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

Develop an Understanding of How Power Is Distributed in Your Organization

It is okay to be wary of powerful people because they can punish you. You are right to be anxious when it seems inevitable that by saying no, you will upset at least one powerful person, perhaps several! What they do in response may have tangible implications for your reputation and perhaps your career.

It is easy to label someone as powerful—but what does this mean in practice? A loud and aggressive person may appear to be highly influential yet lack tangible sources of power, other than their bullying manner. These characters are often regarded negatively but are tolerated because they get things done. While they can make life uncomfortable for you, the damage they can do to you may be very limited.

At the other end of the spectrum, the more introverted types can easily be overlooked. Often you will discover that these people have strong connections throughout the organization and their opinions are regularly sought. They do not need to shout because they are certain of their power and confident in influencing what needs to happen.

One of the best ways to analyze power is to think about the key decisions that are made. Notice who is most influential and why they succeed. Perhaps your organization is working hard to reduce its cost base. In this situation, look closely at the finance people around the business because the organization will be giving them more power as it drives down expenses. It ...