AN IDEAS INTO ACTION GUIDEBOOK
Developing Political Savvy
IDEAS INTO ACTION GUIDEBOOKS
Aimed at managers and executives who are concerned with their own and others’ development, each guidebook in this series gives specific advice on how to complete a developmental task or solve a leadership problem.
| LEAD CONTRIBUTORS | William A. Gentry |
| Jean Brittain Leslie | |
| CONTRIBUTORS | Sara N. King |
| Kim Leahy | |
| Harold Scharlatt | |
| Bertrand Sereno | |
| DIRECTOR OF ASSESSMENTS, TOOLS, AND PUBLICATIONS | Sylvester Taylor |
| MANAGER, PUBLICATION DEVELOPMENT | Peter Scisco |
| EDITOR | Stephen Rush |
| EDITOR | Karen Lewis |
| DESIGN AND LAYOUT | Joanne Ferguson |
| COVER DESIGN | Laura J. Gibson |
| Chris Wilson, 29 & Company | |
| RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS | Kelly Lombardino |
Copyright © 2012 Center for Creative Leadership.
All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America.
CCL No. 452
ISBN No. 978-1-60491-122-0
CENTER FOR CREATIVE LEADERSHIP
AN IDEAS INTO ACTION GUIDEBOOK
Developing Political Savvy
William A. Gentry and Jean Brittain Leslie
THE IDEAS INTO ACTION GUIDEBOOK SERIES
This series of guidebooks draws on the practical knowledge that the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL®) has generated, since its inception in 1970, through its research and educational activity conducted in partnership with hundreds of thousands of managers and executives. Much of this knowledge is shared—in a way that is distinct from the typical university department, professional association, or consultancy. CCL is not simply a collection of individual experts, although the individual credentials of its staff are impressive; rather it is a community, with its members holding certain principles in common and working together to understand and generate practical responses to today’s leadership and organizational challenges.
The purpose of the series is to provide managers with specific advice on how to complete a developmental task or solve a leadership challenge. In doing that, the series carries out CCL’s mission to advance the understanding, practice, and development of leadership for the benefit of society worldwide. We think you will find the Ideas Into Action Guidebooks an important addition to your leadership toolkit.
Table of Contents
Rex and the Political Missteps
Workplace Politics—A Fact of Life
Developing Effective Political Savvy
Determine the Appropriate Behavior Before Acting
Leave Them with a Good Impression
IN BRIEF
Politics is not good or bad; it’s neutral and natural. Politics is not a zero-sum game; being politically savvy does not mean that someone else has to lose for you to win. Politics is not about being false; instead, political savvy is about using your skills, behaviors, and qualities to be effective, and sincerity is vital. The ideas and exercises in this guidebook will help you become a more politically savvy leader and build your capacity to lead effectively in your organization.
Rex and the Political Missteps
Rex was an expert on a promising technological advancement in his industry. His reputation with a competitor’s firm got the attention of senior management. They were so excited when they were finally able to hire him, thinking they had a direct line to unspeakable profits. It didn’t take long, however, for Rex’s lack of political savvy to get noticed.
Rex’s political blunders were obvious to everyone—everyone but Rex. From the start, he took every opportunity to remind people that he was the expert. He concentrated on work that fulfilled his own agenda or interested him personally, disregarding other more important projects that would benefit his team or the entire organization. Then whenever senior management was around, he would steal the credit for the work of other members of his team.
He got the reputation of being nice only when he wanted something. He often made commitments and promises to stakeholders with a handshake and a smile, but he never fulfilled those commitments or kept those promises. Fewer and fewer people trusted him. As a result, his ability to collaborate and build a quality network of people diminished day by day.
Rex consistently overestimated his ability and didn’t bother to listen or learn from others. He didn’t read situations correctly or try to understand the culture of his new organization. He never seemed to tire of telling people that his former employer did things better.
His superiors made several attempts to redirect him, but their attempts failed. The organization eventually let Rex go.
Workplace Politics—A Fact of Life
Rex clearly had a severe lack of political savvy, but he is not alone. Many leaders have room for improvement. Politics in the workplace is a fact of life. How people feel about that fact varies. To some, the ability to think and act politically feels like a “necessary evil.” Others would rather refuse to “play the game,” but they fear their careers will suffer if they don’t.
Many people would describe politics in their organization as coalition building, bullying, making people feel small, favoritism, stealing credit from someone else, or “stabbing someone in the back (or even the front)”—all for one’s own self-interest. In these environments,