We are often asked to deal with office politics, which are not only
inevitable nor are they inherently bad. If we toss out the name-calling and
power-struggles associated with “politicking,” we have ways to make
the most of them.

Understanding Your Workplace – and Yourself! By understanding your
office politics, we get a sense of your company’s culture and dynamics. This
enables us to understand the best approach for trickier situations, and can
also help us reflect on where we fit in to the dynamic. Most importantly, taking
all this into account better prepares us to advocate for the best ideas, opinions
and you!

Settling Confrontation. Understanding office politics helps us settle
disputes and potentially quarrelsome situations effectively. When we look at situations
through a “political” lens, we can see approaches that address many issues without letting
emotions spiral out of control.

Power and Influence. People exerting their power and influence to enact
change is not always a bad thing! Influencing and understanding your organization’s
dynamics allows us to have a greater variety of ideas and opinions heard more frequently.

By looking at office politics as a part of organizational culture, rather than as
a bad word to be avoided, we and you can better take advantage of all
situations in which politics play a part – and you, too can learn how to use
them to vouch for yourself along the way!