Politics 101: 6 Tips to Navigate Office Politics like a Ninja (Without Getting Dirty)

Politics. It often feels like a dirty word. Or at the very least an unnecessary blocker to getting things done.

The reality is wherever people exist, politics resides. If you’re driven and aspire to succeed in the workplace then it’s an inevitable acquaintance you’ll make. So let’s talk about it. 

Politics is about people and power. While this in itself is of no harm, unfortunately how people use their power is what gives rise to the negative sentiments.

Lord Acton, a British historian of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, made an observation:

“Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely”

In efforts to rise to the top, some people deploy dirty tricks and tactics at the expense of others. This gives rise to unseemly behaviours such as throwing people under the bus, sabotaging others, or backstabbing. Don’t be that person.

To be successful, it is important you understand the politics at play in order to wield these to your advantage or at the very least avoid being an unwitting casualty of rogue players. How you play with the people in power and in turn how you play with your own power matters.

Tips For Navigating Office Politics

Our top tips to help you navigate office politics like a ninja, sidestep the drama, and stay squeaky clean.

1. Know the key players: identify those who have power and wield it skillfully. Know who the key decision makers are so you know who to showcase your work to and key targets to win sponsors.
   
   Your network is your net worth. As much as we'd all love to believe in meritocracy, the reality is that opportunities are given to those that can be vouched for. It's only a bonus if you're qualified. Maybe that’s a bit of hyperbole. The point is being qualified or doing great work only forms part of the picture and will only take you so far. The rest is who you know. Your social capital is king.
2. Pick your battles: there are times when you’ll need to be ready to lose the battle to win the war. Being the constant dissenting voice is unlikely to win you favours. More often than not you could end up on the social blacklist meaning you lose your audience. This is where it’s important to be clear of the bigger picture of what you want to achieve. Where there's a big fish to catch, fighting a minor personal injustice or right may need to take a backseat or be delayed for a more suitable time. 
3. Learn the art of bargaining: sometimes you may need to trade favours. For example, helping your colleague out when they’re struggling with their workload will lay good groundwork and win you capital for when you need help in future. This is not to say you should be fake. Just be a good neighbour so to speak; be a colleague people love and a great team player. You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Also bear Wilson Mizner’s words in mind: “Be nice to people on your way up because you’ll meet them on your way down”.
4. Practise diplomacy: this means learning when to act and when to stand back; when to speak and when to hold back. Not every opinion you have should be shared; and not to everyone. A word spoken or action taken at the wrong moment or to the wrong person, no matter how relevant, can cause irreparable damage.
5. Guard your reputation: who you know matters and what they know about you i.e. your reputation perhaps even more. Perception beats reality. For example you lose your temper at a colleague at work. This colleague just so happens to be on great terms with a key leader. A time comes when this leader wants their opinion on you perhaps for a project assignment and the colleague can’t but share their experience. This not only gives rise to a bad reputation with that individual leader but it’s likely they will share their view at some point with other key individuals. This could mean you losing any hope of sponsorship thus hindering your chances of development or advancement in future.
6. Set your boundaries: be clear on what lines you won’t cross. Write these down even as a reminder for future reference. This will be helpful when situations arise to tempt you. Don’t compromise your moral values to get ahead; in the end it’s never worth it.

All this said, the above should of course never be at the expense of your safety and wellbeing.

It is also worth noting that navigating politics does mean accepting that life doesn’t always play out the way it’s written. What you feel strongly should happen may not in reality and vice versa. For example you shouldn’t have to help your colleagues first for them to help you - of course they should help you regardless; out of the goodness of their heart. But humans typically operate on mutuality and reciprocity so unless you work with yourself alone, be ready for some surprises. It might not be right, but it is reality.

In closing on this topic, Gerald G. Jampolsky’s words never rung truer: “you can be right or you can be happy”.