Maintaining your integrity in the face of politicking will mark you out as an influencer, writes Penny Whitelock
Nearly every HR and L&D professional has probably found themselves in a position where they have to balance ‘office politics’ – by which I mean the strategies that individuals engage in to advance themselves or their cause – with their own personal values, such as fairness, honesty and commitment. Such conflicts are especially likely if the office politics people are engaging in are at your expense.
But, like it or not, office politics are here to stay. And it’s worth pointing out that they aren’t always a negative influence. Your challenge is how to manage politicking as you make your way through the organisation. If you don’t manage it, and decide that you will steer clear of it all, then you run the risk of not having a voice while less experienced or less considerate people push through the decisions that suit their agenda.
The first step is identifying when politicking is taking place. Some common clues include:
Ambitious individuals who may put their own personal agenda above the team’s goals
Teams that are fighting for their fair – or unfair – share of limited company resources
That some individuals have more power than others, drawing this power either from their ability to influence others, or from their skills in decision-making
The behaviours that people exhibit in any of these circumstances will probably include selfishness, rudeness, being inconsiderate and unfairness. And this is where your values may well be compromised. So how can you handle this and respect your core drivers?
My advice to you is to think about the three monkeys: see no evil, speak no evil, and hear no evil. Look and listen at what is really going on – not what the gossips say – and learn. Who is influencing decisions? Are they doing for the greater good, or just for themselves? What are their goals? Don’t distance yourself from these people; remember the maxim ‘keep your friends close and your enemies closer’.
Spend time listening, and you are less likely to say something that comes back to bite you later. Get to know these people and be courteous to them – but be careful what you say to them.
You do need to promote yourself and your team if you want to have influence. Instead focus on building visibility of your achievements, attempting to improve difficult relationships, and be talked about for what you have already achieved.
Identify successful people who you admire, and the behaviours that make them successful. They’ll probably include things like:
Not gossiping
Rising above conflicts
Professionalism
Confidence and assertiveness
Being positive, rather than moaning and complaining.
Assuming that what you say will be shared with others – in other words, don’t trust confidentiality
Above all be true to yourself and don’t get drawn into mimicking the behaviours that really go against the grain. Your integrity and straightforward honesty will mark you out as an influencer, just as much as the loudmouthed, aggressive player. If you can’t live with your behaviour – then don’t do it.