Office politics often gets a bad reputation, but it is an inevitable part of work. Whether you are in a corporate environment, a Not-For-Profit or small family business, political dynamics will be at play. Learning to navigate these dynamics ethically can not only help in building strong relationships but also advance your career.
Office politics can be valuable when used to strengthen relationships and push forward important initiatives ethically. However, it is devalued when used to undermine others. To thrive, it’s essential to understand the nature of politics in your workplace, develop political intelligence, and recognise how this impacts your career.
Strategies for understanding office politics in a positive way:
- Reframe office politics: Shift your mindset from seeing office politics as negative to viewing it as a tool for building strategic connections and advancing professionally.
- Recognise the inevitability: Accept that politics exists in every workplace. Acknowledging its presence can help you prepare to navigate it effectively.
- Your professional presence: Learn how to ethically promote yourself and develop the ability to build strategic networks within your workplace.
Look out for our next e-newsletter with ‘Part 2: Developing Political Intelligence’.