Organizations are Political Entities: Simply Working Hard is not Enough, You Also Need Political Skills to Thrive
Organizations are Political Entities: Simply Working Hard is not Enough, You Also Need Political Skills to Thrive
Organizations are inherently political entities, and anyone who ignores those dynamics becomes powerless and less effective. To survive and succeed in today’s highly competitive organizations, simply working hard is not enough, you also need to have political skills.
If you think that just doing your best can make you successful, without being concerned about the power dynamics of your organization, you are mistaken. You need to understand the critical role of power and influence in your professional growth and take necessary action to develop political skills.
Having political skills does not mean that you become manipulative and self-centered, which a large number of people assume.
It means to better understand the interpersonal and power dynamics within the organization. It means to become more powerful and influential by developing power through formal as well as informal sources of power.
Formal sources of power are legitimate, reward, coercive and information, while informal sources of power are expert, referent and charismatic. Also, remember that power gained through informal sources is long lasting and more effective. So, try to develop as much power as possible through informal sources.
Success comes only when you identify what you want to achieve and map out a plan for getting there. This includes identifying the goals that you want to achieve and making strategies to achieve those goals.
In sum, please remember simply working hard is not going to make you successful, you also need to be adept at understanding, and navigating through, the political environment of your organization.
