Make Office Politics Work For You

In any organization, it is naïve to expect a politics-free, utopian zone. But schools can never prepare you for the manipulations and mind games at play in a corporate set-up.  You either accept that office politics will shape your growth, or you can sport an unflattering, defeatist attitude. People who whine about politics are, more often than not, people who have played politics and lost the game.

Toughen up
You could, of course, choose the higher moral ground and stay out of office politics. But,Saying ‘I am not interested in politics’ is no guarantee that people will leave you alone. The politically-inclined will single you out as a soft target and go after you.
This is probably why your colleagues are on the prowl:

• To protect their turf at work
• Appear much better than they actually are
• Gain popularity
• Increase perception about leadership capabilities and abilities at the task on hand
• To protect their jobs in a hostile job environment
• To display allegiance to one individual and hence use this allegiance to curry favours
• Highly successful women become a subject of political manipulations. Character assassinations, sexual harassment, etc, are a few tools used against women.

Don’t miss: How to Handle Office Politics

Mind games
If you want to win, you have to be mentally prepared to take on the big boys.

• There are no half measures here. Either you’re pregnant or you’re not; either you’re a politician or you’re not. Once you get branded as one, people will always be on their guard around you.
• Always pick your political battles with someone you can match in acumen and shrewdness. Or pick a weaker opponent. Never pick battles for someone else.
• Stop being defensive about being political. I can’t think of a CEO who hasn’t used politics to succeed.
• Politics is not a substitute for integrity. Don’t run down people, don’t compromise people’s characters. It can get you into trouble.
• Too many people will be baying for your blood, so make sure you deliver on the job.

Strategies
How to deal with common, problematic situations:

Scenario 1: Your colleague is instigating your boss against you by highlighting your weaker traits, drawing a negative interpretation of your remarks and making personal remarks.

Solution: It is better to overcommunicate. Make sure all your achievements get documented. Identify what are the priority items for your boss and make sure you deliver on those. This gives you the moral high ground when you deliver and then confront.

Scenario 2: You could earn or lose a promotion depending on how you use the grapevine. Ravi explains with an example about how spreading information is a political weapon: Before a former colleague got promoted, he told everyone that he is the company’s choice between two candidates, even though there was no official announcement.

Solution: In this case, as the buzz grew, the bosses thought he was a good candidate and promoted him. Politics is about planting the information you want people to hear. Plant wrong information deliberately in the ears of the boss’ pet to ensure that the news travels.

Scenario 3: Last year, before the appraisal, your colleague threatened to quit and was offered a big raise to stay. Should you try it this year for a better hike or to get promoted?

Solution: There is no harm in playing this card, but it’s risky. The timing is important and you have to evaluate your position of strength. Else, there will be loss of face.

Scenario 4: Your colleague is a serial gifter or is sleeping with the boss.

Solution: Your colleague gifts your boss a bottle of whisky, maybe you can give him two. But where does it stop? With sexual favours, you’re dealing with two consenting adults. There’s nothing you can do about it. Either you compromise or quit. Remember, such employees don’t last as their reputation catches up with them.

Case study
Ravi shares a classic case of manipulation, “An HR professional I knew would speak to all the direct reports of the PFS (Public Sector Finances) head in the capacity of a HR business partner. She would then squeal to the Head of PFS about the issues confided in her. This would often land the direct reports in trouble. She ensured that she was on the right side of the PFS head, and used that relationship to curry favour with her boss, who in turn had a great relationship with the head of PFS. Eventually the direct reports saw through this and stopped talking to her about contentious issues, but what she had set out to achieve was done. She got a move up and was given larger responsibilities. Her politics worked in her favour.”