I joined this company, for a small, fixed tenure. Even though I have been known for my outright behavior, I came in the company with a quiet and submissive attitude. I maintained a good image for a longer time than I had expected. Infact it became a way with me. The first scrutiny of my work was that of a document I drafted and I received harsh criticism from my senior for my writing skills. I actually reverted back clearly “You are the first one to say that, else I have always got compliments for it.” If I would have been in her place I could have given a good smarting, but she remained quite at ease with it. In some future assignments she also accepted the fact and infact got quite impressed.
I had observed the work-style in the company. People were easily accessible, least of air around them, very simple and real.
Things were going on well. Gradually I gained trust of people in the company and became part of it. My senior started calling me in her cubicle often to talk to me, sometimes to discuss a document, other times just to chit chat. She was my senior and guide and I had no idea why she felt at ease in discussing even her family matters with me. I had no option but to listen and add a word or two. Gradually she started telling me something about my colleagues, and wanted my feedback regarding how they worked and behaved. I was bewildered to hear that she simply hated one of my colleagues who was her immediate junior. Something started hurting me now. I could not feel at ease to discuss all this. It turned out to fetching gossip from me. May be I could have given up but I knew that one who is fetching gossip about others today from me would not spare me either. I started cutting corners, sometimes even became blunt to her.
I started questioning myself, “Am I being made part of organizational politics or is it just someone's trust that I have earned?”. But what is this trust that is pinning me down. I started feeling bogged down with the gossip of the office, complains about a subordinates' work glitches, or telling weird ways of how to keep people on their heels for little information, or sometimes going to an extent of just passing on a rumour.
This is just one of the cases of how people start becoming part of organizational politics. Organizational politics are actions taken by individuals to further their own goals, often at considerable costs to others or their organization. (Drory& Romm 1990; Ferris & Kacmar, 1992). Viewed from the perspective of social psychology, such behavior represents various forms of social influence applied to purely selfish ends.
Some specific tactics that individuals use in organizational politics:
Controlling access to information. Information is power in many organizations: those who have it and know how to use it can get pretty much what they want. Persons engaging in organizational politics manipulate information for their own purposes. They withhold or even conceal information to create problems for others. They sometimes overwhelm others with too much of information. The primary goal is to control information in ways that benefit the politician and, at the same time, harm others.
Cultivating a good image. Associating oneself with powerful people or important projects, by drawing attention to their accomplishments and by ingratiating powerful people: such tactics are designed by the political minded people to make them look better than the rivals. Such people are called organizational chameleons. They will do anything to make favorable impression on people from whom they can benefit in some way.
Developing a base of support. In the above example the senior is trying to build a base of political support with the help of a newcomer. People skilled at organizational politics go out of their way to ensure that others are committed to them and will support them when shoved. They use principles of reciprocity: doing small favors for greater returns. They often get what they want at very little cost.
Dirty tricks. These represent the extreme forms of organizational politics that most people would view as downright unethical. Hidden agenda: announcing one agenda but following another when others are not prepared for it hence exerting strong influence on the outcome. Spreading false rumours about others’ behavior and intention putting them in odd position, consuming important resources needed by another person to complete an important job, back stabbing by convincing someone that one is an ally and then speaking against them on their back, changing and falsifying records to put others in a bad light or cover-up one’s misdeeds.
Organizational politics is most likely to occur when the stakes are high-when there is lot to be gained by winning or when individuals have conflicting interests from that of a group or in human resource issues like raises, promotions and the like.
Protecting Yourself and Others against Organizational Politics
Clarify job expectations. Before undertaking a job you should fully understand what it involves and what, precisely, is expected of you. Doing so can make it difficult for politicians to manipulate you or demand anything unfair.
Encourage (or insist) open communication. As control over information is a frequent tactic of organizational politics, open communication puts things for public scrutiny thus reducing opportunities for such manipulation.
Keep your eyes open. The biggest mistake you can make is to stand by while someone plays games with you or with someone else. You may not be involved now, but you could be the next target. So, by being the socially responsible member of your organization and refusing to let unethical behavior pass, you may well protect your own interests.
I had observed the work-style in the company. People were easily accessible, least of air around them, very simple and real.
Things were going on well. Gradually I gained trust of people in the company and became part of it. My senior started calling me in her cubicle often to talk to me, sometimes to discuss a document, other times just to chit chat. She was my senior and guide and I had no idea why she felt at ease in discussing even her family matters with me. I had no option but to listen and add a word or two. Gradually she started telling me something about my colleagues, and wanted my feedback regarding how they worked and behaved. I was bewildered to hear that she simply hated one of my colleagues who was her immediate junior. Something started hurting me now. I could not feel at ease to discuss all this. It turned out to fetching gossip from me. May be I could have given up but I knew that one who is fetching gossip about others today from me would not spare me either. I started cutting corners, sometimes even became blunt to her.
I started questioning myself, “Am I being made part of organizational politics or is it just someone's trust that I have earned?”. But what is this trust that is pinning me down. I started feeling bogged down with the gossip of the office, complains about a subordinates' work glitches, or telling weird ways of how to keep people on their heels for little information, or sometimes going to an extent of just passing on a rumour.
This is just one of the cases of how people start becoming part of organizational politics. Organizational politics are actions taken by individuals to further their own goals, often at considerable costs to others or their organization. (Drory& Romm 1990; Ferris & Kacmar, 1992). Viewed from the perspective of social psychology, such behavior represents various forms of social influence applied to purely selfish ends.
Some specific tactics that individuals use in organizational politics:
Controlling access to information. Information is power in many organizations: those who have it and know how to use it can get pretty much what they want. Persons engaging in organizational politics manipulate information for their own purposes. They withhold or even conceal information to create problems for others. They sometimes overwhelm others with too much of information. The primary goal is to control information in ways that benefit the politician and, at the same time, harm others.
Cultivating a good image. Associating oneself with powerful people or important projects, by drawing attention to their accomplishments and by ingratiating powerful people: such tactics are designed by the political minded people to make them look better than the rivals. Such people are called organizational chameleons. They will do anything to make favorable impression on people from whom they can benefit in some way.
Developing a base of support. In the above example the senior is trying to build a base of political support with the help of a newcomer. People skilled at organizational politics go out of their way to ensure that others are committed to them and will support them when shoved. They use principles of reciprocity: doing small favors for greater returns. They often get what they want at very little cost.
Dirty tricks. These represent the extreme forms of organizational politics that most people would view as downright unethical. Hidden agenda: announcing one agenda but following another when others are not prepared for it hence exerting strong influence on the outcome. Spreading false rumours about others’ behavior and intention putting them in odd position, consuming important resources needed by another person to complete an important job, back stabbing by convincing someone that one is an ally and then speaking against them on their back, changing and falsifying records to put others in a bad light or cover-up one’s misdeeds.
Organizational politics is most likely to occur when the stakes are high-when there is lot to be gained by winning or when individuals have conflicting interests from that of a group or in human resource issues like raises, promotions and the like.
Protecting Yourself and Others against Organizational Politics
Clarify job expectations. Before undertaking a job you should fully understand what it involves and what, precisely, is expected of you. Doing so can make it difficult for politicians to manipulate you or demand anything unfair.
Encourage (or insist) open communication. As control over information is a frequent tactic of organizational politics, open communication puts things for public scrutiny thus reducing opportunities for such manipulation.
Keep your eyes open. The biggest mistake you can make is to stand by while someone plays games with you or with someone else. You may not be involved now, but you could be the next target. So, by being the socially responsible member of your organization and refusing to let unethical behavior pass, you may well protect your own interests.
