OFFICE politics? Most of us tend to view politicking as a                                                                                             
dirty word. In reality, it may be unwise to view it as                                                                                                
completely negative.                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
It is the same with money.  Is it really the root of all evil?                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
It is true that for most of us the term "office politics"                                                                                   
evokes images of dirty tactics people use when trying to                                                                                              
out-manoeuvre each other for more power or win support of the                                                                                         
boss or for personal reasons.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
Basically, inter-personal rivalry is the result of many                                                                                               
competing for one vacant position of power or for resources                                                                                           
that are limited. In a sense, it is a zero-sum game: that is,                                                                                         
winner takes all.                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                      
Conflict of interest may also be fueled by personal vengeance                                                                                         
or jealousy.                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
Owing to these factors, and many other invisible, selfish                                                                                             
motives, no one is surprised that office political                                                                                                    
in-fightings end up with many casualties.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
But how many of us instinctively react unfavourably to                                                                                                
politicking even though the competition may not be dirty? Many                                                                                        
of us may have formed negative impressions based on hear-say                                                                                          
from those who have failed to get the promotion which they may                                                                                        
not have deserved. A case of sour grapes?                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
It appears that an unfavourable impression of office politics                                                                                         
benefits the schemers more than the good guys. For one, it                                                                                            
discourages the good guys from engaging in the "competition."                                                                               
They may say things such as, "If it involves currying the                                                                                        
boss's favour, or doing something against my personal                                                                                                 
principles, you can count me out."                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
But such a view, especially by young graduates full of                                                                                                
potential, does not contribute to the long term                                                                                                       
competitiveness of an organisation because all good managers                                                                                          
must have a healthy desire for power. The fact of                                                                                                     
organisational life is that, without power, a manager is a                                                                                            
toothless tiger and ineffective in getting things done.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
Because organisations, large or small, are political systems,                                                                                         
managers lacking power or who are not skillful in exercising                                                                                          
their power bases, will be ineffective in achieving corporate                                                                                         
or departmental goals through the workers under their                                                                                                 
leadership.                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
It matters not whether we are talking about a profit-motivated                                                                                        
firm, a social club or a welfare organisation: unless power is                                                                                        
exercised correctly there will be chaos, indiscipline and most                                                                                        
disruptive of all, a power struggle. The result?                                                                                                      
ineffectiveness, monetary losses and emotional pain.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
Good organisations, little politicking                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
To assume that office politics is rampant in the corporate                                                                                            
world is not totally correct. It is safer to assume that some                                                                                         
organisations are good because the CEO and his top management                                                                                         
are professional objective and practise less favouritism.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
They discourage infighting, minimise personal rivalries and                                                                                           
conflicts of interests. As a result, the energies of the                                                                                              
employees, instead of being wasted in internal conflicts, are                                                                                         
channelled to achieve common corporate goals and objectives.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
Companies such as Toyota Motors Corpora tion, Singapore                                                                                               
Airlines and Hewlett-Packard are good examples. Through the                                                                                           
cooperative efforts of employees, they consistently achieve                                                                                           
healthy profits each year and stay ahead of their rivals.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
* Good managers discourage politicking                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
Good CEOs, general managers or departmental heads discourage                                                                                          
office politics because they are fully aware of the harmful                                                                                           
effects (often long term). Like corruption, office politics                                                                                           
makes a few people happy, but the majority upset and                                                                                                  
frustrated.                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
One of the most glaring symptoms of an organisation rife with                                                                                         
office politics is low worker morale. We all know that if a                                                                                           
manager practises favouritism (the most common                                                                                                        
politicking-tool) it will demoralise workers and reduce                                                                                               
productivity.                                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
As a general rule of thumb, low morale reflects the manager's                                                                                         
lack of skill in exercising power and (worse still) a blind                                                                                           
spot in them of politickings's harmful effects.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
* Office politicking is not rampant                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                      
Managing an organisation or getting things done through people                                                                                        
is impossible without hierarchies of power and the delegation                                                                                         
of authority down the chains of command.  Rampant office                                                                                              
politicking reduces a company's competitive edge its rivals.                                                                                          
The law of natural selection or the survival of the fittest                                                                                           
see to it that companies practising favouritism or nepotism                                                                                           
have less survival opportunities.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                      
We can generalise that the greater the competition m the                                                                                              
market place, the lesser is the amount of unhealthy or dirty                                                                                          
politics.  The survival of the company comes first and                                                                                                
incompetent sycophants or favour-giving managers who are more                                                                                         
concerned with personal motives will naturally be replaced.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
As the pace of competition increases in Malaysia, competent,                                                                                          
skilful executives will be in greater demand than just power                                                                                          
driven executives.                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
* Making that paradigm shift                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
IT would be a pity if graduates, executives and Junior                                                                                                
managers stand on the sidelines and be mere spectators because                                                                                        
of false perceptions like:                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
1. "Office politics is not my cup of tea."                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
Whether we like it or not, as long as there is a group of                                                                                             
people with different interests wanting certain resources                                                                                             
(which are often limited) there will be "politicking".                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
Most of the time, even at homes, rivalry (among siblings) is                                                                                          
not harmful. In the corporate world, human desire for                                                                                                 
achievement, position and power forces us into politicking.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
2. "I lack politicking skills, therefore I am doomed."                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
There may be some confusion here as to what constitutes                                                                                               
politicking skills.  Is it lowering our self-esteem to curry                                                                                          
our superior's favour in exchange for personal gains or to                                                                                            
ensure that a new project can only be implemented successfully                                                                                        
if we can gain the superior's support?                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
Is it the inability to flatter others, especially our bosses?                                                                                         
Or are we confusing politicking skills with interpersonal                                                                                             
skills?                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
Office politics need not be dirty if you have good                                                                                                    
interpersonal skills and power bases such as expert and                                                                                               
personal power. We have also seen earlier that good companies                                                                                         
and good managers or bosses discourage dirty politics if they                                                                                         
have the future wellbeing of their companies or departments at                                                                                        
heart.                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
The use of dirty tactics is rather similar to the use of                                                                                              
coercive power. Both may achieve short-term results.  But very                                                                                        
often the longer term consequences are detrimental.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                      
For instance, coercive power gets compliance but not                                                                                                  
commitment; and once in a while, finds a spanner in the                                                                                               
machinery. Dirty tactics destroy trust and creates suspicions,                                                                                        
leading to plots and counter-plots causing unhealthy                                                                                                  
bottom-lines as well as sleepless nights for those involved.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
* Organisations are both rational and emotional                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
Rational companies such as Hewlett-Packard, Matsushita,                                                                                               
Artwright or P.K.  Electronics tend to be more successful and                                                                                         
competitive than their rivals.  Such companies normally                                                                                               
discourage dirty politicking tactics.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
Healthy competition for a vacant post is encouraged and the                                                                                           
one chosen is the one best suited and qualified. Instead of                                                                                           
favouritism or nepotism good companies prefer meritocracy.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
Profit-motivated companies tend to rely on meritocracy as it                                                                                          
increases survival chances in the long run. It is because of                                                                                          
the need to prevent individuals from becoming totally                                                                                                 
"corrupt" that organisations have a board of directors                                                                                      
overseeing the CEO or managing director.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
Generally speaking, dirty office politics is more rampant in                                                                                          
companies where power and control is in the hands of one                                                                                              
person. In such situations, corporate decisions are less                                                                                              
rational and more emotional as the personality of the person                                                                                          
wielding power is imposed into the organisation.