Most people, not just women, have an allergic reaction to the mere thought of Office Politics. How often have you heard people say, ‘I just don’t want to get involved in the politics at work – I hate that stuff?’

But what do we mean by office politics? The typical response from most of us, if asked, would be something that included any or all of the following:

doing whatever it takes to climb your way to the top
backstabbing, blaming and people wanting their own way
cliques and groups that look out for themselves and exclude those who don’t fit
boasting about our achievements whilst others get on with the work
shady decisions made behind closed doors without consultation
sucking up to and flattering those in power to secure a promotion
being scared to speak truth to power for fear of damaging our career prospects
dismissing those who are considered weak
gossiping and spreading false stories
setting up others to fail

But are we correct in thinking these are typical office politics, or even office politics at all?

Aren’t they just toxic, unpleasant and bad behaviour? My experience is that in any organisation, some people will always engage in this kind of behaviour to progress their own agenda. Good cultures seek to root out and eliminate the toxicity rather than rewarding it. If the above behaviours are rife and normal in your organisation, why are you still there?

I have just finished reading Niven Postma’s book ‘If you don’t do Politics, Politics will do you’. The book is billed as a guide to navigating office politics effectively and ethically. Office politics are inevitable, every workplace has its version, and no matter where you work, you won’t escape the structure that dictates how people get things done.

Niven gives us a more helpful way of thinking about office politics.

‘Organisational (or office) politics are informal, unofficial, and sometimes behind-the-scenes efforts to sell ideas, influence an organisation, increase power or achieve other targeted objectives. [They are] the unwritten rules that determine who gets what, when and how – a promotion, a budget for a project, a say in the boss’ decisions and who doesn’t.’

If you are an ambitious woman looking to climb the career ladder, you need to understand how things work in your organisation to position yourself for success. Learning to be politically savvy must be a priority. Beyond great performance, you must pay attention to the workplace culture, effectively advocate for yourself and build strong relationships that open doors to new opportunities.

Women struggle more than men with some of the things that are necessary to be politically savvy.

Gender stereotypes and biases and the double standards applied to girls and women leave us with unconscious beliefs and more likely to be criticised for certain behaviours.

During education, we seek praise for following the ‘good-girl’ stereotype: focus, apply ourselves diligently, work hard and get results. It works at school and university and is the main reason girls tend to do better than boys. Problems arise when we join the workplace and wrongly assume that all we have to do is wait for people to notice our hard work and reward us accordingly
Women are expected to be inclusive, nurturing and team-focused. If we are openly personally ambitious and share our achievements, we are deemed ‘pushy’. Similarly we are criticised if we don’t speak up and then dismissed as over-confident if we share opinions others don’t like, sell ideas that challenge the status quo or use our influence to make things happen
The workplace is still full of male-only cliques where the discussions are often sport-related, the jokes can be borderline (or even openly) misogynistic and being a member involves after work drinks and golf games. Even women who enjoy sport and have time to join their male colleagues out of working hours are often dismissed as trying too hard to be ‘one of the lads.’
Women tend to have a different view of relationships. They are more likely to see them as something nurturing and supportive. The concept of a more transactional “quid pro quo” arrangement, with the expectation of mutual benefit without much effort, is unfamiliar to them

So how do you become part of a healthy office political culture?

It is absolutely possible to work genuinely within the office politics culture in order to make sure that you get the recognition and reward you deserve for your hard work and achievements. Some things to look at would be:

Define your own value proposition.

What are your strengths and passions, what do you bring to the organisation, and what do you want to achieve that supports its growth and development? When you are clear on these things, then you can advocate for yourself in an authentic way that helps people understand how your work contributes to positive business outcomes.

Watch what works

Lift your head from your day-to-day work. Pay attention and understand the workplace dynamics. See who is securing the budget for new internal initiatives, who is being placed onto the high-profile projects, who is speaking at internal (and external) events and ask them, from a place of genuine interest, how they got to do that.

Understand who has power and influence

Learn who are the people who have power and influence and could become strong supporters. Think about how your work and value proposition might interest them. We tend to consider sponsorship a one-way relationship, but it doesn’t have to be. You are a senior, talented and valued member of the organisation who can offer and receive support. Find these people, ask to know more about what they are doing and offer help.

Build strong relationships

Take time to build strong relationships across the organisation. Create allies and champions, relationships of trust and influence that will get your ideas supported and out there.

Reframe your view

Above all else, if you have an allergic reaction to office politics, then reframe your thinking. It is perfectly acceptable to want to do well in your career and to realise that hard work and results won’t be enough to do that. Think about political skill as your own interpersonal style that combines social astuteness with authentic behaviours in an engaging manner. A manner that inspires confidence, trust and builds lasting and mutually beneficial relationships for the good of you, your team and the wider organisation.

If you are struggling then please do get in touch and let’s talk through what you need.

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Getting to Grips with Office Politics