sion-makers when they are involved in developing new
approaches and getting things done. Before coming to a final
conclusion and launching a fully fledged proposal at a
committee or in a memorandum, it makes good sense to test
opinion and find out how other people may react. This testing
process enables managers to anticipate counter-arguments and
modify their proposals either to meet legitimate objections or,
when there is no alternative, to accommodate other people’s
requirements.
Making deals may not appear to be particularly desirable, but
it does happen, and managers can always rationalize this type of
behaviour by reference to the end result. Withholding informa-
tion is not legitimate behaviour, but people do indulge in it in
recognition of the fact that knowledge is power. Judicious with-
drawal may also seem to be questionable, but most managers
prefer to live to fight another day rather than launch a doomed
crusade.
POLITICAL SENSITIVITY
Office politicians exert hidden influence to get their way, and
‘politicking’ in some form takes place in most organizations. If
you want to get on, a degree of political sensitivity is desirable –
knowing what is going on so that influence can be exerted. This
means:
■ knowing how ‘things are done around here’;
■ knowing how decisions are made, including the less obvious
factors that are likely to affect decisions;
■ knowing where the power base is in the organization – who
makes the running; who are the people who count when
decisions are taken;
■ being aware of what is going on behind the scenes;
■ knowing who is a rising star; whose reputation is fading;
■ identifying any ‘hidden agendas’ – trying to understand
what people are really getting at, and why, by obtaining
answers to the question: ‘Where are they coming from?’
■ finding out what other people are thinking and seeking;
■ networking – as Kakabadse suggests, identifying the interest
groups.
How to Deal with Office Politics 255