OGL 481 Pro-Seminar I:

PCA-Politcal Frame Worksheet

Worksheet Objectives:

1. Describe the political frame

2. Apply the political frame to your personal case situation

Complete the following making sure to support your ideas and cite from the textbook and other
course materials per APA guidelines. After the peer review, you have a chance to update this and
format for your Electronic Portfolio due in Module 6.

1) Briefly restate your situation from Module 1 and your role.

As stated in module one, my situation chosen for this assignment was the transition from
a contracted technical writer, to an in house colleague as a production operator at a
Pfizer. While the process for hiring usually takes 8-10 weeks, a new diversity and inclu-
sion initiative, coupled with a lack of substantial applicant flow meant that for me, the
process took over 9 months.

2) Describe how the politics of the organization influenced the situation.

The politics of the organization had a huge impact in influencing my situation. The re-
cruiters have a lot of power when it comes to the hiring process. Mike, the hiring man-
ager, asked me to apply for the position so I could be hired on. Unfortunately, the deci-
sion to move forward with hiring me was in the hands of the recruiter. After applying, the
first step was a prescreen phone call with the recruiter. It seemed to me like she had no
idea that the hiring manager Mike had referred me to the position. Recruiters are situated
in a senior position over the hiring mangers. The hiring managers can let the recruiter
know that they have referred a candidate to apply, but it is up to the recruiter to move the
candidate forward or not.

I was actively working under Mike, so I kept asking him updates on my hiring process,
since I had not heard anything. The recruiter had shared no updates with Mike on the
process for filling the open Chemical Operator position. The process was taking longer
because the recruiter had to find and interview 3 diverse candidates for the open position.
Mike the hiring manager needed someone to come and fill that open position ASAP,
since the production team was currently understaffed. Since Mike couldn’t yet hire me,

1
 we were both left in the dark waiting for the recruiter to communicate the plan to move
forward.

3) Recommend how you would use organizational politics for an alternative course of
action regarding your case.

I would recommend the hiring managers be more direct with the recruiters and set expec-
tations. “Mangers can, however, learn to acknowledge, understand, and manage political
dynamics rather than fearing them or being overrun by them”(Bolman 2021, Pg.191).
When Mike requested the position to be posted, he needed to set expectations with the re-
cruiter. Mike should have communicated to the recruiter that he needed this position
filled as soon as possible and that he has referred a candidate to the position.

From my point of view it looked like Mike took a back seat and allowed the recruiter full
control. Though it is the recruiters responsibility to source candidates, the process was
taking too long and even Mike was getting annoyed. I think the organization’s politics are
flip-flopped. The hiring manager should have seniority and the recruiter should function
as a resource used to help source potential candidates for the hiring manager. I think the
organization has given he recruiters too much control, leaving the hiring mangers with
open positions that are not getting filled in a timely manner.

4) Reflect on what you would do or not do differently given what you have learned
about this frame.

There is not much I could have done as a referred candidate waiting to move forward in
the hiring process at Pfizer. I was left at the hands of the recruiter to move me forward to
the second stage of interviews. Mike, the hiring manger, eventually did communicate to
the recruiter that I was his referral, and preferred candidate. That is what secured me the
position in the end. When it was all said and done, everyone got what they wanted and I
was hired eventually. I don’t agree with how the political structure is set up, but in the
end it worked out.

This situation opened up my eyes to see that things may not be what they seem. When
Mike came to me, it sounded like he was offering me the position. Little did I know the
hoops and hurdles to come throughout the process. “As arenas, organizations house con-
tests and set the stakes, the rules of the game, and the parameters for players”(Bolman
2021,Pg. 230). I was upset in the moment and I don’t think I was wrong for feeling that
way. Even though the political frame was set up differently than I thought, it did end up
working in my favor and I was hired.

2
 Reference

Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2021). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership (7th ed.).
San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass