Working in an organization always comes with internal politics. While some people know how to navigate internal politics, knowing why one should learn is not apparent to many people, especially those who are just starting their careers or are new to a role or company. Learning to embrace politics can significantly benefit your growth and career trajectory. Below are four ways to understand and embrace politics and how to maneuver your way through them.
Tip #1 – Observe and Listen
When you enter a room, a conversation, or a virtual meeting, take the time to observe how people are making decisions, along with who’s influencing those decisions and the informal networks that exist. Through active listening, you should be able to determine who is given the coveted work task assignments along with what relationships and established alliances influence those decisions; this is information that is beneficial in the future. Next, you can figure out how to navigate those relationships more effectively when needed (e.g., large initiatives where change management is required but informal networks may influence adverse outcomes).
Tip #2 – Build Relationships
Having a vast network that spans your organization can provide you with valuable insights into the office culture. They can also help your career progression when they share insights into roles or initiatives in their area that you might be interested in pursuing. Strong relationships, built on trust and respect, can help you even when you are not in the room – where a fair amount of the politics is at play.
Tip #3 – Strategic Communications
Learning to communicate strategically helps you convey your ideas, accomplishments, and contributions succinctly and intentionally without taking credit away from others. Strategic communication can help you navigate conflicts diplomatically but also help you get on a career-advancing initiative that you would only get if you can articulate why you are the best person for the role. Internal politics can either support or hinder you; how you communicate indicates how much effort you must put into correcting your approach to get what you want.
Tip #4 – Understand Power Dynamics
Once you have identified the key decision makers and informal influencers, you can better navigate the internal politics by knowing whose support and alignment are critical to the success of a given initiative. When you know who the decision-makers are, you can seek their support ahead of time, significantly reducing the likelihood of your initiatives not being approved.
There are certainly more tips I could offer, but these are some great ones to start with. If you have others missing from the list, I’d love to hear about them.
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