Can I succeed at work if I don’t get involved in office politics?
What you need to know:
- Measured engagement with workplace politics can be a potent tool for career advancement.
- Networking, building alliances, and understanding the organisational culture are an integral part of growth into senior leadership.
- Successful leaders are usually adroit at surfing political currents, aware that they would have to escape the workplace to escape its politics.
The spectre of unpleasant entanglement in the labyrinth of workplace politics can be unnerving, yet the ascent to senior positions often involves the ability to deftly navigate its terrain. While involvement in workplace politics seems an inescapable facet of organisational life, sustained career success is however rarely a dividend of wily political mongery. The recipe for career success inevitably features competence, confidence, meaningful relationships, and character, among other vital elements.
Dealing with intricate power dynamics and manoeuvring within an organisation can present challenges yet perceiving them solely as obstacles to career success is a deficient view. Measured engagement with workplace politics can be a potent tool for career advancement. Networking, building alliances, and understanding the organisational culture are an integral part of growth into senior leadership. Successful leaders are usually adroit at surfing political currents, aware that they would have to escape the workplace to escape its politics.
Part of the answer lies in striking a balance between leveraging political acumen judiciously and ensuring that one’s professional growth aligns with personal values and ethical considerations. Instead of shunning politics altogether, aspiring leaders should strive to identify key stakeholders and understand the culture in their organisation. This knowledge may serve as a useful foundation for making informed decisions and navigating workplace politics with grace and integrity.
Have you considered reaching out to a mentor from among those whose career trajectories you admire? A mentor might offer insights that could make a positive difference to your career growth. What about locating an executive coach to help you to figure out and nudge you towards a route to your career aspirations?
It is possible for individuals to beat paths to senior positions without compromising their values or losing sight of the principles that define their professional character. Workplace politics may be pervasive, yet career success need not be synonymous with dabbling in Machiavellian machinations or malevolent conniving. Politics is not dirty. People are.
Fred is a HR professional
