Navigating Office Politics

Women in Technology (WIT)

 Navigating Office Politics
Whether we acknowledge it or not, politics exist in every organization. Where there are people, there
will be political situations. Many people will tell you, "I'm not into office politics," because they equate
it with having to play "dirty" to get what they want. It is possible to promote yourself/your cause
without compromising your values.

When you become aware of the types of political moves (maneuvers or “power plays”) that are
happening around you, you can protect yourself and your career growth, as well as support your team
and other stakeholders that are important to you.

NOTE: This 1-hour webinar is an excerpt from a full day workshop.

In the full-day interactive workshop, participants learn how to:

 Describe where power in the workplace comes from (5 bases)
 Analyze their stakeholders & build connections
 Map power & influence in their organization
 Identify the informal networks at play in their work environment
 Enhance their communication skills & relationships with others
 Build their personal brand (or team's profile)
 Recognize "bad behaviour" and its impact
 Neutralize negative "play" and its effects on their work

Today’s Learning Objectives

In this 60-minute webinar, you will learn how to:

 Describe where power in the workplace comes from (5 bases)

 Analyze your stakeholders & build connections

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 Office “Politics”
Definition of Politics:
The strategies people play to gain advantage,
personally or for a cause they support.
Source: Mind Tools

Types of Negative “Politicians” (Tactics)

Place a check mark next to the type of “players” you have experienced in your career so far (at your
current workplace or in previous jobs, school projects, volunteer roles, etc.).

□ Ladder Climbers – are trying to get promoted at all costs

□ Self-Promoters – let their boss (and others) know about all their accomplishments in a “showy
way”
□ Coasters – want to expend as little effort as possible in the work they do
□ Coat-Tail Riders – let you or others do the majority of the work and reap the rewards
□ Idea Vampires – take credit for your work
□ Bus Drivers – “throw you under the bus” when you are not around (lay blame)
□ Back Stabbers – do or say negative things about you or betray a confidence you have shared
with them
□ Gossips – start and/or spread rumours; talk about you (or others) behind your back
□ Campaigners/Saboteurs – actively or passively work to undermine your work or credibility
□ Mudslingers – point out to others your perceived shortcoming or past failures (personal attacks)
□ “Old Boys Club” (aka Scotch, Cigars & Golf Club) – group of (typically) older men who have a
tight network that you can’t seem to break into and this is where some of the real decisions get
made
□ Delphi Technique – calculated method used to achieve an artificial “consensus” when a
predetermined outcome has already been decided
□ Others:

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 Power vs. Influence
Where Power Comes From in the Workplace

Leadership and power are closely linked. People tend to follow those who are powerful. And because
others follow, the person with power leads… and Power = Politics.

5 Bases of Power
One of the most notable studies on power was conducted by social psychologists John French and
Bertram Raven in 1959. They identified five forms of power.

If you're aware of these sources of power, you can…

 Better understand why you're influenced by someone, and decide whether you want to accept
the base of power being used
 Recognize your own sources of power
 Build your leadership skills by using and developing your own sources of power, appropriately,
and for best effect

1. Coercive – This comes from the belief that a person can punish others for noncompliance.

2. Reward – This results from one person's ability to compensate others for compliance.

3. Legitimate – This comes from the belief that a person has the formal right to make
demands, and to expect compliance and obedience from others.

4. Expert – This is based on a person's superior skill and knowledge.

5. Referent – This is the result of a person's perceived attractiveness, worthiness, and right
to respect from others.

Which of these power bases have you used in the past?

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 Analyze Your Stakeholders
Assess the Key Players
Step 1. First, list the people you work with that affect the success in your job or on your current project.

For example:

 Supervisor
 Supervisor’s manager
 Peers (in other departments)
 Co-workers (within my team)
 Direct reports (if any)
 Customers/clients (primary, secondary, tertiary)
 External stakeholders (vendors/suppliers, donors, financial institutions, etc.)
 Government/regulatory bodies
 and so on…

Step 2. Now, go back and identify (highlight) which ones are KEY players in your success right now.

These are the individuals who are

influencing your success
and you have a
political relationship with,
whether you
realize it or not.

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Step 3. Next, categorize your KEY stakeholders as follows:

 High Power, High Interest (Manage Closely): fully engage these people, and make the greatest
efforts to satisfy them

 High Power, Low Interest (Keep Satisfied): put enough work in with these people to keep them
satisfied, but not so much that they become bored with your message

 Low Power, High Interest (Keep Informed): adequately inform these people, and talk to them to
ensure that no major issues are arising

 Low Power, Low Interest (Monitor): monitor these people, but don’t bore them with excessive
communication
Adapted from: 7 Ways to Use Office Politics Positively
Getting What You Want Without "Playing Dirty"
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCDV_85.htm

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Step 4. Finally, rate each key stakeholder (like a heat map) according to how they perceive you, your
team, your idea/project, as follows:

Cold Hot

Red = against (blocker) White = indifferent (neutral) Green = for (supporter)

Once you have completed this last step, if you have any individuals who have High Power (from Step 3)
that are “cold, tepid or lukewarm,” then you can expect resistance. This can play out in various forms of
overt or covert political maneuvers.

Decide how you will address this lack of support. You may have to “neutralize” negative behaviours.
And, sometimes you can do this on your own, but often it is wise to gain support in addressing
important issues. That is where business networking (i.e., building connections and leveraging
relationships) can help.

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 Build Connections
Cultivate Supportive Relationships
You can increase your influence and “positive political” efforts by adding layers of support. This involves
gaining “friends” or “allies” intentionally.

Types of Allies

Truth Tellers
 Truth Tellers are trusted allies who tell it like it is. They look you in the eye when you are up for a
promotion and say, “If you don’t work at gaining more followership, you may miss your chance to
move up.” Or, after a crucial presentation: “It went well, but next time, make stronger eye contact,
speak slowly, and use more animated body language to get your point across.”

Agents
 Agents are people in your organization or industry with whom you are close. Ideally, they already
appreciate and trust you enough to vouch for your talent and promote you to others. They don’t
require as much effort to cultivate as mentors and sponsors, but they require nurturing. Your very
best agents proactively look for opportunities to help you by mentioning your name in key
conversations and sharing intelligence.

Adapted from: 3 Simple Ways for Women to Rethink Office Politics and Wield More Influence at Work
https://hbr.org/2017/12/3-simple-ways-for-women-to-rethink-office-politics-and-wield-more-influence-at-work

Mentors
 Mentors are trusted advisors who provide guidance and/or coaching in a purposely developmental
relationship between a more experienced individual (mentor) and a less experienced partner
(protégé or mentee).

Sponsors
 Sponsors are usually in leadership or highly influential roles and intentionally help you move into
new positions or suggest you for more advanced opportunities because they have the power to
recommend you (by mentioning your name, or by putting in a “good word for you”) thereby
ensuring you get a legitimate chance.

Highly Recommended Viewing!

Carla Harris’ Ted Talk:
How to find the person who can help you get ahead at work
~13.5 minutes

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 Tips for Dealing Ethically with Office Politics

Guidelines to Keep in Mind:

Choose 1 or 2 that you will put into practice right away with a current “political situation” you are
dealing with.

□ Avoid joining in the gossip

□ Choose not to take sides on a contentious issue

□ Remind yourself to not take it personally

□ Identify your core values/principles that direct how you will show up in interactions

□ Check your assumptions (seek to understand the other person’s point of view/motivations)

□ Confront political behaviour head-on (while remaining respectful)

□ Identify conflict styles at play and move the other player to a win-win mentality, if possible

□ Become clear about what you want/need in the situation and ask for it assertively (not

aggressively)

□ Cultivate “friends” and allies at work

□ Other: ___________________________________________________________

Thank YOU!

Julianna Cantwell, CACE, CPHR

Website: www.junaconsulting.com
Email: julianna@junaconsulting.com
Phone: (780) 619-6363

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 Appendix A
Additional Resources (aka “Homework”)

Watch Ted Talk (~13.5 minutes)

Carla Harris: How to find the person who can help you get ahead at work
https://www.ted.com/talks/carla_harris_how_to_find_the_person_who_can_help_you_get_ahead_at_
work?language=en

Read Books

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