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Workplace Etiquette:  The Political Savvy Individual

To be successful in today’s evolving workplace, you need talent, hard work, good job performance, a share of good breaks as well as political savvy.  Political Savvy means ethically using office politics to your advantage.  To some office politics means deceit, deception, and selfishness.  However think of political savvy as the ability to practice sensible and ethical office politics.

At one time, it was assumed that office politics were played primarily by supervisors and managers who were attempting to climb the ladder of success, and executives who were still either climbing or trying to maintain. Not only are office politics tougher today, but the stakes are at their highest.  In an era of organizations trimming down to reduce costs, corporate takeovers, downsizings, and mergers the use of political savvy is needed for survival.

Office Politics are played to obtain power – the ability to control people or resources, or to get others to do things you want done.  Understand that office politics are omnipresent – every where – all the time.

People who understand and use office politics to their advantage are much likely to succeed than their politically naïve counterparts.  Therefore, to gain a competitive edge you need more political skill and knowledge.  To ignore office politics is to ignore those underlying forces that account for the success between equally talented people. 

Let’s Start With Some Definitions

Political – the use of strategy or intrigue in obtaining power, control or status; to deal with people in an opportunistic or manipulative way, as for job advancement.

                                                            - Random House Webster’s College Dictionary

Savvy – understanding, knowing how, shrewdness

- Webster’s New Century Dictionary

Ethical – being in accordance with the rules or standards for right conduct or practice

(the body of moral principles and values held by or governing a culture, group, or individual); conforming to the principles of proper conduct, as established by society.

- Webster’s New Century Dictionary

Think of political savvy as a practical understanding or shrewdness of how people operate on the job including the strategies and motives involved.  Think of office politics as the subtle and informal methods of gaining power or a competitive edge.

Characteristics of a Political Savvy Individual

-   Chooses to become an active, ethical player

-    Believes in and cares about the issue at hand

-    Plays above board

-    Avoids political blind spots

-    Uses power to get things done

-    Spreads the credit

-    Is an effective team player

For Federal employees political savvy is listed under the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Executive Core Qualification of Building Coalitions/Communication.  As a leadership competency it identifies behaviors such as:

            -  Keeping current with internal and external political and

               issues that impact the work of the organization

            -  Approaching problems with a clear perception of               

               organizational and political reality

            -  Anticipating the internal and external implications of

                statements and actions

            -  Recognizing the impact of alternative courses of action

            -  Considering political and organizational reality, the media

                and special interests in decision making.

There are fundamental reasons as to why people politic.  Knowing these reasons can help you in developing your political savvy or when it is likely that others will be using political tactics to win or discredit you.

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