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How Much Political Power Do You Have?
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“Political power” refers to your ability to accomplish goals at work, both in terms of your job and your career. The results you produce, your reputation, your relationships with people – these and many other factors contribute to your political power. The quiz below invites you to rate yourself on some Political Power Boosters.
| Political Power Boosters | Definitely (3 points) |
Somewhat (2 points) |
Not Really (1 point) |
|---|---|---|---|
1. ResultsI produce results that provide a clear benefit to my organization. |
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2. ReputationKey decision-makers are aware of my contributions. |
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3. KnowledgeI possess information that is quite useful to my organization. |
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4. AttitudeI am viewed by almost everyone as helpful and cooperative. |
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5. NetworksI know many people throughout my organization. |
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6. EmpathyPeople come to me for help with their problems or concerns. |
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7. InclusionI often try to include other people in my decisions or projects. |
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8. DetachmentI am known as someone who can see situations objectively. |
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| Total Points |
Scoring
8 – 12 points = low political power
16 – 20 points = moderate political power
21 – 24 points = high political power
If you score on the high end of the scale, good for you! You probably possess sufficient political power to accomplish your goals and should be able to get a lot done. A moderate score indicates that you can increase your political power if you choose to do so. But if your score is below 16, you definitely have some work to do if you want to increase your influence!
Action Steps
(1) To enhance your political power, identify categories for improvement. What specific steps would help to increase your score in those areas? What could you change about your actions at work or interactions with others?
(2) Consider how you use your time and energy at work. Do you concentrate on activities that will help you achieve your goals or waste energy on complaining, gossiping, or marginal activities? How might you need to refocus?
Secrets to Winning at Office Politics
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