Organizational Behavior, 17e

Politics: Power in Action

1. 6 Describe how politics work in organizations.

Whenever people get together in groups, power will be exerted. People in ­organizations want to carve out a niche to exert influence, earn rewards, and advance their careers. If they convert their power into action, we describe them as being engaged in politics. Those with good political skills have the ability to use their bases of power effectively.47 Politics are not only inevitable; they might be essential, too (see OB Poll).

Definition of Organizational Politics

There is no shortage of definitions of organizational politics. Essentially, this type of politics focuses on the use of power to affect decision making in an organization, sometimes for self-serving and organizationally ...