Political Dilemmas at Work: How to Maintain Your Integrity and Further Your Career

Determine How Your Behavior Might Be Contributing to the Dilemma

Your behavior has a big influence on the way your team behaves. Followers observe what their leaders say and do and this provides a mental template of what is acceptable. If you frequently lose your temper with others, it is entirely reasonable that your followers will also vent their emotions in this way. The cliché “do as I say, not as I do” doesn’t really stack up.

You need to be tuned in to this when you face a friendly fire dilemma. Here, your team members will be working hard to influence each other. They will also be working hard to influence your perceptions of their colleagues. So a key aspect of your behavior that needs to be carefully considered is how you approach the task of influencing people. The way you behave in this respect will establish the template for the way your team will approach their influencing activities.

If your influencing strategy makes use of manipulation, deceit, and win-lose tactics to make things happen you are giving your followers permission to do likewise. Negative politicking and backstabbing will quickly become established as the norm within your team culture. Conversely, if you encourage openness, honesty, and tough yet fair negotiation, you will be minimizing the risk that a friendly fire dilemma will emerge. Through your example, you can demonstrate the real benefits that can be achieved by constructive and authentic behavior.

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