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

Book description

Mike Phipps and Colin Gautrey's first book, 21 Dirty Tricks at Work, presented the most common political tactics used by individuals in the workplace. This book helped many people around the world handle these tactics in a constructive and assertive manner. What was not tackled were the more strategic political situations that people find themselves in when others exert their power and influence, the type of political campaigns that can leave individuals feeling bemused, fearful and paralyzed. Political Dilemmas at Work will present real political challenges in an original and engaging way - which will be instantly recognizable by any experienced manager. Then, based on the authors' experience of coaching managers and directors, they will offer analysis and practical tools and tips about how to deal effectively in these situations. With the workplace becoming more political and competitive by the day, Political Dilemmas at Work will come to the rescue. This book will become required reading for anyone who is ambitious and wants to ensure that they do not fall foul of negative organizational politics.

Table of contents

  1. Praise
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Epigraph
  5. Foreword
  6. Preface
    1. Political Dilemmas at Xennic
    2. How to Read Political Dilemmas at Work
  7. Chapter One - POLITICAL RIVAL
    1. Everyone Does Politics—So Get Used to It
    2. Play to Your Own Strengths—Not to Your Rival’s
    3. Use Your Energy to Influence the Decision Makers—Not to Fight Your Rivals
    4. Promotion Is Seldom a Right or an Inheritance—It Must Be Earned and Influenced
    5. The Political Bottom Line
  8. Chapter Two - POWER VACUUM
    1. Recognize Your Career Opportunity in the Power Vacuum
    2. Identify the Risks Created by the Power Vacuum
    3. Move into the Spotlight and Take Firm Decisive Action
    4. The Political Bottom Line
  9. Chapter Three - VICTORIA’S SECRETS
    1. Be Sympathetic about Other People’s Desire to Know
    2. If You Can’t Tell Them “What,” at Least Give Them “Why”!
    3. Be Clear about What Can and Cannot Be Shared
    4. The Political Bottom Line
  10. Chapter Four - TROUBLEMAKER
    1. Make a Stand by Reconnecting with Your Own Personal Power
    2. Review Your Past Actions to Correct the Troublemaker’s Behavior
    3. Increase Objective Feedback to Key Stakeholders
    4. The Political Bottom Line
  11. Chapter Five - CONSULTANTS RULE
    1. Gain Clarity on What Needs to Change
    2. Decide on Your Approach to This Dilemma
    3. Make This a Constructive Challenge
    4. The Political Bottom Line
  12. Chapter Six - TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW
    1. Go for Evolution Not Revolution with Your Change Agenda
    2. Confront the Dilemma Openly and Constructively with the Team
    3. Be True to Your Own Style and Give Them a Leader with Integrity
    4. The Political Bottom Line
  13. Chapter Seven - HOME ALONE
    1. Create a Broad Base of Powerful Stakeholders
    2. Develop Your Own Capability to Influence
    3. Make Networking an Integral Part of Your Work
    4. Build Your Own Political Capital and Personal Brand
    5. The Political Bottom Line
  14. Chapter Eight - TURF WARS
    1. Weigh Your Options Carefully and Make a Clear Decision
    2. Move Forward with Your “Stay Neutral” Decision
    3. Move Forward with Your “Compete” Decision
    4. Move Forward with Your “Facilitate a Resolution” Decision
    5. Move Forward with Your “Take Sides” Decision
    6. The Political Bottom Line
  15. Chapter Nine - MR. NICE GUY
    1. Get Real about Pleasing Other People
    2. Develop an Understanding of How Power Is Distributed in Your Organization
    3. Proactively Manage the Political Fallout
    4. The Political Bottom Line
  16. Chapter Ten - THE APPRENTICE
    1. Analyze the Disruption and Prioritize the Action
    2. Use Power to Proactively Advance Your Interests
    3. Rebuild Your Relationship with the Apprentice
    4. The Political Bottom Line
  17. Chapter Eleven - THE EMPEROR WEARS PRADA
    1. Invite Debate, but Don’t Always Expect to Get It
    2. Learn to Cherish Uncensored Opinion and Welcome Bad News
    3. In Times of Change, Stick to the Contract
    4. The Political Bottom Line
  18. Chapter Twelve - CULTURE SHOCK
    1. Turn On Your Political Antenna and Learn to Fit In
    2. Master the Informal Decision-Making Processes
    3. The Political Bottom Line
  19. Chapter Thirteen - FIRESTARTER
    1. Discover the Hidden Agendas behind This Dilemma
    2. Prepare to Challenge Your Sponsor
    3. Meet with Your Sponsor and Gain the Support You Need
    4. The Political Bottom Line
  20. Chapter Fourteen - THE OUTSIDER
    1. Create Multiple Connections with the Inner Circle
    2. Raise Awareness and Create a Positive Profile
    3. Take Your Impression Management Campaign on the Road
    4. The Political Bottom Line
  21. Chapter Fifteen - FRIENDLY FIRE
    1. Determine How Your Behavior Might Be Contributing to the Dilemma
    2. Build Trust to Unlock Real Motivations
    3. Prioritize Competitive Issues and Facilitate Win-Win Solutions
    4. The Political Bottom Line
  22. Chapter Sixteen - ROAD TO NOWHERE
    1. Find Out More about the Project and Get to the Politics
    2. Test the Political Temperature with a Hypothetical No
    3. Find a Safe Way to Uncover the Hidden Agenda
    4. The Political Bottom Line
  23. Chapter Seventeen - THE STATUS TRAP
    1. Analyze What Makes You Influential
    2. Develop Alternative Strategies for Influence
    3. Change Your Style to Better Influence Others
    4. Understand the New Rules about Status
    5. The Political Bottom Line
  24. Chapter Eighteen - THE SUCCESS TRAP
    1. Determine Exactly What Is Not Working
    2. Engage Your Stakeholders to Uncover What’s Changed
    3. Decide How You Are Going to Adapt
    4. The Political Bottom Line
  25. Chapter Nineteen - THE INTERIM
    1. Negotiate the Ground Rules with Your Boss
    2. Understand That People Are Resisting the Interim, Not You Personally
    3. Consult Actively to Build Relationships and Influence
    4. The Political Bottom Line
  26. Chapter Twenty - SPIN DOCTOR
    1. Analyze the Nature of the Spin and What Lies behind It
    2. Protect Your Integrity by Knowing Your Bottom Line
    3. Challenge Your Boss Constructively
    4. The Political Bottom Line
  27. Chapter Twenty-One - A NEW CHARTER FOR CAREER SUCCESS
    1. It’s a Political Organization
    2. The Elusive Inner Circle
    3. Association with Organizational Priorities
    4. Internal Networking and Political Intelligence
    5. Information, Communication, and Spin
    6. Deep Thought, Swift Action
    7. The Other Agenda
    8. Political Allies
    9. Issues of Truth
    10. Influence versus Status
    11. New Stakeholder Maps
    12. Resistance
    13. The Other Organizational Chart
    14. The Ambiguity of Consultants
    15. Key Projects, Great Opportunities
    16. Personal Power
    17. The Value of Competition
    18. The Other Side of Stakeholder Management
    19. Interim Opportunities
    20. Issues of Trust
    21. Clearer, Cleaner Contracts
    22. Influence with Integrity
  28. Conclusion
  29. Building on Your Success
  30. Index

Product information

  • Title: Political Dilemmas at Work: How to Maintain Your Integrity and Further Your Career
  • Author(s): Gary Ranker, Colin Gautrey, Mike Phipps
  • Release date: September 2008
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9780470270400