OBAT WORK248 Part 3Interacting Effectively
Forget, for a moment, the ethics of politicking and any nega-
tive impressions you may have of people who engage in orga-
nizational politics.^85 If you wanted to be more politically adept
in your organization, what could you do? The following eight
suggestions are likely to improve your political effectiveness.
1 .Frame arguments in terms of organizational goals.
Effective politicking requires camouflaging your self-
interest. No matter that your objective is self-serving;
all the arguments you marshal in support of it must
be framed in terms of the benefits that the organiza-
tion will gain. People whose actions appear to bla-
tantly further their own interests at the expense of the
organization’s are almost universally denounced, are
likely to lose influence, and often suffer the ultimate
penalty of being expelled from the organization.
2.Develop the right image.If you know your organiza-
tion’s culture, you understand what the organiza-
tion wants and values from its employees—in terms
of dress; associates to cultivate, and those to avoid;
whether to appear risk-taking or risk-aversive; the
preferred leadership style; the importance placed on
getting along well with others; and so forth. Then
you are equipped to project the appropriate image.
Because the assessment of your performance is not
a fully objective process, both style and substance
must be addressed.3.Gain control of organizational resources.The control
of organizational resources that are scarce and impor-
tant is a source of power. Knowledge and expertise
are particularly effective resources to control. They
make you more valuable to the organization and
therefore more likely to gain security, advancement,
and a receptive audience for your ideas.
4.Make yourself appear indispensable.Because we
are dealing with appearances rather than objective
facts, you can enhance your power by appearing to
be indispensable. That is, you don’t have to really be
indispensable as long as key people in the organiza-
tion believe that you are. If the organization’s prime
decision makers believe there is no ready substitute
for what you are giving the organization, they are
likely to go to great lengths to ensure that your
desires are satisfied.
5.Be visible.Because performance evaluation has a
substantial subjective component, it is important
that your manager and those in power in the
organization be made aware of your contribution.
If you are fortunate enough to have a job that
brings your accomplishments to the attention of
others, it may not be necessary to take direct mea-
sures to increase your visibility. But your job may
require you to handle activities that are low in visi-Politicking
From Concepts
to SkillsTony Mignacca, a close associate of Alfonso Galiano, the
former cabinet minister who had been in charge of the
sponsorship program, began to pressure Brault to take
Renaud back. Mignacca gave Brault the impression that
Groupaction’s account with Via Rail would be in jeopardy
if he did not re-hire Renaud.
In 2002, Brault knew a federal advertising contract for the
Department of Justice was coming up. Because Brault’s firm
was not ready to bid, he wanted a delay in the closing of the
tender. He met with Morselli, proposing $100 000 if the
competition was delayed. He paid $50 000 in cash, and the
competition was delayed. He planned to pay the rest in April
2002, but by that time Auditor General Sheila Fraser had
begun her investigation into Brault’s firm. Facing a criminal
trial, Jean Brault, the high-flying advertising man, has been
brought back to earth.Questions
1 .Identify the power bases of the individuals involved
in the sponsorship scandal: Jean Brault, Chuck
Guité, Joe Morselli, Alain Renaud, Tony Mignacca,
and Sheila Fraser.
2.What influence tactics did the prominent characters
in the sponsorship saga use to try to pressure people
to act in certain ways?
3.What factors contributed to the political behaviour
evident in the sponsorship scandal?Sources: “Brault Dissected,” The National, April 7, 2005; “Guité Trial
Begins as Brault Sent to Jail,” Daily Courier (Kelowna), May 6, 2006,
p. A8; G. Chiasson, “Advertising Scandal Fells Canadian
Government,” Advertising Age, December 5, 2005, p. 81; and J.
Intini, “Ottawa’s Crusader,” Maclean’s, December 27, 2004, p. 32.