The term “office politics” frequently causes sighs and eye rolls. But dealing with power imbalances and interpersonal connections at work is an unavoidable aspect of working life. Let’s debunk “office politics,” rather than avoiding or dismissing it. When using this catchphrase, what problems are individuals actually referring to?
Anyone who works in the corporate world can tell you that the word “office” coupled with the word “politics” is a hated combination. Over the years, however, I’ve noticed something. Everyone who works for a company feels like there’s a lot of politics, but ask them and they will tell you with complete confidence that they themselves are not political.
Think about that for a second. How can this apparent contradiction be true?
It all comes down to point of view. From our perspective, everyone else seems to be playing politics because that’s our interpretation of their behavior. But our lenses for viewing our own behavior are colored by our intent. We do things for reasons, but others do things because they are political.
Read Also: MIRROR THOUGHTS: Neglect Office Politics At Your Peril
What if we could see office politics from a totally different perspective?
Understanding Office Politics
Contrary to how they may seem, most of the people you work with are not terrible people. They are not out to get you. Their goal is not to make your life harder. They struggle with the same things you do, from a lack of clarity to overwhelming pressure. All the negative things we go through in our jobs are likely things our coworkers have had to deal with too—but none of us see it that way.
This isn’t to say there aren’t people out there who are genuinely disruptive, terrible to work with, or who try to steal credit. But for the most part, people’s behaviors are a response to the incentives they’re given, whether positive or negative. At the end of the day, we are all organisms that can only do our best to adapt to whatever context we find ourselves in.
Think about the following scenarios:
- You are told by your manager that in order to get that promotion, you need to ship a feature before the end of the quarter. Someone comes to you from across the company who desperately needs resources for a critical project. Do you stop what you are doing to help, knowing you will miss your deadline?
- You are told that there are limited engineering resources and that you have to make your best case to get your initiative funded. Then you realize something else should be a higher priority for the company. Do you tell the VP to put the resources there instead?
- You are told there is one opening to become the team manager, and you are up for it. Do you yield to your peer, who is equally good and has more experience than you, or do you fight for the position?
In scenarios like these, our own incentives, the incentives of the company, and the incentives of others may not be aligned. There isn’t a “good guy” or a “bad guy,” but we may not even notice this. We’re willing to forgive ourselves for being selfish in order to get that promotion or to land that funding. We are partisan and fight for our teams, refusing to look at the bigger picture. How does that look to the person on the other side of the issue—the coworker who wants that role just as badly, or the team who may need those resources more?
There will be times when you see others acting politically, and there will be times when you will seem political to others. The bigger question is how you will respond. Do you extend grace and understanding, or do you feed into the maligning machine?
How To Deal
Sometimes, all it takes to see the reality of a situation is a little more context. Try these strategies the next time you find yourself dealing with someone who seems political:
- Take a step back. Recognize that your perception of them may be coloring your view. Consider that they may not see their own behaviors as political.
- Ask for their perspective. Listen closely and directly—and that means not just waiting for your turn to speak. Actively try to understand why they seem hostile to you or your idea.
- Demonstrate openness to hearing their point of view without prejudice.
- Get outside input. How do people who work closely with them view their behavior? Do they have a different perception than those who are farther removed?
- Put yourself in their shoes. Why would they say what they said? Could your behavior have played a role?
When all you have to base your opinion on is your perception of someone else’s actions, you risk jumping to conclusions and burning bridges. Instead, look for ways to expand your viewpoint and get more insight into the logic behind their behavior. You may find that they no longer appear political at all.
