xxvii) Office Politics

Not appreciating the power of the informal structures/networks and office politics, ie political maneuverings that are a significant part of the hidden power structure. It is about what

"...happens off the organization chart......about power bases that are behind the organisational structure. People who are savvy understand this, but those who don't lose out in areas such as building relationships..."

Mark Holden as quoted by Catherine Fox, 2003

Furthermore, Mark Holden believes

"...the trend towards dismantling traditional authoritarian and hierarchical structures in some organizations, plus the emphasis on team-based work, makes understanding politics more important than ever..."

Mark Holden as quoted by Catherine Fox, 2003

The 5 most common behaviours (David Buchanan, 2008) in office politics are

i) building a network of useful contacts

ii) using "key players" to support initiative

iii) making friends with power brokers

iv) bending the rules to fit the situation

v) self-promotion

Less commonly used tactics include misinformation, spreading rumours and recording "dirt" on others