Acting politically

Abstract

Of the six guiding principles that provide an informal coalitions agenda for leading change, “acting politically” is the one that is likely to cause managers the most discomfort. By convention, political behavior is not what one would expect to see championed as a vital component of effective leadership. Typically, organizational politics are thought of in terms of conflicting agendas, self-serving behaviors and “spin.” In contrast, models and stories of high-performance leadership are usually constructed in terms of co-operative mindsets, organization-enhancing behaviors and open, honest communication.

It’s almost as if people treat organizational politics as a low-grade virus infection, hoping that if they ignore it and think positively it will go away.

— Samuel Culbert