So tell me, how do you feel about office politics?

You might be doing a major eye roll as you imagine people sucking up to get noticed, taking credit, or snagging the next promotion when they didn’t earn it.

Many of my clients describe it as dirty, evil, and full of manipulation.

In that kind of environment, it might feel like you have to play games to make any sort of impact, progress, or to get the right opportunities.

And don’t get me wrong, it can definitely seem that way.

I’ve always said I’m not good at playing a political game. I’d see it going on…this person running into that person’s office and closing the door for a ‘chat’. It’s not like I didn’t know conversations were happening but I vowed to not to be THAT person.

My mindset was I’m just going to sit here, do a damn good job, they’ll all see the exceptional results I create, and I’ll watch the recognition come my way. I was NOT going to be like them.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.  I put a lot of judgement on it without really understanding what it’s about.

Let’s step back for a sec. Is this the best way to think about office politics? 

These two perspective shifts helped me take the edge off of the topic.

Every organization has some degree of politics at play

Even your local neighbourhood church is a political environment. Your family is too! Why? Because the very nature of politics implies that conversations are happening or decisions are being made without transparency. 

And yup, you’re right! It’s just like when your mom calls your aunt to talk about your cousin and her new boyfriend’s dad jeans but nobody says anything directly to her. That, my friend, is politics at play.

Where it starts to not feel so good is when you’re perpetually out of the loop. Or decisions are being made that you’re not a part of or don’t understand. It can become problematic when there’s a perception that someone will win and someone else will lose because of decisions coming out of political conversations. 

Politics is all about relationships

It’s about understanding the way the organization works and how things get done – the written and the unwritten rules. For example, think about how information flows. There are formal channels like meetings and emails. And there are informal ones like chats over lunch. Both are important and both matter when it comes to advancing your career.

If you find yourself stepping on political landmines or out of the proverbial loop, here are three tips you can try to authentically navigate those waters.

Take a people-first approach

Start by recognizing that most of us want the same things on a basic human level: to be seen, heard, and understood. So when you make the effort to actually see people, hear them, and understand what motivates them, you automatically break down barriers and create connection.

Make it your goal to get to know what’s important to your colleagues and show a genuine interest in who they are. You’ll gain trust and create allies who have your back when you have an idea you want to pitch, need support with a big project, or unplug for vacation.

Take an objective look at how things get done

This happens by stepping out of doing the work and being observant. Learn how things get done in your team, business unit, and the overall organization.

Become aware of the spoken and unspoken structures in place. Pay attention to and familiarize yourself with the way people communicate and the culture of your office so you can work with it instead of it working against you.

Assess your relationships 

Get strategic and intentional with the relationships you invest into the most.

Who do you need as allies to create the results in your role? Are those relationships strong today? If they are – you’re on the right track. But just like any partnership, you need to invest energy to keep them solid.

And if an important relationship has gone cold or stagnant, refocus your time to create connections and deepen that relationship. Consider how you can genuinely add value to the people in your organization who can help you achieve your goals.  

Try this

At first glance, it might seem like you don’t have anything in common with a particular someone, but more often than not there’s at least one thing you both enjoy or believe in – family, pineapple on pizza, crossfit, the company’s mission, Beyoncé, Oprah reruns, etc…, etc…

Finding that one thing gives you a legit way to engage and develop a relationship with anyone you want to get to know better. It often starts with something small and grows from there.

Be curious. Get genuinely interested in what makes that person tick and keep asking questions until you find at least one thing you have in common. That’s the starting point of a relationship that transcends office politics. 

At the end of the day, work happens through relationships and your success comes from YOU stepping up, being the leader, and building them.

Is it easy for you to find your way through corporate politics or is it tough for you? Hit reply & let me know where you stand.

As always…You got this. I believe in you.

Cindy xo

Did you hear?? 

I made something special for you! It is my new FREE career guide, Get Promoted Playbook!

Learn the 10 strategies you can use to help position yourself for a promotion, even if playing politics isn’t your thing. Go to www.cindyharveyonline.com/playbook and grab your copy today!

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Cindy Harvey is a Leadership Coach and Founder of Amelia Dee, a career strategy company for women. She has coached hundreds of clients on leveraging the power of energy & mindset to create success at work as well as designing a magnetic professional brand to make their next career move a breeze.

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