WHAT IS POLITICS?
“Politics, in its broadest sense, is the activity through which people make, preserve and amend the general rules under which they live” (Heywood 2013, 2). Notice that politics involves people (plural) making rules.
WHAT DO WE MEAN BY OFFICE POLITICS?
The phrase “office politics” is a loaded expression. It universally implies negative behaviour in the workplace. It elicits strong views. It typically suggests manipulation, intimidation or sabotage.
It is little wonder then that many avoid politics. It is viewed with disdain and participation seen as compromising values and ethics. But consider William Shakespeare’s words; “There is nothing either good or bad – but thinking makes it so”. (Hamlet)
Does this hold for work place politics? Could it be that office politics could be good or bad – it is just how we think about it? How we perceive it? Could we come to conclude that office politics could provide uplifting and powerful outcomes for people? Could thinking differently make it so?
CAN WE AVOID THE INFLUENCE OF POLITICS?
As politics involves plurality, it could describe itself as “Where two or more are gathered there I am also”. It follows that only a hermit can avoid the influence of politics. Robinson Crusoe could do so until Man Friday arrived (Crusoe’s talking parrot doesn’t count). As soon as two or more people interact, politics announces itself. It’s unavoidable.
The following confirms the inescapable nature of politics. “…the heart of politics is often portrayed as a process of conflict resolution, in which rival views or competing interests are reconciled with one another. …..the inescapable presence of diversity (we are not all alike) and scarcity (there is never enough to go around) ensures that politics is an inevitable feature of the human condition”. (Heywood 2013, 2)
Notice that diversity and scarcity, core constituents of our societal fabric, ensure a need for unification of people’s rival views and competing interests. We can choose to avoid participation in office politics but we cannot escape its influence. Avoiding involvement means that we deny ourselves an opportunity to have our views heard.
So if the influence of politics is inescapable and our detachment potentially harmful, how could one beneficially engage politics?
WHAT POWER IS EMPLOYED EXERCISING POLITICS?
The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines power as “the capacity to influence the behaviour of others, their emotions, or the course of events.”
The Project Management Institute’s (PMI) guideline suggests that the exercise of power comes in many forms: “positional, informational, reverent, situational, charismatic, relational, expert, reward, punitive, coercive, ingratiating, pressure, manipulative (guilt based), persuasive and avoidance”. (PMBOK edition 6)
We easily associate exercising power with position (hierarchy) or by employing reward, coercion, ingratiation, withholding information, manipulation or avoidance (read passive aggressive).
However, notice that power is also evident exercising persuasion, respect or reverence, charisma or expertise. Successfully nurturing good relationships further reveals power.
This introduces the enticing notion that exercising positive forms of power could contribute to changing our perceptions of the nature of office politics. It could also positively influence a negative reality.
WHAT ROLE COULD EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE PLAY IN POLITICS?
Returning to the definition of power as “the capacity to influence the behaviour of others, their emotions…”, It is interesting to see how closely this definition of power mirrors our understanding of emotional and social intelligence (ESI).
Daniel Goleman (1995, 112-113) states in relation to self-management and empathy: “These are the social competencies that make for effectiveness in dealing with others. These social abilities allow one to shape an encounter, to mobilize and inspire others,….to persuade and influence, to put others at ease”. Further, Goleman (2006, 84), “The ingredients for social intelligence ….social awareness, what we sense about others – and social facility, what we do with that awareness”.
Based on the premise that we wish to access power that positively influences and builds people, we can conclude that:
Power = Emotional and Social Intelligence
In other words, emotional and social intelligence are competencies that can powerfully shape office politics to deliver favourable outcomes.
CAN YOU IMAGINE A WORK PLACE WHERE “GOOD POLITICS” RULES?
Imagine a work place, a politically active space, populated with people that are clear on their individual and collective values, purpose and goals. A team space where every member has emotional and social competence levered for his or her own good, and that of the team and the organisation.
Visualise power exercised through persuasion, inspiration, respect and competence. Power grounded in respect for compromise and consensus. Realising this state is not easy. As Heywood (2013) states, quoting Stoker (2006), “Politics is designed to disappoint; its outcomes are often messy, ambiguous and never final”.
To thrive in this “messy” political environment will require inner strength and resilience, and ESI competence. It will involve celebrating diversity and embracing the counter intuitive notion of abundance.
Imagine a workplace rid of destructive politicking. A place where people influence and grow each other for a common good. A place of compromise, conciliation and negotiation. A place where competent people, together, do great work.
Thinking differently will make it so.
I urge you to consider the following questions as you contemplate your role in this envisioning:
- What is the state of my work space environment?
- Is there anything I can positively influence?
- What do I believe is the state of my emotional and social intelligence?
- Do I believe my self-mastery or self-esteem need bolstering?
- Do I exercise power in my workspace?
- Where does my power come from?
- Could exercising my power positively and sustainably influence my work space?
If you need assistance in this evaluation, please direct your query using the email address below or post a query on our website.
Goleman, D. (1995) Emotional Intelligence, London: Bloomsbury
Goleman, D. (2006) Social Intelligence, New York: Bantam
Heywood, A. (2013) Politics, 4th Edition, Basingstoke, UK; Palgrave MacMillan
Project Management Institute, Edition 6 Project Management Body of Knowledge