On Politics…..

Corporate politics get a bad rap (for good reason) but being politically savvy is critical to success as an executive.
When good leaders engage in politics in a healthy and constructive manner, it can elevate the norms of the “political game” within the company and lessen the power of those who play politics in harmful ways.

Executives must differentiate themselves.  They are put into a role for a reason.  They’ve been asked to do something. 

  • They have to do big things
  • They have to execute strategy
  • They have to move the needle forward
  • They have to differentiate their organization
  • They have to step out onto a limb

And they have enough skill, drive, and ego to get it done. The problem is that in their effort to get it done, they wind up out on a limb all by themselves.  And that makes it really easy for others to saw that limb off. And you wind up falling down.

If you are stepping out onto a limb by yourself, you will fail! You have to bring others with you. This is where politics comes into play.

I’m not talking about dark side (stabbing somebody in the back, withholding information, starting rumors, all that nastiness). I will never under any circumstances, advocate for dark politics. It is wrong and it shouldn’t happen.

However, politics in part of how companies operate.  If you are an executive, you must be politically savvy. Period, end of story, full stop.

Think about it like a chess game. You want to get “here”.

  • What are my obstacles?
  • What are my advantages?
  • What are my options?
  • How can I get other people to come in and move the pieces on this board, so that I get there?

That’s understanding what people want and why they want it. That’s understanding how to maneuver successfully, through corporate environments. That is healthy politics!