Thriving in a Male-Dominated Workplace (HBR Women at Work Series)

11

Get Comfortable “Playing Politics” at Work

by Lisa Zigarmi, Julie Diamond, and Lesli Mones

Office politics. It’s a term many people cringe at. Broadly defined, playing politics is the ability to successfully navigate the unwritten rules of how things get done at work and through whom. That includes understanding the motivations of others and using this knowledge to influence people in ways that enhance one’s personal interests and organizational objectives.

In our experience as psychologists and coaches, we have found that many women have an adverse, almost allergic reaction to office politics. Numerous studies confirm this: Women tend to see it as something “dirty” or dishonest and as a stressful aspect of work that reduces their job satisfaction. ...