Using Politics Positively

Let’s explore the ways that you should use politics to your advantage. By advantage, we mean finding ways to positively increase your output as a manager, ensuring your team is well connected and exposed to impactful work, and positively affecting the rest of the department and company.

Connecting with teams and groups

Who makes decisions in your organization? Who is influential? Who are the close groups of individuals that think similarly, and who are the rival factions? Identifying this upfront allows you to navigate sensibly through the political landscape and gives you the best chance of knowing who to confer with to build consensus on particular issues and who to approach differently or even avoid.

Once you’re done, set yourself a challenge to introduce yourself to them and begin building some connections. Remember that to have influence and to make an impact, you’ll need to win hearts and minds. ...