OFFICE POLITICS-HOW DO YOU COPE?

21-9-2014 12.55AM IST

Medhaj News: I was contemplating to write a simple article on a topic for quite sometime.

I observe how employees in large organisations function? What makes them successful? And more importantly how they fail; or rather are made to fail?

I picked up top three lessons which I have learnt so far, sharing the same with larger audience on how to win office politics?

1. Identify key opinion leaders (KOLs)

In almost all organizations I have observed leaders who have excellent influence on top management, their peers and their subordinates. These are the people who work overnight to make or break impressions about you. They have become influential either by virtue of their tenure, positions, network and most importantly God fathers.

In an organization (name withheld) there was a Vice President, very close to the CEO. He had a big mouth and was notorious in damaging careers of people. Employees who didn't greet him or did not attend famous mentoring sessions by him were invariably critiqued in multiple forums. One more example is a lady in HR, very close to top management, since some of them contributed to her bright career. Anybody going against her wish was targeted in a political campaign which was designed by her members of Mutual Admiration Club (MAC). So whenever, top management representative would be asked feedback, all MAC members would share ‘very nice things’, pun intended!

So, if you don't know KOLs in your organization, how will you start managing perceptions about you? Remember perception is reality whether you like it or not!

2. Relationship Development and Management

Now, you know KOLs but they don't know you. They have heard about you. Not sure whether it is good, bad or ugly- you have left your image to be managed by others. Remember branding? Your branding is in the hands of others and you are not making any significant efforts to spruce up your branding efforts.

Initiate relationship development efforts by finding common grounds. There are many common things e.g. locations, sports, music, authors, fashion, contacts. In a company (name withheld). A partner was to attend a business development meeting with CEO of a client company. He prepared very well for the meeting by getting to know the CEO's background, hobbies, earlier companies where CEO had worked and; names of the people who were common to them. From the moment two guys met, they established a great connect and the consulting company ended up signing a multimillion contract.

Learning, people do business with people they like!

Avoid taking your KOLs head on in public forums. It is always better to sort out differences one on one. There was a meeting happening and two leaders got into a big argument to such an extent that one of them walked away, insulting the other. Rest of the people in the meeting also felt insulted. The person who walked away didn’t continue too long in the organization.

Remember, you are on relationship management mission. Don't burn the bridges; you will need them to cross many corporate rivers!

Another example is of a lady who was plotting a trap for a fellow employee. The trap was like a chess game. She will create an issue, the guy will react, plot partner will aggravate the situation and; then she will make plot target look pathetically bad. Other gentlemen overheard this plot and he shared with plot target. Result, lady had to miss her promotion and plot partner was given side role in next three months.

Avoid talking negative about KOLs. After all, corporate world is very competitive in everything. Thanks to normal distribution curves and vertical pyramids!

3. Manage your ego and anger

Well you might be from Harvard, thanks for that! Your pedigree, family background, contacts got you up to hear but they may not take you there. After all, people like to work with gentleman not arrogant guys. Be humble without being egoist!

You may come across many situations, high work pressures, issues at home. Please don't blow up your anger and show to the world, how emotionally weak are you? You can get angry so much and so frequently, you may be very conveniently ignored for a bigger role. Normally, people get angry when they experience that situations or people are not in their control.

A very senior guy got angry once got angry with a lady and he ended up publicly insulting her. He didn't realize that in his anger he crossed some lines-he ended up telling her a lot-including a mouthful Matter was escalated and the employee is serving a remote posting.

Remember, why you get angry on your little daughter. Also, how bad you felt when your anger mellows down?

It's always better to take a break, count up to 10, give yourself more time.

After all Rome was not built in a day! It's nice to slow down, wait for the right time and push things through!

I hope these simple but practical tips will help you in making a successful corporate career.

By Alexander