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

The Political Bottom Line

Joining a new group is an exciting opportunity. As career-minded individuals, we are likely to move to new organizations and groups regularly. Learning to avoid the culture shock dilemma can provide us with a valuable career skill. We need to work with people, and usually that involves working in a group. While we will have an impact, they will expect to see us join in with their way of doing things. Being able to use our political antenna to learn about these new rules will help us to quickly establish helpful friendships. And when the going gets tough, these people will be more inclined to offer us help and support.

To get results, we have to master the influencing and decision-making processes—both the formal process and the informal. Important people differ in their ways of making decisions. If we can tune into what works for them, favorable outcomes become more likely. Our career depends on our ability to make things happen, and learning as much as we can about the new culture we’ve entered can maximize our potential. Learning these skills will ensure that the excitement of the new opportunity lasts and that we are better positioned for success.