Political Games

Sometimes people complain that a coworker is “too political”. This may mean that the person is seen as a groveling toady or backstabbing manipulator. But most politically successful people are simply being smart about their career. Like athletic ability, political savvy seems to come naturally to some people, while others have to learn. So here are some strategies to adopt if you want to demonstrate more political intelligence.

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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.

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Political maneuvering is part of the ebb and flow of office life, but games have a specific purpose. A truly malicious game will escalate office politics to an entirely different level. Here a few signs that a game is in progress:

• The player’s actions have an identifiable and predictable pattern.
• The behavior has an emotional payoff. Political games are always played for emotional rewards.
• True motives are never stated. Players will try to give logical explanations for everything they do.
• Any attempt to change the game is resisted, because players don’t want to lose the emotional payoff.

Common political games fall into three categories: Power Games, Ego Games, & Escape Games. Keep in mind that these popular pastimes are hardly limited to the workplace. We often play them with family and friends as well!

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Political maneuvering is part of the ebb and flow of office life, but games have a specific purpose. A truly malicious game will escalate office politics to an entirely different level. Here a few signs that a game is in progress:

• The player’s actions have an identifiable and predictable pattern.
• The behavior has an emotional payoff. Political games are always played for emotional rewards.
• True motives are never stated. Players will try to give logical explanations for everything they do.
• Any attempt to change the game is resisted, because players don’t want to lose the emotional payoff.

Common political games fall into three categories: Power Games, Ego Games, & Escape Games. Keep in mind that these popular pastimes are hardly limited to the workplace. We often play them with family and friends as well!

Read Full Article

Political maneuvering is part of the ebb and flow of office life, but games have a specific purpose. A truly malicious game will escalate office politics to an entirely different level. Here a few signs that a game is in progress:

• The player’s actions have an identifiable and predictable pattern.
• The behavior has an emotional payoff. Political games are always played for emotional rewards.
• True motives are never stated. Players will try to give logical explanations for everything they do.
• Any attempt to change the game is resisted, because players don’t want to lose the emotional payoff.

Common political games fall into three categories: Power Games, Ego Games, & Escape Games. Keep in mind that these popular pastimes are hardly limited to the workplace. We often play them with family and friends as well!

Read Full Article