Internal office politics suck but are also inevitable.
You cannot simply sit this one out. Instead, you need to know how to navigate them with confidence as you continue to build your own credibility and character.
On top of that, the source of internal politics will be indicative of the company culture.
- For instance, are the politics negatively impacting the level of transparency, openness and respect?
- Are they creating communication challenges amongst teams and levels of seniority?
- Are they leading to unnecessary silos and alienation across departments?
- Are they enabling toxic behaviours that lead to poor management of teams?
Your ability to master internal politics without compromising your integrity is what distinguishes peak performers from the rest.
Here's how.
Do not miss the signs.
It is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day grind at work and lose sight of what is really going on around you. That said, keeping your head down will work against you when it comes to office politics.
Here are 5 signs to look out for:
→ Lack of authenticity: One of the primary pitfalls you may run into is the temptation to mold yourself into a version that aligns with the political climate of your company, instead of being your true self. This unsustainable strategy will constantly feel like you have to show up differently in the workplace compared to your personal life.
→ Over-reliance on alliances and networking: While forming strategic relationships and nurturing internal networks are essential, an over-reliance on these tactics can result in a perception of opportunism and insincerity. Genuine connections can be overshadowed by the perception of self-serving motivations, leading to a loss of trust with others.
→ Engagement in gossip and rumour mill: Joining in on office gossip will have detrimental effects on your reputation. Not only does this undermine your integrity but it also diminishes your credibility and trustworthiness. Instead, remove yourself from this situation altogether or shut down the conversation by saying "I prefer not to engage in this conversation" or "I do not feel comfortable contributing to this".
→ Avoidance of conflict and difficult conversations: Most people are risk averse, so it is not uncommon to run the other direction when faced with a work conflict. That said, this is rarely the answer as it only creates further tension, unresolved issues, and reduced team cohesion over time.
[Check out my recent newsletter on How to communicate through conflict]
→ Personal gain: Prioritizing short-term gain over long-term company success can lead to a perception of self-centeredness. Focusing solely on your own advancement without considering the broader impact on the team and company can have negative consequences and hurt your credibility in the long run.
My 3 strategies to rise above office politics
1/ Cultivate authentic and transparent communication
A big part of working through office politics is to become a valued, trusted and respected resource for others, both on your direct and indirect teams.
Fostering an environment where everyone's voice is heard will enable them to feel empowered to express their viewpoints without fear of judgment. This can be achieved by practicing active listening, acknowledging differing perspectives, and encouraging a culture of mutual respect and understanding.
Transparent communication also involves sharing pertinent information openly, even when it may be uncomfortable or challenging, to promote a sense of trust and openness. By demonstrating honesty and integrity across your interactions, you will lead by example instead of going against your moral compass.
Is this scary? It can be. But it is necessary to hold your ground and ensure that you are not forcing yourself to be someone you are not.
Also, this requires a conscious effort to build genuine connections based on mutual respect. This involves proactively seeking opportunities to engage in meaningful conversations that go beyond surface-level interactions.
The more you understand what makes others tick, what fuels their motivations and goals, how they are evaluated and what matters to them most, the better you can communicate with them in a way that sticks.
More often than not, this one shift serves as your gateway into more collaborative conversations rather than feeling like it is you against others in your company.
Asking questions like "What is your biggest pain point right now?", "How can I best support you in this?", "What support do you feel you are missing to reach that goal?" and "What do you consider your biggest roadblock on achieving X?" are great guiding questions to get the ball rolling in the right direction.
In fact, I recently interviewed our latest industry guest expert Tricia Dallahan, VP Product Management and Chief of Staff for Omni Businesses and Emerging Technologies for Walmart Global Tech inside my Career Success Fast Trackâ„¢ program. Having navigated an incredibly successful career herself, she emphasized the importance of empathy and transparent communication in getting through work challenges, toxicity and politics.
2/ Build mutually beneficial relationships
Forming your internal group of allies and supporters despite work challenges is essential.
Prioritize genuine connections based on shared values and common goals. By actively seeking to understand the perspectives and needs of colleagues, you build a sense of camaraderie and collaboration that transcends the competitive nature of office politics.
This approach involves offering support and assistance without expecting immediate returns, enabling a culture of reciprocity instead of "I did this for you, so now you need to do this for me".
By emphasizing the "what's in it for them", you allow others to feel particularly valued and appreciated.
- Pro tip: If you are lacking the needed support within your direct team or with your immediate boss, identify other internal allies who can support you and remove the ambiguity you may be facing due to workplace politics. That said, do not use these moments as venting sessions to complain about others. You never know who this may get back to and you do not want to add more fuel to the fire. Always be respectful and thoughtful in how you build these relationships as you want them to stand the test of time.
Furthermore, seek out opportunities to uplift and empower others within the company. By advocating for the success of your colleagues, you infuse a culture of trust and positivity that is often needed when office politics are prominent. For example, this can be done in a team meeting congratulating others on a recent win to show your support.
Some of my other favourite ways to do this is through mentorship, knowledge sharing, and providing constructive feedback that facilitates the development of others based on their respective goals.
Finally, the more you have people in your corner who can attest to your character, the less impacted you are by office politics since you have enough people standing up for you when you are not even there.
3/ Address conflicts proactively and constructively
Conflict and office politics often go hand in hand. It is hard to avoid completely.
Whether stemming from miscommunications, toxicity, or inappropriate behaviours, you must be prepared to persevere. Avoiding the situation or hoping it will simply go away is not ideal.
As you grow in seniority, you will only be faced with more challenges so you need to build the muscle of addressing conflict with confidence now.
Here are 3 key steps to help you in this regard:
→ Approach conflicts with a solution-oriented mindset, seeking to resolve issues through open and respectful dialogue. Help show that you are both working towards the same goal and that there is a benefit to them in supporting you. It is not about "me" vs. "you" but rather "us" vs. the problem or challenge.
→ Practice empathy when navigating challenging conversations, prioritizing the preservation of relationships and mutual respect. Do not lead with statements about how you are impacted as this will lead to immediate defensiveness on their part and you will have already lost. Rather, start with statements like "I can certainly appreciate where you are coming from on this" or "I can only imagine how difficult this is for you".
→ Implement regular check-ins and feedback sessions to address potential conflicts before they escalate, fostering a culture of open communication and collaboration. This is particularly important if you see the same conflict happening with the same person.
More often than not, workplace conflicts can be resolved with effective communication and empathy-led relationships. It is certainly worth focusing on what you can control to improve your situation in favour of your development goals.
That said, there may be moments when the nature of the conflict and who is involved goes completely against your value system. This is where you need to ask yourself if this is an organization you want to continue to grow with. A quick tip to help in this decision-making is to assess if the conflict you are dealing with is department or team specific, or if it is something you observe across the company and enabled by leadership, often meaning less chance for immediate change.
[Check out my free LinkedIn Learning on Nano Tips for Handling Difficult Work Situations]
How will you rise above internal politics?
The ability to navigate office politics with integrity is not always easy but a muscle you must develop in your career. Cultivating authenticity, nurturing genuine relationships, and addressing conflicts constructively will allow you to establish yourself as someone who is trusted, respected and valued in your company.
You've got this!
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This week's mission is designed to help you navigate office politics with confidence. Dedicate uninterrupted time to answering the questions below and leverage these reflections to influence your day-to-day actions and longer-term strategies.
1/ Identify the source of your workplace politics:
- Is it stemming from certain individuals/teams/stakeholders?
- Choose 1 key action step to cultivate authentic and transparent communication that will improve your situation and evaluate the progression over the next 2 weeks.
2/ Note down the key aspects of your value system:
- What values are most important for you to have respected at work?
- Are any of these being compromised due to internal politics?
- Leverage the best practices shared in today's newsletter to address this head on.
3/ Determine your internal allies:
- If you already have a relationship built with them, identify how you want to leverage this for win-win outcomes when dealing with office politics.
- If you do not already have a 1:1 relationship built, initiate this connection so they can further remove ambiguity and guesswork when faced with workplace politics and become an ally to you moving forward.
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