CHAPTER 10
Act Politically
WE HAVE USED the phrase thinking politically to describe the leadership task of understanding the relationships and concerns among people in an organization. People who think politically discern the formal and informal exercise of power and influence among individuals in their organization. They take time to understand the interests, loyalties, and fears of everyone who has a stake or might be affected by the change. And they understand that relationships count. Ignore the human complexities when you try to lead adaptive change, and you greatly reduce your chances of succeeding—to say nothing of surviving.
By acting politically, we mean using your awareness of the limits of your own authority, and of stakeholders’ ...
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