ORGANIZATIONAL POLITICS

Organizational politics: The hidden culture of many organizations, rarely openly discussed, discretely practiced, but hardly acknowledged.

In very many organizations, time and time again, I have watched two important scenarios play out. A rising star joins an organization with a track record of excellent performance, and full of ideas on how to bring change and innovation to the organization. A short time after, the new star steps into well-laid banana peels, stumbles and crashes, frustrated and bruised. The new star is obviously an outsider. The unwritten rule in many organizations is that every outsider must first understand the internal politics of self-survival.

On the other hand, I have also watched some average performers rise to powerful and enviable positions within their organizations. If you imagined that the average performers got to their positions through hard work or by improving their skills, you may be missing the point. The difference between the two scenarios is that the average performers understand perfectly the internal politics of their organizations. The wonder kids rely solely on their skills and competence to survive.

In an ideal corporate world, skill and competence are parts of the essential components of what it takes to get to the top. In practice, this is not always the case in some corporate settings. Beside competence, getting to the top involves a lot of political maneuvering, influences and interests. Employees who fit into these considerations are the only ones that make it to the top.

The nature of organizational politics

Organizational politics is part of the unwritten culture of every organization; privately known but rarely openly discussed. Every organization has its own share of this culture. There is also a sinister aspect of this culture that exists in some organizations. This aspect shuts out those who do not understand how to play the internal politics of their organizations. Employees who disregard the impact of the politics of their organizations do so at their own risk.

Organizational politics is not necessarily about having skills or being competent. It is not  about being intelligent or hardworking. Organizational politics, as we often see it play out in many organizations, is the politics of recognizing who is in charge where it matters, and where to place your loyalty. Some employees describe it as the politics of knowing the right people or having the right connections in the appropriate places.

Organizational politics creates the enabling environment for average performers to rise above mega performers. Ideally, this ought not to be the case, but in a politically pliant organization, nothing seems abnormal. Organizational politics is the politics of knowing how to manage your boss. In very extreme circumstances, organizational politics is also similar to ingratiation, “eye service”, or “man-know-man”, in some local African parlance.

Ingratiation, “eye service” or “man-know-man” are deliberate attempts to elevate sycophancy to unenviable heights. In some corporate settings, ingratiation is an instrument for obtaining unmerited favours. Adherents apply subtle but persuasive means to seek affection, curry favours and gain recognition from their bosses or people in position to improve their lots.

Organizational politics may be part of “operational policies”

It is an aberration that this sort of politics still exist anywhere within the corporate world. Corporate organizations readily deny practicing or encouraging their employees to practice this divisive politics within their business environments. Business managers also claim ignorance of the existence of any form of politics within their departments and units. Regrettably, many aspects of organizational politics are usually hidden and subtly practiced as part of “operational policies”. Unfortunately, many of the practices described as “operational policies” are products of political maneuvering, approved, orchestrated and administered from the top.

Let us consider for a moment a typical form of organizational politics, usually masked as operational policy. Many multinationals send employees from their home office to head subsidiaries in the developing world or elsewhere as expatriates. The expatriates are given better working conditions, better pay packages, and empowered by executive management to preside over more qualified and highly competent local employees. This is despite the fact that the local employees may understand the business and local environment better. This practice is usually carried out as part of operational policies. However, it signifies a political move orchestrated to ensure that management control rests within trusted, loyal and inner circle of executive management.

Organizational politics exists but you do not have to play it

To many people from highly responsible and ethical corporate organizations, all forms of organizational politicking may seem strange. However, to many other people in several organizations within the developing world, organizational politics exists. You do not have to take part in the politics of your organization, but you ought to develop the skill to avoid it; otherwise, you will lose out.

You may also like the read these equally interesting articles.

1. How to survive the politics of your organization
2. Competence is not Enough to Take you to the Top
3. Still on Managing your Boss