Moral Politics?

"Anyone who says they are not interested in politics is like a drowning man who insists he is not interested in water” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Have you ever come across co-workers who are happy to keep their head down and just focus on their work? They don’t like ‘politics’, they avoid them at all cost, they assume that people will notice their brilliant work and that they will get rewarded and get ahead? Then it doesn’t happen…and they get frustrated as they are overlooked for promotion yet again?

Acting politically in your career does not mean you have to become a caricature of some of the politicians we are seeing today. You don’t need to sidestep or step on the people around you or prioritise ulterior motives over group priorities to get ahead. But if you want to compete in an environment infested with people like that, you need to know how to play the game. Everything is politics. And, the good news is you can be political with a clear conscience. Being a ‘moral politician’ does not need to be an oxymoron –like ‘jumbo shrimp’.

Could you, or anyone you know benefit from being morally political?

If so, here are some ways to practise ‘moral politics’.

• Let people know about you - People do business with those they know, like and trust. Don’t assume your boss and others know all the good things you’ve been up to. Leverage Prof Zajonc’s ‘exposure effect’. People start to like what they remember so make sure you proactively manage your profile and share your wins on a regular basis.
• Ask, ask, ask - Staying silent is worse than being rejected. Mastering who, how and when to ask will give you the ‘Aladdin factor’.
• Cultivate influence – Assess your strengths and weaknesses, work out which of your strengths are valued in your environment and then leverage them in deliberate and predetermined ways.
• Build your network – Who you know and who knows you is crucial for getting things done. Leave people better than you found them. Giving of yourself and helping others without obligation builds their urge for reciprocity.
• Learn to deal with tricky people - Don’t look for conflict but don’t avoid it. Give people a face-saving, graceful 'out'. Feel your emotions but don’t let them steer your response and don’t take things personally - 9 / 10 times it’s not about you.

So, how can you be morally political today?

“One of the penalties of for refusing to participate in politics, is that you end up being governed by our inferiors” - Plato

Susan Treadgold

Founder

www.tedlondon.com

https://www.facebook.com/TreadgoldExecutiveDevelopment/

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