Last time, we examined the basics of distinguishing valuable political opportunities from riskier ventures. Since most people do eventually master the basics, advantage lies in mastering the finer points. Here are some of the less-often-recognized attributes of true political opportunities.
- What happens when you miss is pretty good too
- Even if pursuing the opportunity doesn't succeed, the next most likely outcome leaves you in a good position. This situation is often called successful failure. That "second prize" position might offer a variety of advantages: it might open a path to further opportunities, it might enhance your image, or it might enrich or create valuable relationships.
- Your source is private
- Opportunities that you learn about through private sources are usually more valuable. If your information about the opportunity is widely available, then in all likelihood, the opportunity is nothing special. If, on the other hand, the opportunity is something special, but it's being widely advertised internally, then the chances are good that it's "wired" for someone who learned of it long before you did. I know that sounds cynical, but that's the way it often works.
- Your source is credible
- It's a plus if the person who first alerts you to the opportunity has nothing to gain from your seizing it. If your source does have something to gain, it's possible that the information you received is slightly tilted; not necessarily by intention, but usually with the goal of biasing your choice in a direction that benefits your source most. That might be good or bad for you, but be aware of these effects.
- The information is confirmed
- When news of the opportunity reaches you through public channels, it's believable, though it might not be worth much since everyone has it. When the news reaches you through private channels, it could be more valuable, but it might not be valid. Seek confirmation discretely.
- When news of an opportunity reaches
you through public channels, it's
believable, though it might not be
worth much since everyone has it - Unfavorable outcomes are relatively harmless
- If you pursue the opportunity, and you secure it, you then have a chance to perform. If the outcome of that performance is success, you'll benefit. But if the end result is anything less, and you still are not harmed, the opportunity is clearly more valuable, because it presents little risk.
- Pursuit is divisive
- This advantage applies if you're operating in a toxic political environment, and only then. In a toxic environment, dividing your political opponents is advantageous. If merely pursuing the opportunity divides your opponents, that helps your cause. Securing the opportunity is usually even more helpful. But consider this: do you really want to remain in such an environment? Probably not.
Some feel that political considerations have no place when evaluating opportunities. Perhaps, in some organizations, they don't. Such organizations are rare. For most of us, Politics is part of Life. First in this series Top Next Issue
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More articles on Workplace Politics:
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we've developed hundreds of ways to insult each other silently (or nearly so). Here's part one of a
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- Extrasensory Deception: I
- Negotiation skills are increasingly essential in problem-solving workplaces. When incentives are strong,
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of what the solution will do, how much it will cost, how long it will take, and much more. Disentangling
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- How Did I Come to Be So Overworked?
- You're good at your job, but there's just too much of it, and it keeps on coming. Your boss doesn't
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- Judging Others
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social norms. But what's the harm in judging others? And why do so many people do it so often?
See also Workplace Politics and Ethics at Work for more related articles.
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- And on May 1: Antipatterns for Time-Constrained Communication: 2
- Recognizing just a few patterns that can lead to miscommunication can reduce the incidence of problems. Here is Part 2 of a collection of antipatterns that arise in technical communication under time pressure, emphasizing those that depend on content. Available here and by RSS on May 1.
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Beware any resource that speaks of "winning" at workplace politics or "defeating" it. You can benefit or not, but there is no score-keeping, and it isn't a game.
- Wikipedia has a nice article with a list of additional resources
- Some public libraries offer collections. Here's an example from Saskatoon.
- Check my own links collection
- LinkedIn's Office Politics discussion group