Yesterdays post was a high level view of the games that are played out within organizations. I referred to these as office politics.  In fact these are serious strategies usually targeted toward harming others, and not really “games ” at all.

The disclaimer

First the disclaimer, this is a fictitious example, I am making it up.  Any similarities or resembalance to situations or people you know is purely coincidence.

Given this type of scenario plays out in homes and offices across the country at, possibly daily, it would be no surprise to me if you can associate it with a personal real life situtation, but again, I am making it up to provide clarity about office politics.

Seeking Power – The Example

A given manager seeks more granted power from the organization.  This can be through a promotion or an organizational change or even just a title change that creates the perception of importance.

Achieving these results through performance is one strategy to achieve this goal. It probably entails hard work and takes time.  Is there a short cut?

The behaviour associated with organizational or office politics is in fact usually just that, a short cut to the power.  First the manager plots their strategy.

In this example it is to discredit a peer such that the disfavour will result in their demotion or even termination.  He or she can then fill the void, grow their power and prestige.

Of course there are lots of ways to do this, most entail stabbing them in the back while seeming like a friend.

These strategies include things like sabotaging thier work, fixing outcomes to make them look bad, planting  negative rumours and gossip, undermining their authority without appearing to do so and the list goes on but hopefully you get the point.

As I posted yesterday, when I see these plays underway, my most common reaction is to run for the exits.  Unless of course I am the target, but how I would react in that case is a topic for a future post.