Organisation Politics – Part 2

Managers as politicians 
 
My last post may have been too simplistic for some. Of course, there is no guarantee that those in power will use it rightly or wisely, but I would like to debunk the myth that office politics is always
destructive otherwise, we would not have companies that are known for excellent people practice. 
 
To ensure that office politics is not destructive, there is a responsibility for managers to have the political skills to ensure that their staff experience constructive politics. 
 
Understand your office environment. What are the channels of informal communication, who are the stakeholders and what are their interests? A stakeholder matrix would be beneficial here. Your stakeholder matrix would help you know who you need to influence, who to negotiate with and from where the challenges may come? 
 
Having gathered all the information, set the agenda. This means a vision for balancing the long-term interests of key parties and a strategy for achieving the vision. The strategy should address any stakeholder concerns. This means actively listening to all interests and being clear about the direction of travel. 
 
Negotiate with the various interested parties. Remember, all parties try to create value, separate people from the problem, and focus on interests, not positions. Create options, not just the first that comes to mind, and bargain to create a win-win. And it is ok to lose some battles to win the war. 
 
The steps above sound simple but can be challenging in practice, so as you try to influence the politics around you, ask yourself: 
 
Are you comfortable if what you are doing is publicised? 
How would you feel if you were at the receiving end of your actions? 
Are the rules you use mutually understood and accepted by your stakeholders? 
Would you leave the organisation better off with your actions? 
 
Doing all these things doesn’t mean that you will avoid unpleasantness or that it would be smooth sailing, but you are contributing to a constructive office environment. ​

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