Kingmaker: Be the One Your Company Wants to Keep... On Your Terms

Chapter 4. Politics at Large

Politics at the workplace are real, insidious and mostly unsettling. Politics are easily half of your job even if you think you’re not political. You can opt out, be an astute moderate, or be a political animal. Politics is the art and science of gaining “inside” access to the top people and positions in the organization. Even if you opt out of the maneuvers, you are affected by politics because it impacts your peer group, your leadership and the whole flavor of the place. If you are a moderate, you are astute enough to understand the game and gain some level of appeal and respect, but probably not driven enough to attain total membership in the “club” and a seat at the big table. If you are a political animal, your ...