How to Play Office Politics Without Selling Your Soul

Playing politics simply refers to the dynamics of, and struggles for, power. Politics exist in every organization, and we should expect its presence in the workplace. Politics are even played at home when a child lobbies one parent, or plays one parent off the other parent to achieve their goals. Building relationships to create momentum and power is how we all get things done. Without the right relationships, we most likely would not have received our last promotion. A study of 400 U.S. workers from staffing firm Robert Half International says that nearly 60% of workers believe that involvement in office politics is at least somewhat necessary to get ahead.

Here’s the challenge: politics in business gets a bad rap from the people who are known for playing them the most. The use of power and the appearance of fairness in the workplace impact how engaged employees are with their jobs. Negative examples of office politics would be the strategies people use to seek advantage at the expense of others, or the greater good.

What do leaders who play politics do?

• Kiss up: Team members who utilize political power in a negative way are good at pleasing their boss and those they perceive as having the right political power
• Withhold information
• Fail to respond or acknowledge requests for information or support
• Communicate different messages to different people, depending on their political goal
• Gossip about people they do not value or respect
• Withhold critical support or resources, causing others to fail to achieve their goals

All of these behaviors send out a message that they value and respect some people, but do not hold the same level of value and respect for others. Ultimately, leaders who exhibit the behaviors listed above are perceived as being untrustworthy or unfair. When people don’t consider you to be trustworthy or fair, it’s difficult to build relationships where people want to follow you.

Here’s the problem with playing workplace politics. It works well as long as you are in perfect alignment with the direction the political winds are blowing. If your boss loves you but everyone else on the team thinks you’re an unfair team player, you are most likely secure as long as you have the same boss. The problem begins when the political winds change direction. If your boss retires or gets fired, people participating in politics are in trouble because they don’t have relationships that will support their negative political style moving forward. For the first time, team members have a voice, and they don’t want to work with this type of leader. Another example is when there’s a promotional opportunity within the organization. Unless the promotion is under the same boss, chances are strong that this individual will not get the job.

Wondering how to play office politics, then? Here are 3 keys to dealing with workplace politics by building a reputation as a leader.

Do the right thing for the team and the organization. When you are focused on what is best for the overall team or organization, it won’t matter whether someone is liked or perceived to be in the right political favor.

Build strong relationships across the organization. If you build strong relationships across a wide section of the organization, and you have a reputation for doing the right thing, you won’t have to worry when the political winds change direction.

Lean into people who practice bad politics. People practicing negative politics impact you and/or your work, and you need to get closer to them. Meet with the individual and discuss your concerns. For example, you might ask this political individual, “When you launch this new program without involving, or at the least informing our department, how does that benefit our organization and our customers?”

Positive or negative – dealing with workplace politics happens. The philosopher Plato said, “One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.” Positive office politics will help you get what you want in the working world without compromising others in the process. Implement the 3 tips above, and you’ll be on the road to building a reputation as a trusted and fair leader who knows how to build positive relationships to get things done.