I once had a boss who informed me there was no such thing as company politics. At the time, I decided that depended on whether you were the person wielding power or influenced by it. In my career experience, Id categorize self-serving antics, sabotaging behaviors, information hoarding and artful manipulation under the heading of company politics. Id throw in veiled threats, perpetuated mistruths, finger-pointing and coercion. Theres a long list of behaviors Ive personally experienced or witnessed in the workplace under the politics label. And Im sure you can add your own.

These negative work cultures are fraught with fear. Fear youll step on a career grenade, lose your job, be labeled a trouble-maker or relegated to the non-promotable category. Fear youll say the wrong thing, fall into project quicksand, find no support or be kept out of the loop. These soul-depleting cultures trample self-esteem, negate initiative, encourage survival behavior and diminish motivation.

But in twenty years in management Ive learned something else about company politics. It doesnt have to be a blood-sport. The politics label can be assigned to assisting other departments, supporting company initiatives, cooperating with those in charge, sharing information, and helping others achieve results. You see, strategic alignments, interdepartmental collaboration and volunteering for additional work assignments are politics, too.

Politics can be served with a negative or a positive impact. Samuel B. Bacharach, a Cornell University professor, puts it this way in Get Them on Your Side: Politics is simply the way we influence others to achieve our goals. As long as those goals are positive, and not achieved at the expense of others, the politics of getting them accomplished is neither manipulative nor negative. Dictators may be political, but saints might be, too.

Its the intention behind an action that determines whether politics creates fear or builds relationships. Whats the motive? If politics is a dirty word where you work, undermining results and reducing staff engagement, consider your contribution to that culture.

You see, we have a choice how we use our power and influence. And dont be nave to think you dont have both. We all have power and influence over people in our lives: staff, coworkers, family, bosses, children. We can serve our brand of politics from well-intentioned thoughts or manipulative self-interest. And each impacts differently.

(c) 2006 Nan S. Russell. All rights reserved.