The art of turning around office politics

Communicate, be neutral and stay focused to manage workplace tensions

OFFICE politics exists whether we like it or not.

The term “office politics” refers to the complex and often unspoken power dynamics that exist within an organisation.

Granted, it is natural for a person to have personal and professional ambitions, but it is a well-known fact that untamed office politics can quickly become toxic and corrosive to the well-being of a company and the people in it.

When employees engage in power struggles and manipulation tactics, it can lead to a breakdown in communication, a lack of trust within the superior-subordinate ecosystem and a decrease in productivity, which can lead to some workers feeling demoralised.

A prominent local C-suite executive recently put up a post on social media regarding office politics and provided interesting insights on dealing with it.

The executive said that office politics need not be a bad thing. I agree.

This means that everyone is involved in office politics, but we also need to decide how our involvement will impact the company.

My take on this is that when there is good politics, the employees who hold leadership positions recognise that it is their duty to protect their department’s colleagues from distress, insecurity and calamity.

Bad politics, according to the executive, usually happens when there is resentment and lack of communication between parties to resolve issues.

The underlying reasons for office politics are often psychological.

And once this escalates, office politics can turn into full-blown psychological warfare.

In my opinion, leaders and managers can use their power in an effective way by managing any tension within groups to strengthen team performance by doing two things: managing their own feelings and behaviour and being observant of how they motivate others in the organisation.

Managers and leaders who are insecure will project their insecurities by bullying, instigating and pitting employees against one another to make it seem like they come across as competent and transparent.

Then there is the creation of factions within a department and company, causing those further up the hierarchy to prioritise their own interests over the goals of the organisation.

When this happens, workplace relationships within the organisation become underappreciated, leading to high staff turnover.

Additionally, when employees feel that they must participate in office politics in order to get ahead, it can create a culture of fear and uncertainty that can be detrimental to the mental health and well-being of the workforce.

As self-improvement and corporate training guru Dale Carnegie once said: “When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic but creatures of emotions.”

At the end of the day, it is impossible to completely avoid office politics, be it a crossfire or conflict, as it is an inevitable force of nature.

But here are three ways to survive it: communicate effectively – address the issue directly with the person involved who can make an impactful resolution, not by venting and rumour-mongering with those who cannot, stay neutral – avoid taking sides in office politics whenever possible as this will help you avoid getting dragged into conflicts as well as keep your reputation intact, and focus on your work – remain focused, motivated and prioritise your own goals instead of getting entangled in drivel which could jeopardise your reputation.