{"id":23779,"date":"2015-01-18T15:16:44","date_gmt":"2015-01-18T14:16:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.w-t-w.org\/en\/?p=23779"},"modified":"2015-01-18T16:56:41","modified_gmt":"2015-01-18T15:56:41","slug":"work-politics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.w-t-w.org\/en\/work-politics\/","title":{"rendered":"Work Politics"},"content":{"rendered":"
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K\"Shutterstock_136706186\"Kathleen Kelley Reardon asks:\u00a0 Can you manage at work without politics?\u00a0 The answer to that question is,\u00a0probably not.\u00a0 Wherever people come together seeking goals \u2013 whether the same or different ones \u2013 and especially where there is competition for scarce resources, politics is there.\u00a0 Political arenas run along a continuum from minimally to highly and even pathologically political.\u00a0 The character of the arena in which you work dictates the extent to which political acumen becomes a necessity.The political landscape where most of us work shifts over time.\u00a0 While it may be possible to remain a political purist (at least for a while) in some jobs in certain organizations, it is risky to wait around until politics reaches a point beyond your expertise.The more effective route is to prepare for politics. Keep in mind that not all forms of politics are devious or underhanded.\u00a0 Some political skills are actually no more than good people skills, like interpersonal sensitivity: knowing when to bring up which topics, when to push for something you believe is important, managing conflict to avoid unnecessary flare-ups, and causing others to feel good about working with you.Additional, relatively basic and constructive forms of political know-how include:<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Creating a positive impression – assuring that key people find you and your ideas interesting.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Positioning \u2013 being in the right place at the right time.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Cultivating mentors \u2013 locating experienced advisors.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Lining up your ducks \u2013 making sure any idea you advance has support from the right people.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Developing a favor bank \u2013 doing for others, not only because you want to, but so that someday when you need to call in a chit, you will have the \u201ccurrency\u201d to do so.<\/p>\n

Why, you might ask yourself, should I spend my valuable time managing politics instead of doing my job?\u00a0 The truth is that understanding politics is required to do your job in most of today\u2019s organizations.<\/p>\n

Why not start by assessing how things get done — by whom and in what ways — where you work?\u00a0 Seek guidance if it\u2019s available from people who are adept at managing politics.\u00a0 Become a student of politics.\u00a0 Learn, for example, to detect disconnects between what is said and what is done, between what is requested and what is rewarded.\u00a0 In most organizations, there\u2019s a lot more going on than meets the eye.\u00a0 It never pays to be the last one to know.<\/p>\n

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KKathleen Kelley Reardon asks:\u00a0 Can you manage at work without politics?\u00a0 The answer to that question is,\u00a0probably not.\u00a0 Wherever people come together seeking goals \u2013 whether the same or different ones \u2013 and especially where there is competition for scarce … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,13,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23779","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-entrepreneurs","category-finance","category-w-t-w"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t