depend only on competence levels. It's got to be backed by clever tactics too
Recently, more than 400 officegoers in the US were asked of the importance or effect of office politics on their career. And around 56 per cent, to varying degrees, thought it was necessary for career growth. While many may not claim upfront, apparently office politics is the necessary evil for career growth, the team conducting this survey concluded.
Even the CEO of Robert Half International, world's largest specialized staffing services firm, Max Messmer, says that "There is some degree of politics at play in virtually every organisation."
Arfeen Khan, a peak performance strategist speaker and consultant says that people have come to believe that hard work does not pay off so they have to use politics to gain advancement. He says that in most cases, "The best 'office politicians' in fact have exceptional communication skills and can talk their way up the corporate ladder. Most politics derives from jealousy."
According to psychiatrist Dr Parul Tank such tendencies are not new. A German author, Niccolo Machiavelli, wrote his famous dissertation on power from where the word Machiavellianism evolved. "It was a bold German book that taught politics and power play; the principles may be shrewd and cunning, but in a strategic way."
She, however, adds that it's not wrong for employees to devise strategies to position themselves better. "The test that one needs to put themselves to in this case would be, if it hurts the other party, then the approach is wrong. It can't be at the cost of beheading others."
Is it really politics?
Dr Tank points out that there's a very thin line between right and wrong at work. "Backbiting, maligning would be playing office politics. So it would be discrimination on the basis of gender, caste, region..." She says that during her corporate sessions, she's come to realise that employees make too much of a deal of office politics. "Most often, it's not even at play," she insists. "Man by nature is suspicious. When other people do better, and you don't, there's a natural arousal of dissent. During my corporate counselling sessions, I often find that the issue is not politics, but persecution complex."
Steering your way to success
If you want to beat 'politics', then your weapon's 'diplomacy.' Like Messmer puts it, "The savviest professionals practice workplace diplomacy. They remain attuned to political undercurrents but don't allow themselves to get pulled into situations that could compromise their working relationships or reputation," Messmer added.
Dr Tank, however, doesn't favour diplomacy either. "There's a phrase that goes -
Diplomacy is to do the nastiest thing in the nicest way. If it hurts your team, it's always better to be upfront than diplomatic," she feels.
Dr Tank feels the need is to be assertive rather than being aggressive or submissive. "Secondly, stop playing the game. Step aside and get a more objective view of the scenario."
Recently, more than 400 officegoers in the US were asked of the importance or effect of office politics on their career. And around 56 per cent, to varying degrees, thought it was necessary for career growth. While many may not claim upfront, apparently office politics is the necessary evil for career growth, the team conducting this survey concluded.
Even the CEO of Robert Half International, world's largest specialized staffing services firm, Max Messmer, says that "There is some degree of politics at play in virtually every organisation."
Arfeen Khan, a peak performance strategist speaker and consultant says that people have come to believe that hard work does not pay off so they have to use politics to gain advancement. He says that in most cases, "The best 'office politicians' in fact have exceptional communication skills and can talk their way up the corporate ladder. Most politics derives from jealousy."
According to psychiatrist Dr Parul Tank such tendencies are not new. A German author, Niccolo Machiavelli, wrote his famous dissertation on power from where the word Machiavellianism evolved. "It was a bold German book that taught politics and power play; the principles may be shrewd and cunning, but in a strategic way."
She, however, adds that it's not wrong for employees to devise strategies to position themselves better. "The test that one needs to put themselves to in this case would be, if it hurts the other party, then the approach is wrong. It can't be at the cost of beheading others."
Is it really politics?
Dr Tank points out that there's a very thin line between right and wrong at work. "Backbiting, maligning would be playing office politics. So it would be discrimination on the basis of gender, caste, region..." She says that during her corporate sessions, she's come to realise that employees make too much of a deal of office politics. "Most often, it's not even at play," she insists. "Man by nature is suspicious. When other people do better, and you don't, there's a natural arousal of dissent. During my corporate counselling sessions, I often find that the issue is not politics, but persecution complex."
Steering your way to success
If you want to beat 'politics', then your weapon's 'diplomacy.' Like Messmer puts it, "The savviest professionals practice workplace diplomacy. They remain attuned to political undercurrents but don't allow themselves to get pulled into situations that could compromise their working relationships or reputation," Messmer added.
Dr Tank, however, doesn't favour diplomacy either. "There's a phrase that goes -
Diplomacy is to do the nastiest thing in the nicest way. If it hurts your team, it's always better to be upfront than diplomatic," she feels.
Dr Tank feels the need is to be assertive rather than being aggressive or submissive. "Secondly, stop playing the game. Step aside and get a more objective view of the scenario."
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