Women Empowerment – Workshop 10 (Workplace Politics)
The Appleton Greene Corporate Training Program (CTP) for Women Empowerment is provided by Ms. Tull Certified Learning Provider (CLP). Program Specifications: Monthly cost USD$2,500.00; Monthly Workshops 6 hours; Monthly Support 4 hours; Program Duration 12 months; Program orders subject to ongoing availability.
If you would like to view the Client Information Hub (CIH) for this program, please Click Here
Learning Provider Profile
Ms. Tull is a Certified Learning Provider (CLP) with Appleton Greene. She has over 25 years of experience in coaching, consulting and training CEO’s and executives. She specializes in the areas of personal and professional development and leadership. She is passionate about empowering women in the workplace equipping them with leadership skills and helping them to reveal their unique value, so they can reach their true potential and make a bigger impact. She has industry experience in the following sectors: Technology, Financial Services, Biomedical, Consultancy and Healthcare. She has commercial experience in the following countries: United States, Canada, England, Mexico and Sweden. More specifically within the following cities: Austin, TX; Houston, TX; Dallas, TX; Los Angeles, CA; New York City NY; St. Louis, MS; Virginia Beach, VA; Chicago IL. Her personal achievements include 17 yrs. as Founder/CEO of Silverlining Concepts, LLC where she empowers business owners and leaders to own their value and earn their worth, Certified Money Breakthrough Method Coach, Best-selling Author of a book about owning your value, so you can earn your worth in the workplace, Executive Contributor to Huffington Post, Biz Journals and Brainz Magazine, featured on the Brainz 500 Global list 2021. She also is a co-host on a national TV show- that focuses on bringing more light and positivity to the world. Her service skills include; leadership development, executive coaching, business strategy, sales and marketing strategies, mindset shifting and advanced communications and presentation skills.
MOST Analysis
Mission Statement
Mission: Workplace politics are an unavoidable aspect of any organization. In this workshop, we’ll learn exactly what workplace politics are how as a professional women can use politics in a positive way to advance in their careers. We share real life examples of workplace politics and the organizational costs of negative office politics. We’ll identify the benefits of team competition, how to have difficult discussions at work, what workplace policies are and how to navigate workplace politics with effective strategies to transform unfavorable politics into a constructive work environment. We will also discover how to build a healthy and thriving work culture and key strategies to de-stress and stay positive at work.
Objectives
01. Politics at Work: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
02. Playing Politics: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
03. 5 Myths: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
04. Team Competition: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
05. Examples of WP: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
06. Power and Politics: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
07. Organizational Cost: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. 1 Month
08. Effective Strategies: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
09. Workplace Policies: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
10. Political Discussions: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
11. Workplace Culture: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
12. Staying Positive: departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
Strategies
01. Politics at Work: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
02. Playing Politics: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
03. 5 Myths: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
04. Team Competition: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
05. Examples of WP: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
06. Power and Politics: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
07. Organizational Cost: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
08. Effective Strategies: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
09. Workplace Policies: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
10. Political Discussions: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
11. Workplace Culture: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
12. Staying Positive: Each individual department head to undertake departmental SWOT analysis; strategy research & development.
Tasks
01. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Politics at Work.
02. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Playing Politics.
03. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze 5 Myths.
04. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Team Competition.
05. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Examples of WP.
06. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Power and Politics.
07. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Organizational Cost.
08. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Effective Strategies.
09. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Workplace Policies.
10. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Political Discussions.
11. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Workplace Culture.
12. Create a task on your calendar, to be completed within the next month, to analyze Staying Positive.
Introduction
Politics and business are often said to be incompatible, and for many years the majority of organizations adopted this stance.
Well certainly times have changed.
The truth is workplace politics is found in just about every organization and it can be both positive as well as negative.
As a business leader being good at your job is not enough to ensure your business success. In order to advance in your career, you must be a good political player.
You can specifically use politics to accomplish a certain goal, to influence your organization, or to gain more authority.
Politically driven individuals will establish alliances, bargain, and negotiate to obtain their desired outcomes for themselves and/or for their organization in order to accomplish these goals. Furthermore, before the employers promote someone, these people frequently smooze the bosses. Also, in order to obtain authorization for certain actions or projects, they may also go around the chain of command.
There are, however, many instances where politics can be detrimental to an organization and or the culture of the office.
Negative office politics can be about the differences between coworkers. These can be disparities in viewpoints, personalities, power, or authority.
People who live in politically charged environments learn to care more about their jobs than the company. They gradually lose awareness, become numb, and stop being vigilant. Their capacity to solve problems declines.
Therefore, it should be obvious that negative office politics need to be dealt with as a management issue. In the end, a company is only as good as the choices that its employees make. For a corporation to prosper, anything—including office politics—that impairs or interferes with their capacity to take wise judgments must be addressed.
Although navigating negative workplace politics can be challenging, they are an unavoidable aspect of any firm. However, when unfavorable office politics start to fester, your company may suffer.
As a manager or leader, it’s critical to consider how employees view the organization’s culture and politics. We must comprehend how these impressions are having an impact on personnel and how to improve them.
Our managerial credibility is also increased by our political acumen. The following observations on politically astute managers were made by a 2014 socioanalytic study on the motivations of leader advancement:
Employees who felt that their managers lacked political acumen disengaged from them because they perceived them as ignorant and naive. Employees typically believe that if a manager lacks workplace knowledge, they won’t support or protect them, won’t provide the advice they need, and may even provide incorrect information.
Pushy, bullying, or other similar managers were detested because they were thought to lack political savvy.
Politically astute managers who were assertive in their actions were not seen negatively or aggressively.
Office politics, at its best, keeps a staff together. Office politics may give businesses the structure they require in a healthy and long-lasting way. It can use social capital to advance the business.
People in positions of authority frequently abuse their influence over others. This may lead to disdain and resistance within the workplace.
Making ensuring that the structures in place within your company are for the benefit of everyone is the trick – not just those in positions of authority.
What are good workplace politics?
Good politics include acceptable ways of getting recognition for your contributions, having your ideas taken seriously, and influencing what other people think and what decisions get made.” ~ Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Derek Lusk, Robert B. Kaiser
On example of a good type of workplace politics is which is a beneficial skill set. Influence is the power to change someone’s perspective, course of development, or behavior, as well as the effect itself. Gaining influence is a crucial part of learning how to be competent in your field and a trusted leader.
In any organization, there are unwritten laws of influence that apply. In order to negotiate your employment within your firm, it is essential to have influence in a managerial position. Gaining influence is a crucial component of succeeding at work because it increases your value when you don’t have any.
Any workplace will inevitably experience office politics. Even while there is a chance for self-serving exploitation, there are constructive approaches to deal with them. All you need to know is how.
In this workshop, we’ll learn exactly what workplace politics are how as a professional women can use politics in a positive way to influence and advance in their careers. We share real life examples of workplace politics and the organizational costs of negative office politics. We’ll identify the benefits of team competition, how to have difficult discussions at work, what workplace policies are and how to navigate workplace politics with effective strategies to transform unfavorable politics into a constructive work environment. We will also discover how to build a healthy and thriving work culture and key strategies to de-stress and stay positive at work.
This workshop provides all of the skills and tools necessary to become empowered and savvy when it comes to workplace politics, so you can reach your career goals more rapidly.
Executive Summary
Workplace politics is a term used to describe how individuals interact and compete with one another in an office setting. You can navigate workplace politics in your own firm more effectively if you comprehend the numerous aspects involved and how to manage various personality types.
You can also use workplace politics to your advantage and use it to advance more quickly in your career.
As a woman business leader, it is not enough to be good at your job you must know how to “play politics”.
Politics can be used expressly to advance your career, influence your organization, or achieve greater power.
In order to achieve these goals, politically motivated people will form alliances, bargain, and negotiate to get the results they want for themselves and/or for their organization. Furthermore, these individuals typically schmooze the bosses prior to receiving a promotion. They may also circumvent the chain of command in order to get approval for certain tasks or initiatives.
There also can be a negative side to office politics.
Office politics at work disadvantages include but aren’t limited to:
1. Higher costs:
According to the organizational structure, functions that are duplicated come at a higher cost.
Small-scale industries cannot use the recovery approach. It becomes challenging to divide the workload among the many workers.
2. Has an impact on attention:
People find it difficult to focus on their allocated work when politics and gossip are present within the organization.
They are more concerned with damaging other people’s reputations in front of the elder.
3. Modifies an employee’s attitude:
Office politics can occasionally alter people’s attitudes. Even a high-performing person can get disinterested in their work.
This will make it difficult for him to fulfil obligations.
4. Heightens stress
Office politics contributes to the tension that leads to inaccurate information. When the secret about these politics is out, someone who must keep secrets will feel more stressed.
5. Uninspired workers:
Few workers will lose motivation as a result of a decline in overall performance. A reliable friendship or relationship will disappear.
Sometimes an employee may not be given the recognition they deserve from the company.
Using optimistic attitude is a good strategy for handling negative politics.
One must make an effort to accept reality and concentrate on studying the political development tactics.
In the Workplace Politics Workshop, we define workplace politics, describe the various office behaviors, and discuss how to deal with workplace politics in your own workplace, we’ll equip you and your team with all of the skills and tools necessary to become savvy and empowered when it comes to workplace politics so you can use it to your advantage and thrive in your career.
There are 12 courses (or focus areas) in the Workplace Politics Workshop that will assist in acquiring these skills.
Here’s what we’ll be covering:
1. Politics at Work: Office politics are a given in any group of three or more people, so that much is certain. Workplace politics can be positive or detrimental depending on the situation. It can also take on different connotations in different contexts. In this lesson, we discuss what workplace politics are, the common causes and the positive and negative aspects they present. The advice given in this course manual is to at least be aware of the politics in your organization rather than being overly political.
2. Playing Politics: Women, especially women of color, are disproportionately underrepresented in the senior leadership level of companies, a common theme by this point. The reasons for the leadership gender gap are many, however there are also many solutions available. Research indicates that how women react to “office politics” can help women advance in their careers. Understanding the motivations of others at work and using this knowledge to influence in ways that enhance one’s personal interest and organizational objectives are key. We can successfully navigate the unwritten rules of “how things get done and through whom.” In this lesson, we discover 5 ways women can change their perspective on playing politics and how they can learn to play the political game to promote themselves, stand up for what they believe and help guide the direction of the organization.
3. 5 Myths: The advice given in this course manual is to at least be aware of the politics in your organization rather than being overly political. There are five common myths we’ll be discussing that we will share that are equally pervasive and detrimental as they are simplistic and untrue. We will also learn the key steps to becoming a goo “political player.”
4. Team Competition: A creative strategy that incorporates friendly competition may be the answer if you’re seeking for ways to enhance employee engagement, productivity, and collaboration. Competitions at work can promote teamwork and employee loyalty when done carefully. In this lesson, we give six instances of workplace contests, discuss the various types of competition, go through the advantages of workplace competition, the difference between teamwork and team building and provide advice on how to organize your own competitions.
5. Examples of WP: Leaders must be on the lookout for “political” issues and act quickly to stop them before they get out of hand. The best way to do this is to know what to look out for. In this course we will identify the 7 Political Archetypes. We will also go over the 9 most common organizational problems with actionable solutions for you to implement.
6. Power and Politics: When discussing power and politics at work or elsewhere this usually means organizational politics. Politics is a specific administrative element of businesses that has an impact on every facet of corporate activity. In this lesson, we will learn how negative and positive types of power are used to advance or safeguard the careers of employees and the 5 ways to use power to influence.
7. Organizational Cost: Each of us suffers personally as a result of office politics. You most likely are not immune. Even though you might desire to end office politics because of how it affects your mood at work, your company is probably not ready to take any action. It requires a cause. Management needs to understand the cost to the organization as a whole to be motivated to reduce politicking. What effects do workplace politics have on workers and their work? Office politics or the internal enemy that hinders organizational success may be the root of all or a significant percentage of the performance gap. In this course manual we reveal the 3 top costs of politics and 3 ways to keep negative workplace politics out of your organization.
8. Effective Strategies: Eliminating negative office politics is crucial to developing a strong corporate culture that encourages workers and fosters an environment where everyone is treated fairly and equally. In this lesson, we discover the 3 most crucial work factors according to employees, the levels of workplace politics that exist and the 12 effective strategies for managers and HR to navigate or eliminate workplace politics.
9. Workplace Policies: Policies are crucial for outlining expectations and proper behavior at work. Employers and employees can both gain from having strong policies in place. It’s critical to comprehend what workplace regulations are whether you’re a manager, compliance professional, or employee who wants to learn more about the policies that control workplaces. In this course manual, we define workplace policies, go over their significance, and look at 16 actual examples of company policies.
10. Political Discussions: Management inevitably involves having difficult talks, whether you’re informing a customer that a project is delayed, or your presiding over a performance assessment that lacks enthusiasm, or someone wants to talk politics to you. How do you get ready for a conversation like this? How do you find the appropriate words in a crisis? How can the exchange be managed to run as smoothly as possible? In this lesson, we learn the 8 steps to follow when having difficult discussions in the office.
11. Workplace Culture: Workplace culture is all about the relations in the workplace. It’s the way we do things in a group – the unspoken rules of engagement, hierarchy, promotions and getting work done. The work culture also plays a major role in the productivity of a company. Research has proven the significance of trust as the basis of your company culture. In this course manual, we will reveal the 8 ways a manager can lead with trust. When companies have a high level of trust, they hold employees accountable without micromanaging them. They handle people like mature grownups and allow them to shine in their roles.
12. Staying Positive: All jobs have the potential to become stressful at times, regardless of the sector or career field you work in. However, there are a variety of strategies to deal with pressure, from deep breathing exercises to stress balls, which can help you handle difficulties in a positive and healthy manner. Additionally, maintaining your motivation, productivity, and job satisfaction at work depends on your ability to manage your stress. This lesson will share ways to reduce stress at work and how to juggle your personal and professional life, so you can continue to enjoy life and while being effective in your career.
Curriculum
Women Empowerment – Workshop 10 – Workplace Politics
- Politics at Work
- Playing Politics
- 5 Myths
- Team Competition
- Examples of WP
- Power and Politics
- Organizational Cost
- Effective Strategies
- Workplace Policies
- Political Discussions
- Workplace Culture
- Staying Positive
Distance Learning
Introduction
Welcome to Appleton Greene and thank you for enrolling on the Women Empowerment corporate training program. You will be learning through our unique facilitation via distance-learning method, which will enable you to practically implement everything that you learn academically. The methods and materials used in your program have been designed and developed to ensure that you derive the maximum benefits and enjoyment possible. We hope that you find the program challenging and fun to do. However, if you have never been a distance-learner before, you may be experiencing some trepidation at the task before you. So we will get you started by giving you some basic information and guidance on how you can make the best use of the modules, how you should manage the materials and what you should be doing as you work through them. This guide is designed to point you in the right direction and help you to become an effective distance-learner. Take a few hours or so to study this guide and your guide to tutorial support for students, while making notes, before you start to study in earnest.
Study environment
You will need to locate a quiet and private place to study, preferably a room where you can easily be isolated from external disturbances or distractions. Make sure the room is well-lit and incorporates a relaxed, pleasant feel. If you can spoil yourself within your study environment, you will have much more of a chance to ensure that you are always in the right frame of mind when you do devote time to study. For example, a nice fire, the ability to play soft soothing background music, soft but effective lighting, perhaps a nice view if possible and a good size desk with a comfortable chair. Make sure that your family know when you are studying and understand your study rules. Your study environment is very important. The ideal situation, if at all possible, is to have a separate study, which can be devoted to you. If this is not possible then you will need to pay a lot more attention to developing and managing your study schedule, because it will affect other people as well as yourself. The better your study environment, the more productive you will be.
Study tools & rules
Try and make sure that your study tools are sufficient and in good working order. You will need to have access to a computer, scanner and printer, with access to the internet. You will need a very comfortable chair, which supports your lower back, and you will need a good filing system. It can be very frustrating if you are spending valuable study time trying to fix study tools that are unreliable, or unsuitable for the task. Make sure that your study tools are up to date. You will also need to consider some study rules. Some of these rules will apply to you and will be intended to help you to be more disciplined about when and how you study. This distance-learning guide will help you and after you have read it you can put some thought into what your study rules should be. You will also need to negotiate some study rules for your family, friends or anyone who lives with you. They too will need to be disciplined in order to ensure that they can support you while you study. It is important to ensure that your family and friends are an integral part of your study team. Having their support and encouragement can prove to be a crucial contribution to your successful completion of the program. Involve them in as much as you can.
Successful distance-learning
Distance-learners are freed from the necessity of attending regular classes or workshops, since they can study in their own way, at their own pace and for their own purposes. But unlike traditional internal training courses, it is the student’s responsibility, with a distance-learning program, to ensure that they manage their own study contribution. This requires strong self-discipline and self-motivation skills and there must be a clear will to succeed. Those students who are used to managing themselves, are good at managing others and who enjoy working in isolation, are more likely to be good distance-learners. It is also important to be aware of the main reasons why you are studying and of the main objectives that you are hoping to achieve as a result. You will need to remind yourself of these objectives at times when you need to motivate yourself. Never lose sight of your long-term goals and your short-term objectives. There is nobody available here to pamper you, or to look after you, or to spoon-feed you with information, so you will need to find ways to encourage and appreciate yourself while you are studying. Make sure that you chart your study progress, so that you can be sure of your achievements and re-evaluate your goals and objectives regularly.
Self-assessment
Appleton Greene training programs are in all cases post-graduate programs. Consequently, you should already have obtained a business-related degree and be an experienced learner. You should therefore already be aware of your study strengths and weaknesses. For example, which time of the day are you at your most productive? Are you a lark or an owl? What study methods do you respond to the most? Are you a consistent learner? How do you discipline yourself? How do you ensure that you enjoy yourself while studying? It is important to understand yourself as a learner and so some self-assessment early on will be necessary if you are to apply yourself correctly. Perform a SWOT analysis on yourself as a student. List your internal strengths and weaknesses as a student and your external opportunities and threats. This will help you later on when you are creating a study plan. You can then incorporate features within your study plan that can ensure that you are playing to your strengths, while compensating for your weaknesses. You can also ensure that you make the most of your opportunities, while avoiding the potential threats to your success.
Accepting responsibility as a student
Training programs invariably require a significant investment, both in terms of what they cost and in the time that you need to contribute to study and the responsibility for successful completion of training programs rests entirely with the student. This is never more apparent than when a student is learning via distance-learning. Accepting responsibility as a student is an important step towards ensuring that you can successfully complete your training program. It is easy to instantly blame other people or factors when things go wrong. But the fact of the matter is that if a failure is your failure, then you have the power to do something about it, it is entirely in your own hands. If it is always someone else’s failure, then you are powerless to do anything about it. All students study in entirely different ways, this is because we are all individuals and what is right for one student, is not necessarily right for another. In order to succeed, you will have to accept personal responsibility for finding a way to plan, implement and manage a personal study plan that works for you. If you do not succeed, you only have yourself to blame.
Planning
By far the most critical contribution to stress, is the feeling of not being in control. In the absence of planning we tend to be reactive and can stumble from pillar to post in the hope that things will turn out fine in the end. Invariably they don’t! In order to be in control, we need to have firm ideas about how and when we want to do things. We also need to consider as many possible eventualities as we can, so that we are prepared for them when they happen. Prescriptive Change, is far easier to manage and control, than Emergent Change. The same is true with distance-learning. It is much easier and much more enjoyable, if you feel that you are in control and that things are going to plan. Even when things do go wrong, you are prepared for them and can act accordingly without any unnecessary stress. It is important therefore that you do take time to plan your studies properly.
Management
Once you have developed a clear study plan, it is of equal importance to ensure that you manage the implementation of it. Most of us usually enjoy planning, but it is usually during implementation when things go wrong. Targets are not met and we do not understand why. Sometimes we do not even know if targets are being met. It is not enough for us to conclude that the study plan just failed. If it is failing, you will need to understand what you can do about it. Similarly if your study plan is succeeding, it is still important to understand why, so that you can improve upon your success. You therefore need to have guidelines for self-assessment so that you can be consistent with performance improvement throughout the program. If you manage things correctly, then your performance should constantly improve throughout the program.
Study objectives & tasks
The first place to start is developing your program objectives. These should feature your reasons for undertaking the training program in order of priority. Keep them succinct and to the point in order to avoid confusion. Do not just write the first things that come into your head because they are likely to be too similar to each other. Make a list of possible departmental headings, such as: Customer Service; E-business; Finance; Globalization; Human Resources; Technology; Legal; Management; Marketing and Production. Then brainstorm for ideas by listing as many things that you want to achieve under each heading and later re-arrange these things in order of priority. Finally, select the top item from each department heading and choose these as your program objectives. Try and restrict yourself to five because it will enable you to focus clearly. It is likely that the other things that you listed will be achieved if each of the top objectives are achieved. If this does not prove to be the case, then simply work through the process again.
Study forecast
As a guide, the Appleton Greene Women Empowerment corporate training program should take 12-18 months to complete, depending upon your availability and current commitments. The reason why there is such a variance in time estimates is because every student is an individual, with differing productivity levels and different commitments. These differentiations are then exaggerated by the fact that this is a distance-learning program, which incorporates the practical integration of academic theory as an as a part of the training program. Consequently all of the project studies are real, which means that important decisions and compromises need to be made. You will want to get things right and will need to be patient with your expectations in order to ensure that they are. We would always recommend that you are prudent with your own task and time forecasts, but you still need to develop them and have a clear indication of what are realistic expectations in your case. With reference to your time planning: consider the time that you can realistically dedicate towards study with the program every week; calculate how long it should take you to complete the program, using the guidelines featured here; then break the program down into logical modules and allocate a suitable proportion of time to each of them, these will be your milestones; you can create a time plan by using a spreadsheet on your computer, or a personal organizer such as MS Outlook, you could also use a financial forecasting software; break your time forecasts down into manageable chunks of time, the more specific you can be, the more productive and accurate your time management will be; finally, use formulas where possible to do your time calculations for you, because this will help later on when your forecasts need to change in line with actual performance. With reference to your task planning: refer to your list of tasks that need to be undertaken in order to achieve your program objectives; with reference to your time plan, calculate when each task should be implemented; remember that you are not estimating when your objectives will be achieved, but when you will need to focus upon implementing the corresponding tasks; you also need to ensure that each task is implemented in conjunction with the associated training modules which are relevant; then break each single task down into a list of specific to do’s, say approximately ten to do’s for each task and enter these into your study plan; once again you could use MS Outlook to incorporate both your time and task planning and this could constitute your study plan; you could also use a project management software like MS Project. You should now have a clear and realistic forecast detailing when you can expect to be able to do something about undertaking the tasks to achieve your program objectives.
Performance management
It is one thing to develop your study forecast, it is quite another to monitor your progress. Ultimately it is less important whether you achieve your original study forecast and more important that you update it so that it constantly remains realistic in line with your performance. As you begin to work through the program, you will begin to have more of an idea about your own personal performance and productivity levels as a distance-learner. Once you have completed your first study module, you should re-evaluate your study forecast for both time and tasks, so that they reflect your actual performance level achieved. In order to achieve this you must first time yourself while training by using an alarm clock. Set the alarm for hourly intervals and make a note of how far you have come within that time. You can then make a note of your actual performance on your study plan and then compare your performance against your forecast. Then consider the reasons that have contributed towards your performance level, whether they are positive or negative and make a considered adjustment to your future forecasts as a result. Given time, you should start achieving your forecasts regularly.
With reference to time management: time yourself while you are studying and make a note of the actual time taken in your study plan; consider your successes with time-efficiency and the reasons for the success in each case and take this into consideration when reviewing future time planning; consider your failures with time-efficiency and the reasons for the failures in each case and take this into consideration when reviewing future time planning; re-evaluate your study forecast in relation to time planning for the remainder of your training program to ensure that you continue to be realistic about your time expectations. You need to be consistent with your time management, otherwise you will never complete your studies. This will either be because you are not contributing enough time to your studies, or you will become less efficient with the time that you do allocate to your studies. Remember, if you are not in control of your studies, they can just become yet another cause of stress for you.
With reference to your task management: time yourself while you are studying and make a note of the actual tasks that you have undertaken in your study plan; consider your successes with task-efficiency and the reasons for the success in each case; take this into consideration when reviewing future task planning; consider your failures with task-efficiency and the reasons for the failures in each case and take this into consideration when reviewing future task planning; re-evaluate your study forecast in relation to task planning for the remainder of your training program to ensure that you continue to be realistic about your task expectations. You need to be consistent with your task management, otherwise you will never know whether you are achieving your program objectives or not.
Keeping in touch
You will have access to qualified and experienced professors and tutors who are responsible for providing tutorial support for your particular training program. So don’t be shy about letting them know how you are getting on. We keep electronic records of all tutorial support emails so that professors and tutors can review previous correspondence before considering an individual response. It also means that there is a record of all communications between you and your professors and tutors and this helps to avoid any unnecessary duplication, misunderstanding, or misinterpretation. If you have a problem relating to the program, share it with them via email. It is likely that they have come across the same problem before and are usually able to make helpful suggestions and steer you in the right direction. To learn more about when and how to use tutorial support, please refer to the Tutorial Support section of this student information guide. This will help you to ensure that you are making the most of tutorial support that is available to you and will ultimately contribute towards your success and enjoyment with your training program.
Work colleagues and family
You should certainly discuss your program study progress with your colleagues, friends and your family. Appleton Greene training programs are very practical. They require you to seek information from other people, to plan, develop and implement processes with other people and to achieve feedback from other people in relation to viability and productivity. You will therefore have plenty of opportunities to test your ideas and enlist the views of others. People tend to be sympathetic towards distance-learners, so don’t bottle it all up in yourself. Get out there and share it! It is also likely that your family and colleagues are going to benefit from your labors with the program, so they are likely to be much more interested in being involved than you might think. Be bold about delegating work to those who might benefit themselves. This is a great way to achieve understanding and commitment from people who you may later rely upon for process implementation. Share your experiences with your friends and family.
Making it relevant
The key to successful learning is to make it relevant to your own individual circumstances. At all times you should be trying to make bridges between the content of the program and your own situation. Whether you achieve this through quiet reflection or through interactive discussion with your colleagues, client partners or your family, remember that it is the most important and rewarding aspect of translating your studies into real self-improvement. You should be clear about how you want the program to benefit you. This involves setting clear study objectives in relation to the content of the course in terms of understanding, concepts, completing research or reviewing activities and relating the content of the modules to your own situation. Your objectives may understandably change as you work through the program, in which case you should enter the revised objectives on your study plan so that you have a permanent reminder of what you are trying to achieve, when and why.
Distance-learning check-list
Prepare your study environment, your study tools and rules.
Undertake detailed self-assessment in terms of your ability as a learner.
Create a format for your study plan.
Consider your study objectives and tasks.
Create a study forecast.
Assess your study performance.
Re-evaluate your study forecast.
Be consistent when managing your study plan.
Use your Appleton Greene Certified Learning Provider (CLP) for tutorial support.
Make sure you keep in touch with those around you.
Tutorial Support
Programs
Appleton Greene uses standard and bespoke corporate training programs as vessels to transfer business process improvement knowledge into the heart of our clients’ organizations. Each individual program focuses upon the implementation of a specific business process, which enables clients to easily quantify their return on investment. There are hundreds of established Appleton Greene corporate training products now available to clients within customer services, e-business, finance, globalization, human resources, information technology, legal, management, marketing and production. It does not matter whether a client’s employees are located within one office, or an unlimited number of international offices, we can still bring them together to learn and implement specific business processes collectively. Our approach to global localization enables us to provide clients with a truly international service with that all important personal touch. Appleton Greene corporate training programs can be provided virtually or locally and they are all unique in that they individually focus upon a specific business function. They are implemented over a sustainable period of time and professional support is consistently provided by qualified learning providers and specialist consultants.
Support available
You will have a designated Certified Learning Provider (CLP) and an Accredited Consultant and we encourage you to communicate with them as much as possible. In all cases tutorial support is provided online because we can then keep a record of all communications to ensure that tutorial support remains consistent. You would also be forwarding your work to the tutorial support unit for evaluation and assessment. You will receive individual feedback on all of the work that you undertake on a one-to-one basis, together with specific recommendations for anything that may need to be changed in order to achieve a pass with merit or a pass with distinction and you then have as many opportunities as you may need to re-submit project studies until they meet with the required standard. Consequently the only reason that you should really fail (CLP) is if you do not do the work. It makes no difference to us whether a student takes 12 months or 18 months to complete the program, what matters is that in all cases the same quality standard will have been achieved.
Support Process
Please forward all of your future emails to the designated (CLP) Tutorial Support Unit email address that has been provided and please do not duplicate or copy your emails to other AGC email accounts as this will just cause unnecessary administration. Please note that emails are always answered as quickly as possible but you will need to allow a period of up to 20 business days for responses to general tutorial support emails during busy periods, because emails are answered strictly within the order in which they are received. You will also need to allow a period of up to 30 business days for the evaluation and assessment of project studies. This does not include weekends or public holidays. Please therefore kindly allow for this within your time planning. All communications are managed online via email because it enables tutorial service support managers to review other communications which have been received before responding and it ensures that there is a copy of all communications retained on file for future reference. All communications will be stored within your personal (CLP) study file here at Appleton Greene throughout your designated study period. If you need any assistance or clarification at any time, please do not hesitate to contact us by forwarding an email and remember that we are here to help. If you have any questions, please list and number your questions succinctly and you can then be sure of receiving specific answers to each and every query.
Time Management
It takes approximately 1 Year to complete the Women Empowerment corporate training program, incorporating 12 x 6-hour monthly workshops. Each student will also need to contribute approximately 4 hours per week over 1 Year of their personal time. Students can study from home or work at their own pace and are responsible for managing their own study plan. There are no formal examinations and students are evaluated and assessed based upon their project study submissions, together with the quality of their internal analysis and supporting documents. They can contribute more time towards study when they have the time to do so and can contribute less time when they are busy. All students tend to be in full time employment while studying and the Women Empowerment program is purposely designed to accommodate this, so there is plenty of flexibility in terms of time management. It makes no difference to us at Appleton Greene, whether individuals take 12-18 months to complete this program. What matters is that in all cases the same standard of quality will have been achieved with the standard and bespoke programs that have been developed.
Distance Learning Guide
The distance learning guide should be your first port of call when starting your training program. It will help you when you are planning how and when to study, how to create the right environment and how to establish the right frame of mind. If you can lay the foundations properly during the planning stage, then it will contribute to your enjoyment and productivity while training later. The guide helps to change your lifestyle in order to accommodate time for study and to cultivate good study habits. It helps you to chart your progress so that you can measure your performance and achieve your goals. It explains the tools that you will need for study and how to make them work. It also explains how to translate academic theory into practical reality. Spend some time now working through your distance learning guide and make sure that you have firm foundations in place so that you can make the most of your distance learning program. There is no requirement for you to attend training workshops or classes at Appleton Greene offices. The entire program is undertaken online, program course manuals and project studies are administered via the Appleton Greene web site and via email, so you are able to study at your own pace and in the comfort of your own home or office as long as you have a computer and access to the internet.
How To Study
The how to study guide provides students with a clear understanding of the Appleton Greene facilitation via distance learning training methods and enables students to obtain a clear overview of the training program content. It enables students to understand the step-by-step training methods used by Appleton Greene and how course manuals are integrated with project studies. It explains the research and development that is required and the need to provide evidence and references to support your statements. It also enables students to understand precisely what will be required of them in order to achieve a pass with merit and a pass with distinction for individual project studies and provides useful guidance on how to be innovative and creative when developing your Unique Program Proposition (UPP).
Tutorial Support
Tutorial support for the Appleton Greene Women Empowerment corporate training program is provided online either through the Appleton Greene Client Support Portal (CSP), or via email. All tutorial support requests are facilitated by a designated Program Administration Manager (PAM). They are responsible for deciding which professor or tutor is the most appropriate option relating to the support required and then the tutorial support request is forwarded onto them. Once the professor or tutor has completed the tutorial support request and answered any questions that have been asked, this communication is then returned to the student via email by the designated Program Administration Manager (PAM). This enables all tutorial support, between students, professors and tutors, to be facilitated by the designated Program Administration Manager (PAM) efficiently and securely through the email account. You will therefore need to allow a period of up to 20 business days for responses to general support queries and up to 30 business days for the evaluation and assessment of project studies, because all tutorial support requests are answered strictly within the order in which they are received. This does not include weekends or public holidays. Consequently you need to put some thought into the management of your tutorial support procedure in order to ensure that your study plan is feasible and to obtain the maximum possible benefit from tutorial support during your period of study. Please retain copies of your tutorial support emails for future reference. Please ensure that ALL of your tutorial support emails are set out using the format as suggested within your guide to tutorial support. Your tutorial support emails need to be referenced clearly to the specific part of the course manual or project study which you are working on at any given time. You also need to list and number any questions that you would like to ask, up to a maximum of five questions within each tutorial support email. Remember the more specific you can be with your questions the more specific your answers will be too and this will help you to avoid any unnecessary misunderstanding, misinterpretation, or duplication. The guide to tutorial support is intended to help you to understand how and when to use support in order to ensure that you get the most out of your training program. Appleton Greene training programs are designed to enable you to do things for yourself. They provide you with a structure or a framework and we use tutorial support to facilitate students while they practically implement what they learn. In other words, we are enabling students to do things for themselves. The benefits of distance learning via facilitation are considerable and are much more sustainable in the long-term than traditional short-term knowledge sharing programs. Consequently you should learn how and when to use tutorial support so that you can maximize the benefits from your learning experience with Appleton Greene. This guide describes the purpose of each training function and how to use them and how to use tutorial support in relation to each aspect of the training program. It also provides useful tips and guidance with regard to best practice.
Tutorial Support Tips
Students are often unsure about how and when to use tutorial support with Appleton Greene. This Tip List will help you to understand more about how to achieve the most from using tutorial support. Refer to it regularly to ensure that you are continuing to use the service properly. Tutorial support is critical to the success of your training experience, but it is important to understand when and how to use it in order to maximize the benefit that you receive. It is no coincidence that those students who succeed are those that learn how to be positive, proactive and productive when using tutorial support.
Be positive and friendly with your tutorial support emails
Remember that if you forward an email to the tutorial support unit, you are dealing with real people. “Do unto others as you would expect others to do unto you”. If you are positive, complimentary and generally friendly in your emails, you will generate a similar response in return. This will be more enjoyable, productive and rewarding for you in the long-term.
Think about the impression that you want to create
Every time that you communicate, you create an impression, which can be either positive or negative, so put some thought into the impression that you want to create. Remember that copies of all tutorial support emails are stored electronically and tutors will always refer to prior correspondence before responding to any current emails. Over a period of time, a general opinion will be arrived at in relation to your character, attitude and ability. Try to manage your own frustrations, mood swings and temperament professionally, without involving the tutorial support team. Demonstrating frustration or a lack of patience is a weakness and will be interpreted as such. The good thing about communicating in writing, is that you will have the time to consider your content carefully, you can review it and proof-read it before sending your email to Appleton Greene and this should help you to communicate more professionally, consistently and to avoid any unnecessary knee-jerk reactions to individual situations as and when they may arise. Please also remember that the CLP Tutorial Support Unit will not just be responsible for evaluating and assessing the quality of your work, they will also be responsible for providing recommendations to other learning providers and to client contacts within the Appleton Greene global client network, so do be in control of your own emotions and try to create a good impression.
Remember that quality is preferred to quantity
Please remember that when you send an email to the tutorial support team, you are not using Twitter or Text Messaging. Try not to forward an email every time that you have a thought. This will not prove to be productive either for you or for the tutorial support team. Take time to prepare your communications properly, as if you were writing a professional letter to a business colleague and make a list of queries that you are likely to have and then incorporate them within one email, say once every month, so that the tutorial support team can understand more about context, application and your methodology for study. Get yourself into a consistent routine with your tutorial support requests and use the tutorial support template provided with ALL of your emails. The (CLP) Tutorial Support Unit will not spoon-feed you with information. They need to be able to evaluate and assess your tutorial support requests carefully and professionally.
Be specific about your questions in order to receive specific answers
Try not to write essays by thinking as you are writing tutorial support emails. The tutorial support unit can be unclear about what in fact you are asking, or what you are looking to achieve. Be specific about asking questions that you want answers to. Number your questions. You will then receive specific answers to each and every question. This is the main purpose of tutorial support via email.
Keep a record of your tutorial support emails
It is important that you keep a record of all tutorial support emails that are forwarded to you. You can then refer to them when necessary and it avoids any unnecessary duplication, misunderstanding, or misinterpretation.
Individual training workshops or telephone support
Please be advised that Appleton Greene does not provide separate or individual tutorial support meetings, workshops, or provide telephone support for individual students. Appleton Greene is an equal opportunities learning and service provider and we are therefore understandably bound to treat all students equally. We cannot therefore broker special financial or study arrangements with individual students regardless of the circumstances. All tutorial support is provided online and this enables Appleton Greene to keep a record of all communications between students, professors and tutors on file for future reference, in accordance with our quality management procedure and your terms and conditions of enrolment. All tutorial support is provided online via email because it enables us to have time to consider support content carefully, it ensures that you receive a considered and detailed response to your queries. You can number questions that you would like to ask, which relate to things that you do not understand or where clarification may be required. You can then be sure of receiving specific answers to each individual query. You will also then have a record of these communications and of all tutorial support, which has been provided to you. This makes tutorial support administration more productive by avoiding any unnecessary duplication, misunderstanding, or misinterpretation.
Tutorial Support Email Format
You should use this tutorial support format if you need to request clarification or assistance while studying with your training program. Please note that ALL of your tutorial support request emails should use the same format. You should therefore set up a standard email template, which you can then use as and when you need to. Emails that are forwarded to Appleton Greene, which do not use the following format, may be rejected and returned to you by the (CLP) Program Administration Manager. A detailed response will then be forwarded to you via email usually within 20 business days of receipt for general support queries and 30 business days for the evaluation and assessment of project studies. This does not include weekends or public holidays. Your tutorial support request, together with the corresponding TSU reply, will then be saved and stored within your electronic TSU file at Appleton Greene for future reference.
Subject line of your email
Please insert: Appleton Greene (CLP) Tutorial Support Request: (Your Full Name) (Date), within the subject line of your email.
Main body of your email
Please insert:
1. Appleton Greene Certified Learning Provider (CLP) Tutorial Support Request
2. Your Full Name
3. Date of TS request
4. Preferred email address
5. Backup email address
6. Course manual page name or number (reference)
7. Project study page name or number (reference)
Subject of enquiry
Please insert a maximum of 50 words (please be succinct)
Briefly outline the subject matter of your inquiry, or what your questions relate to.
Question 1
Maximum of 50 words (please be succinct)
Maximum of 50 words (please be succinct)
Question 3
Maximum of 50 words (please be succinct)
Question 4
Maximum of 50 words (please be succinct)
Question 5
Maximum of 50 words (please be succinct)
Please note that a maximum of 5 questions is permitted with each individual tutorial support request email.
Procedure
* List the questions that you want to ask first, then re-arrange them in order of priority. Make sure that you reference them, where necessary, to the course manuals or project studies.
* Make sure that you are specific about your questions and number them. Try to plan the content within your emails to make sure that it is relevant.
* Make sure that your tutorial support emails are set out correctly, using the Tutorial Support Email Format provided here.
* Save a copy of your email and incorporate the date sent after the subject title. Keep your tutorial support emails within the same file and in date order for easy reference.
* Allow up to 20 business days for a response to general tutorial support emails and up to 30 business days for the evaluation and assessment of project studies, because detailed individual responses will be made in all cases and tutorial support emails are answered strictly within the order in which they are received.
* Emails can and do get lost. So if you have not received a reply within the appropriate time, forward another copy or a reminder to the tutorial support unit to be sure that it has been received but do not forward reminders unless the appropriate time has elapsed.
* When you receive a reply, save it immediately featuring the date of receipt after the subject heading for easy reference. In most cases the tutorial support unit replies to your questions individually, so you will have a record of the questions that you asked as well as the answers offered. With project studies however, separate emails are usually forwarded by the tutorial support unit, so do keep a record of your own original emails as well.
* Remember to be positive and friendly in your emails. You are dealing with real people who will respond to the same things that you respond to.
* Try not to repeat questions that have already been asked in previous emails. If this happens the tutorial support unit will probably just refer you to the appropriate answers that have already been provided within previous emails.
* If you lose your tutorial support email records you can write to Appleton Greene to receive a copy of your tutorial support file, but a separate administration charge may be levied for this service.
How To Study
Your Certified Learning Provider (CLP) and Accredited Consultant can help you to plan a task list for getting started so that you can be clear about your direction and your priorities in relation to your training program. It is also a good way to introduce yourself to the tutorial support team.
Planning your study environment
Your study conditions are of great importance and will have a direct effect on how much you enjoy your training program. Consider how much space you will have, whether it is comfortable and private and whether you are likely to be disturbed. The study tools and facilities at your disposal are also important to the success of your distance-learning experience. Your tutorial support unit can help with useful tips and guidance, regardless of your starting position. It is important to get this right before you start working on your training program.
Planning your program objectives
It is important that you have a clear list of study objectives, in order of priority, before you start working on your training program. Your tutorial support unit can offer assistance here to ensure that your study objectives have been afforded due consideration and priority.
Planning how and when to study
Distance-learners are freed from the necessity of attending regular classes, since they can study in their own way, at their own pace and for their own purposes. This approach is designed to let you study efficiently away from the traditional classroom environment. It is important however, that you plan how and when to study, so that you are making the most of your natural attributes, strengths and opportunities. Your tutorial support unit can offer assistance and useful tips to ensure that you are playing to your strengths.
Planning your study tasks
You should have a clear understanding of the study tasks that you should be undertaking and the priority associated with each task. These tasks should also be integrated with your program objectives. The distance learning guide and the guide to tutorial support for students should help you here, but if you need any clarification or assistance, please contact your tutorial support unit.
Planning your time
You will need to allocate specific times during your calendar when you intend to study if you are to have a realistic chance of completing your program on time. You are responsible for planning and managing your own study time, so it is important that you are successful with this. Your tutorial support unit can help you with this if your time plan is not working.
Keeping in touch
Consistency is the key here. If you communicate too frequently in short bursts, or too infrequently with no pattern, then your management ability with your studies will be questioned, both by you and by your tutorial support unit. It is obvious when a student is in control and when one is not and this will depend how able you are at sticking with your study plan. Inconsistency invariably leads to in-completion.
Charting your progress
Your tutorial support team can help you to chart your own study progress. Refer to your distance learning guide for further details.
Making it work
To succeed, all that you will need to do is apply yourself to undertaking your training program and interpreting it correctly. Success or failure lies in your hands and your hands alone, so be sure that you have a strategy for making it work. Your Certified Learning Provider (CLP) and Accredited Consultant can guide you through the process of program planning, development and implementation.
Reading methods
Interpretation is often unique to the individual but it can be improved and even quantified by implementing consistent interpretation methods. Interpretation can be affected by outside interference such as family members, TV, or the Internet, or simply by other thoughts which are demanding priority in our minds. One thing that can improve our productivity is using recognized reading methods. This helps us to focus and to be more structured when reading information for reasons of importance, rather than relaxation.
Speed reading
When reading through course manuals for the first time, subconsciously set your reading speed to be just fast enough that you cannot dwell on individual words or tables. With practice, you should be able to read an A4 sheet of paper in one minute. You will not achieve much in the way of a detailed understanding, but your brain will retain a useful overview. This overview will be important later on and will enable you to keep individual issues in perspective with a more generic picture because speed reading appeals to the memory part of the brain. Do not worry about what you do or do not remember at this stage.
Content reading
Once you have speed read everything, you can then start work in earnest. You now need to read a particular section of your course manual thoroughly, by making detailed notes while you read. This process is called Content Reading and it will help to consolidate your understanding and interpretation of the information that has been provided.
Making structured notes on the course manuals
When you are content reading, you should be making detailed notes, which are both structured and informative. Make these notes in a MS Word document on your computer, because you can then amend and update these as and when you deem it to be necessary. List your notes under three headings: 1. Interpretation – 2. Questions – 3. Tasks. The purpose of the 1st section is to clarify your interpretation by writing it down. The purpose of the 2nd section is to list any questions that the issue raises for you. The purpose of the 3rd section is to list any tasks that you should undertake as a result. Anyone who has graduated with a business-related degree should already be familiar with this process.
Organizing structured notes separately
You should then transfer your notes to a separate study notebook, preferably one that enables easy referencing, such as a MS Word Document, a MS Excel Spreadsheet, a MS Access Database, or a personal organizer on your cell phone. Transferring your notes allows you to have the opportunity of cross-checking and verifying them, which assists considerably with understanding and interpretation. You will also find that the better you are at doing this, the more chance you will have of ensuring that you achieve your study objectives.
Question your understanding
Do challenge your understanding. Explain things to yourself in your own words by writing things down.
Clarifying your understanding
If you are at all unsure, forward an email to your tutorial support unit and they will help to clarify your understanding.
Question your interpretation
Do challenge your interpretation. Qualify your interpretation by writing it down.
Clarifying your interpretation
If you are at all unsure, forward an email to your tutorial support unit and they will help to clarify your interpretation.
Qualification Requirements
The student will need to successfully complete the project study and all of the exercises relating to the Women Empowerment corporate training program, achieving a pass with merit or distinction in each case, in order to qualify as an Accredited Women Empowerment Specialist (APTS). All monthly workshops need to be tried and tested within your company. These project studies can be completed in your own time and at your own pace and in the comfort of your own home or office. There are no formal examinations, assessment is based upon the successful completion of the project studies. They are called project studies because, unlike case studies, these projects are not theoretical, they incorporate real program processes that need to be properly researched and developed. The project studies assist us in measuring your understanding and interpretation of the training program and enable us to assess qualification merits. All of the project studies are based entirely upon the content within the training program and they enable you to integrate what you have learnt into your corporate training practice.
Women Empowerment – Grading Contribution
Project Study – Grading Contribution
Customer Service – 10%
E-business – 05%
Finance – 10%
Globalization – 10%
Human Resources – 10%
Information Technology – 10%
Legal – 05%
Management – 10%
Marketing – 10%
Production – 10%
Education – 05%
Logistics – 05%
TOTAL GRADING – 100%
Qualification grades
A mark of 90% = Pass with Distinction.
A mark of 75% = Pass with Merit.
A mark of less than 75% = Fail.
If you fail to achieve a mark of 75% with a project study, you will receive detailed feedback from the Certified Learning Provider (CLP) and/or Accredited Consultant, together with a list of tasks which you will need to complete, in order to ensure that your project study meets with the minimum quality standard that is required by Appleton Greene. You can then re-submit your project study for further evaluation and assessment. Indeed you can re-submit as many drafts of your project studies as you need to, until such a time as they eventually meet with the required standard by Appleton Greene, so you need not worry about this, it is all part of the learning process.
When marking project studies, Appleton Greene is looking for sufficient evidence of the following:
Pass with merit
A satisfactory level of program understanding
A satisfactory level of program interpretation
A satisfactory level of project study content presentation
A satisfactory level of Unique Program Proposition (UPP) quality
A satisfactory level of the practical integration of academic theory
Pass with distinction
An exceptional level of program understanding
An exceptional level of program interpretation
An exceptional level of project study content presentation
An exceptional level of Unique Program Proposition (UPP) quality
An exceptional level of the practical integration of academic theory
Preliminary Analysis
Opportunity for Change
Workplace politics is something that can be a big challenge for women to deal with as they continue to advance their careers and take on more leadership roles. They must be able to successfully navigate workplace politics in their own company and comprehend the numerous aspects involved including how to manage various personality types and create a healthy culture that provides a productive and positive environment.
The Women Empowerment Leadership Program is a method of accelerating women’s professional development at work. Women have made significant strides in the workplace, but there is no doubt that they continue to face challenges in climbing the corporate ladder. This program provides the necessary support and tools to ensure that these women have everything they need to succeed. This will in turn benefit the overall growth and profitability of the company.
In Workshop 10 on Workplace Politics, we discuss exactly what workplace politics are along with real life examples and the organizational costs of office politics. You’ll identify the benefits of team competition, how to have difficult discussions at work, what workplace policies are and how to navigate workplace politics with effective strategies to transform unfavorable politics into a constructive work environment. You will also discover how to build a healthy and thriving work culture and key strategies to de-stress and stay positive at work.
Preparing for the Workshop
Participants are encouraged to continue to show up with an open mind and be ready for a transformation from the inside out. Once again, there will be a lot of mindset work that involves being open to change. You will also need to be ready to learn new skills and start adopting them into your current role in the company.
Be sure to assess your organizations current stance on workplace politics and policies – this will be helpful before you start making significant changes to its structure.
Take a look at your current processes and infrastructure around workplace policies.
Participants should also ensure that they are familiar with the major people-related processes of the company including the current sales processes. The workshop’s goal is not to change these processes, but rather to supplement them with the 5 Step Women’s Empowerment Business Transformation Process (Mindset Shift, Leadership Development, Personal Presence, Advanced Communications Skills and Creating and Implementing an Action Plan) to improve their effectiveness. Participants should compile a list of their most recent successes and failures in each of these processes. The list will be useful later on when discussing how to integrate the process into the existing model.
It may be advantageous to the participants if these processes are also examined from the perspective of the employees. One or two of the participants should meet with a few key employees to discuss the success of the processes. The effectiveness of these processes, rather than the method itself, should be the focal point of these discussions. When discussing the efficacy of the process, it is critical to consider the outcomes from the perspective of the people it is supposed to help. Ineffective processes, regardless of their efficiency, fail to meet the expectations of the customer. The Women’s Empowerment Business Transformation Process will be able to fill in the gaps discovered by identifying flaws in these procedures.
The Tenth workshop in our Women Empowerment Program is Workplace Politics.
How this transformation of this process will be achieved, is by implementation of the following strategies:
1. How to navigate positive and negative politics in the office.
2. Learn the key steps to becoming a good “political player.”
3. Discover an easy process on how to organize your own company competitions.
4. Learn the solutions to combat the 9 most common organizational problems.
5. Five ways to use power to influence.
6. 3 Steps to keep negative politics out of your organization.
7. Learn the 12 most effective strategies for managers and HR to navigate and or eliminate workplace politics within their organization.
8. Learn more about your companies policies.
9. Eight steps to follow when having difficult discussions in the workplace.
10. Discover 8 specific ways to lead with trust, so that you can empower your team.
11. Learn some ideas for how company executives may foster respectful debate and constructive conflict at work.
12. Identify 22 ways to reduce stress at work.
Course Manuals 1-12
Preliminary Plan
It’s important to have a plan to start implementing the processes learned throughout the workshop. Here are the steps to get this “project” started.
• Define the scope and objectives. Why is this project being initiated? …
• Define the roles and responsibilities.
• Next, you need to identify the project stakeholders – the ones who are responsible for its success.
• Set milestones and create a timeline.
• Then, it’s time to break down the work that needs to be done into manageable blocks. …
• Hold regular meetings to check in on the progress.
Course Manual 1: Politics at Work
“An office should be like a second home. We should love the members of the team; we should take care of them and work for them.” – Dr Sivakumar Gowder
Office politics are a common occurrence in companies. They are the actions people take to advance their own agendas and elevate their prestige, often at the expense of others. These unofficial or informal acts of self-interest may be the cause of the negative connotation that politics in the workplace carries. The behaviors that are typically referred to as office politics do have some positive features, though. Office politics, for instance, can just be a necessary component of stakeholder connection building and networking. In this lesson, we will reveal what office politics are, what the common causes are and explore some of the positive aspects they can present.
Why is corporate politics often viewed negatively?
Such expressions as:
“They’re being so political”
“I detest participating in politics.”
Are frequently heard.
The truth is there will always be “politics” in a room with two people.
When two (or more) persons pursue objectives that may not be mutually exclusive, politics results.
Their shared desire may or may not be the same thing.
For example:
• When you go out to lunch with a friend and you like Mexican food, but your friend likes Italian, that’s when “politics” happens.
• When two vice presidents desire the company to grow, “politics” results. One wants to do so by developing new items, while the other wants to do so by aggressively advertising current products.
• When both your boss and you seek a promotion, there is “politics” involved.
• When one engineer wants to raise the product’s quality while another wants to increase functionality, “politics” is involved.
Certain times, business “politics” do seem somewhat shady. Most of the time, though, it’s just a group of well-meaning individuals with conflicting desires.
You may occasionally view the discrepancies as minor and comprehensible.
For instance, just because you obtain a promotion doesn’t mean your supervisor can’t, either.
Sometimes you’ll consider the differences to be significant and possibly incompatible.
It may not be possible to fund both proposals if one vice president wants to develop new items while the other wants to aggressively market already existing ones.
Knowing what each of the important players in a situation wants will help you negotiate corporate politics successfully.
What you want initially doesn’t matter.
Much more crucial is what everyone else wants.
As soon as you realize this, you should come up with a solution that satisfies everyone’s needs while also granting your own.
You don’t ask for a promotion from your employer.
You instead come up with a plan that will help your boss be promoted, which means that you will gladly step in to take on her current responsibilities.
See the distinction?
The fact is that learning about politics is a fantastic idea if you want to flourish in a corporate setting. Gaining knowledge of workplace politics can help you develop your career and stop someone from taking advantage of you. In terms of career progress, we can fall behind if we don’t work on developing these talents. The advice given in this course manual is to at least be aware of the politics in your organization rather than being overly political.
Positive Politics
Positive politics refers to actions intended to persuade people while benefiting both the organization and the player of the game. A few examples of positive politics are:
• Acting as a professional
• Publicizing one’s successes
• Volunteering
• Complementing others
On the other hand, organizational politics can boost productivity, develop interpersonal ties, hasten change, and benefit both the organization and its constituents. Office politics are a possibility for both individuals and groups, and they may be very harmful since they put the organization’s interests second to those of the individual. “Political activities that are self-serving can have a negative impact on our social groups, cooperation, information exchange, and many other organizational functions.”
Therefore, it is crucial to consider organizational politics and provide the proper political environment.
Negative Politics
Negative politics are designed to achieve personal gain at the expense of others and the organization. Some instance of negative politics are:
• Spreading rumors
• Speaking behind someone’s back
• Withholding crucial information
“Politics is the lubrication that lubricates the internal wheels of your company.” Politics is “just how power gets worked out on a practical, day-to-day basis,” – John Eldred.
Causes of Workplace Politics
A person could get involved in office politics for a variety of reasons, including to market their views, to accomplish a certain goal, to influence the organization, or to gain more authority. Politically driven individuals will establish alliances, bargain, and negotiate to obtain their desired outcomes for themselves and/or for their organization in order to accomplish these goals. Furthermore, before the employers promote someone, these people frequently lobby the bosses. In order to obtain authorization for certain actions or projects, they may also go around the chain of command.
Within an organization, there are various interests among individuals or groups. Furthermore, these interests do not always coincide with those of other members of the organization. Therefore, some people participate in office politics in order to succeed.
Office politics and competition
When resources are limited, competition results, which frequently breeds the practice of office politics. For instance, people look for different ways to advance when there are few open positions within a company like an investment bank. When someone wants to be in charge of a project, they frequently try to win over other people’s approval, typically their senior coworkers.
The hierarchy in almost all companies is pyramidal. As one moves up the ranks, fewer slots are available to occupy. Few executive roles are available, thus not everyone obtains the promotion or position they desire.
Limited opportunities, rewards, and recognition
To advance in most corporate hierarchies, it takes several years.
Case Study: Banking/Investment Industry
Let’s look at the banking industry for example, given that there are far more analysts than MDs employed by any major bank, the likelihood of an analyst reaching MD level in the future is low. The more senior the position you’re aiming for, the more intense the competition. At most significant investment banks, it typically takes roughly 16+ years to advance from analyst to managing director.
Competition arises as a result of the shortage of investment banking jobs. Understanding your organization’s politics is crucial for this reason. Even if you have the necessary job abilities, some of your coworkers can have plans in place to obtain an unfair advantage over you.
In order to reduce the detrimental impacts of office politics, we must be conscious of their damaging elements. We must develop the skills necessary to maneuver within the organization’s specific political environment.
Most Big Four accounting firms, significant consulting firms, and investment banks have intense cultures. They are known for having a brutal meritocracy. The smartest and brightest business students from prestigious colleges are drawn to it, and since everyone is replaceable, you must put in a lot of effort. You can even be expected to put in lengthy hours on the weekends. The amount of time spent each week at a major investment bank ranges from 80 to 110 hours.
You might feel animosity or even jealously toward the person who is successfully using politics to advance in the organization and get what they desire. However, a better course of action is to become proficient in office politics yourself.
Can workplace competition be a good thing?
Co-opetition, also known as cooperative competition, is a useful phrase to explore when thinking about internal workplace dynamics even though it is typically used to refer to competing businesses.
Cooperative competition, which has its roots in game theory, contends that team members can motivate one another to work harder and more productively by cooperating.
Healthy competition can be a motivating factor within the workplace. Competition encourages creativity, according to Ashley Merryman, co-author of Top Dog: the Science of Winning and Losing: “Whether professional musicians or school children, studies have proven competition fosters creativity and even increases the quality of the work produced. More importantly, the same abilities that make you a successful competitor—such as a willingness to test boundaries, confidence in one’s gut, and problem-solving—are also necessary for creativity.
On the other hand, excessive competition can be fatal since it lowers morale, increases stress, and encourages backstabbing. Most people wouldn’t apply for a position where they would be required to compete daily. It gets tiresome to be on high alert all the time.
How then can you promote healthy competition while avoiding the bad?
Here are things to keep in mind.
The goal should be “cooperative competition.”
Co-opetition, also known as cooperative competition, is a useful phrase to explore when thinking about internal workplace dynamics even though it is typically used to refer to competing businesses. Cooperative competition, which has its roots in game theory, contends that team members can motivate one another to work harder and more productively by cooperating.
Only a select few benefit from competition.
About 25% of people are unaffected by competition, 25% struggle in a competitive setting, and 50% gain from it, according to research referenced in Top Dog: The Science of Winning and Losing. Competition has varied effects on men and women. Men tend to have excessive self-confidence in their skills and less anxiety about the dangers of competing. Women typically steer clear of competitive situations because they are pessimistic about their chances of success.
Lead researcher Markus Baer comments on the findings of a new study from the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis, saying that “women perform poorly as soon as you introduce competition, forcing teams to fight with one another for resources or a prize.” When you increase the heat, women somehow stop doing the behaviors that help them succeed when they are working in a team.”
However, when women are bargaining on behalf of someone other than themselves, the effect is lessened.
People are simply hardwired differently, regardless of gender; some people thrive off of stress and produce their best work in high-stakes situations, while others need a calm, peaceful setting to function at their best. Effective leaders tailor the individual’s style to the marketplace.
Be careful not to foster a culture of fear.
The Culture of Collaboration Institute executive director and author Evan Rosen is a strong advocate of teamwork over competitiveness in the workplace. His main justification Fear. “Trust issues may be the most significant way that internal competition hinders collaboration. When we live in a dog-eat-dog society, how can we trust one another? There is more fear than trust.
All types of negative activities, including political scheming, passive resistance, and self-defense, are brought on by fear. In the end, it’s critical to establish that coworkers are on the same team and that cooperation is a fundamental value. Because of this, cooperative competition functions well.
Competition is not always productive.
It’s important to recognize the difference between rivalry that boosts production and competition that demoralizes workers.
Turning everything into a competition with your coworkers can only lead to unnecessary strife, advises Betsy Winkler of People Results. “It doesn’t matter who enters the conference room first or who presents the update first during a staff meeting. Instead, than concentrating on all current activities, pay attention to what produces business results.
Leaders should use competition judiciously. Recognize the seriousness of starting a fight and its consequences; you don’t want to start a fight just because you can. And always be prepared to stop competition if it’s causing harm; otherwise, employees might decide to compete for jobs outside the organization.
According to Marilee B. Sprenger, author of The Leadership Brain for Dummies, “working together and assisting each other releases brain chemicals that promote motivation, pleasure, and bonding. The crew is intrinsically motivated since the brain craves these feel-good hormones so intensely.
The important difference is that collaboration is encouraged here rather than rivalry, allowing people to work together toward a common objective.
Summary:
In order to reduce the detrimental impacts of office politics, we must be conscious of their damaging elements. We must develop the skills necessary to maneuver within the organization’s specific political environment.
Making your work relevant, raising your profile, advancing projects, and knowing the proper people to speak to are all part of being excellent at office politics in the workplace. Regardless of where we operate, we must make sure that (1) we are aware of the political climate there and (2) we have a plan in place for how to successfully navigate or negotiate it.
“Stop seeing it as office politics and start seeing it as office partnerships.” – Erin Hatzikostas, You Do You(ish): Unleash Your Authentic Superpowers to Get the Career You Deserve
Exercise 10.1: Challenge Bowl
Objective:
How to Play:
Course Manual 2: Playing Politics
“Women are most likely waiting for companies to tell them what’s next in their own careers.”
No senior leader ever rose to the top without using some sort of power maneuver. Your success depends just as much on your ability to traverse personalities and know who to talk to when as it does on your talent and effort.
And yet, the word “politics” is stigmatized so much.
“It’s perceived as devious, but it needn’t be. And whether you like it or not, politics play a significant role in office culture, according to Kari Reston, founder and CEO of Boredom to Boardroom, a business that supports the careers of young professionals. Reston, who formerly served as Standard Chartered Bank Americas and EMEA’s Head of Talent, exhorts women to feel at ease in politics. It’s an important step on the path to the C-Suite.
Accept that politics exists
First, admit that politics will be necessary for everyone who wants to advance. “There’s a myth that top managers don’t offer and request assistance and favors. In reality, lobbying is ongoing; Reston claims that the higher up you go, the more “coffees” there are. Everyone engages in it.
What you need to do is identify a strategy that aligns with your values and seems natural to you. However, don’t ever imagine that you are the only one doing it. Women frequently cringe and roll their eyes when workplace politics are brought up, according to Reston. You must change the rules and participate in the game in order to win. Don’t, however, be rude. Politics is not about undermining others rather it’s about positively lifting your career – and others’.
Create an agenda
So, your organization now enjoys a significant victory. Your manager noticed; therefore, you’re getting a promotion soon, right? Wrong. Your accomplishments may not actually represent more than a pat on the back until you actively reach out to discuss your role, impact, and future with the organization.
“Relying solely on formal channels or holding off until the year-end evaluation is never sufficient. According to Reston, women can’t wait for their employers to inform them what their own professional futures hold. Instead, create a schedule. Never be afraid to discuss anything with the appropriate people if you’ve worked hard to accomplish it or have an idea for taking on greater responsibility.
Decide who needs to be informed, then go out and tell them.
Leadership is political
One thing you may say to your supervisor is, “I’m incredibly proud of getting us this fantastic new account. We should talk about this and how to expand opportunities, says Reston. When you achieve anything, talk about it right away rather than months later when the occasion has faded.
You must behave like a leader if you want to be one. You come out as reactive rather than proactive if you are always downplaying your contributions. Always give credit where credit is due, which also applies to giving yourself credit.
One of Reston’s clients is a good example of someone who doesn’t give herself enough credit for her job. Although she is excellent at what she does, it is unfortunate that her career has not advanced as she would have liked. She uses phrases such, “I supported,” “I was part of a team that…” and “My company is outstanding at…” to make her point. Teamwork is excellent, but she wasn’t attributing any credit to her active participation in many successes.
Treat gaining ground like you would a project. The real completion of the task requires hard work. Making sure the appropriate individuals are aware of how hard you worked on the project is the final step.
Understanding the motivations of others at work and using this knowledge to influence in ways that enhance one’s personal interest and organizational objectives are both part of politics, which is broadly defined as being able to successfully navigate the unwritten rules of “how things get done and through whom.”
According to Harvard Business Review, many women react negatively, even allergically, to office politics. As psychologists and coaches, Lisa Zigarmi, Julie Diamond and Lesli Mones have observed this. This is supported by a large body of research; women typically view it as “dirty” or dishonest, as well as a stressful component of work that lowers their job satisfaction.
However, because people are relational creatures by nature, political acumen is important. It is essential to daily operations in a company. The ability to properly apply political abilities is essential for career progress, according to studies.
It is understood that playing office politics can be upsetting. People are frequently forced to expand past their ingrained preferences and routines. In this lesson we will provide strategies for political engagement that minimize discomfort and increase career progress.
The common misconceptions that underlie women’s aversion to politics at work are identified in this course manual. Also, it offers mental adjustments that have aided hundreds of women in maximizing their political abilities.
5 Reasons Why Women Dislike Workplace Politics
1. My work ought to be able to stand alone.
Many people’s belief in meritocracy is at odds with becoming politically active. Men and women both view the idea that one must achieve greater things than simply excel in their jobs as being abhorrent. However, this can feel much more insulting and burdensome to women and other oppressed groups who have to put in twice the effort to combat prejudice based on their race and gender.
2. Making connections is something you do outside of the workplace.
Developing political ties might frequently seem unnecessary, a diversion from the task at hand, or just another thing to check off the list. And the concept that women must find more time and space for these other activities seems absurd to them because they spend, on average, 37% more time than men on housework and duties in addition to their full-time jobs.
3. It’s not real.
Politics is frequently viewed as posturing, forming relationships with influential people, or backing initiatives that are well-liked merely to maintain one’s influence. This may appear insincere and dishonest to many people.
4. I dislike being aggressive.
Office politics frequently takes the form of a “zero-sum game,” entailing rumors, treachery, sabotage, and even intimidation. Women and a good proportion of men dislike these strategies and prefer power that is built on connections, influence, and win-win strategies.
5. The consequences are too great.
Women are punished for exercising political acumen. Studies have shown that assertiveness and competitiveness, two traits that are typical of office politics, are viewed more critically by women. And as a result, they suffer the consequences.
Do you subscribe to any of these ideas? If so, it makes sense. They’re not without merit. However, if you don’t challenge them, you can be putting yourself at a disadvantage. In research, our experts have discovered that the cultivation of the five attitudes listed below is a powerful means of dispelling these myths and embracing and honing political abilities.
Five Ways to Change Your Perspective on “Playing Politics”
1. From “My work should speak for itself” to “It’s up to me to demonstrate how my work relates to others’.”
Many people’s belief in meritocracy is at odds with becoming politically active. Men and women both view the idea that one must achieve greater things than simply excel in their jobs as being abhorrent. However, this can feel much more insulting and burdensome to women and other oppressed groups who have to put in twice the effort to combat prejudice based on their race and gender.
Everyone is not an island. People, whether they are male or female, miss the interdependence of organizational life when they think their work should speak for itself. A limited, functional view of a job that presume others can fully understand and appreciate the role you play in the bigger organizational puzzle is the idea that your work should speak for itself.
This notion is frequently observed in two groups. The first comes from extremely technical leaders, or those who have a highly sought-after, niche field of competence. These people can easily perceive how their contributions are needed by the organization, but it is less clear to them how others’ contributions are needed for their work.
This response has also come from people who are more at ease with a hierarchical leadership style and who have a more subservient relationship with management. They doubt the need to speak up for oneself, believing that their manager should be the one to monitor and assess their work.
When we help people change their mindsets, we concentrate on moving from a functional or expert mindset to an enterprise mindset, which helps employees to relate their area of expertise to the demands of the overall organization. To put it another way, to consider what is best for the entire business, not just their tiny portion of it.
One of the coaches mentored a senior executive who advanced quickly from director to vice president in a highly technical, predominately male industry. She learned how to link her job to the work of others, which helped her negotiate politics during her ascent to the top. She would set aside five minutes before each conversation, meeting, and presentation to consider the potential backlash or objections she might face. She made a thorough inventory of her audience, taking into account their demographics, needs, and top priorities. Then she would think of methods to link her contributions to their requirements, establishing herself as an essential and integral component of everyone else’s success. Her job is carefully connected to others’ and the organization’s objectives.
2. From “Making Connections is an outside of work activity” to “Cultivating relationships is a force multiplier.”
People are involved in and carry out work. And the more so this is true the higher you go. Maintaining relationships and picking up tips from others is essential to your success in the interdependent workplace, where you depend on others to help you achieve your objectives.
Attending a women’s conference, for instance, can boost a woman’s optimism by up to 78% right away and raise her chances of getting a promotion or a pay increase of 10% or more within a year. When people interact with one another, something significant occurs. The populace is more motivated. They pick up fresh methods for advancing their careers. They come across fresh concepts. They get more comfortable asking for what they require, and perhaps even discover a method to impart their knowledge to others.
When we assist leaders in shedding this perspective, we enable them to recognize the advantages of networking rather than just its difficulties. In our six-month leadership development programs, participants have the chance to repeatedly come together as cohorts. Women who are looking for new possibilities, feeling stuck in their career path, or dealing with leadership conflicts find it helpful to hear from other women in related roles, pick up new self-promotional techniques, and observe different ways to problem-solving.
Participants practice and refine their presentations in small groups before giving a five-minute presentation on a subject with significant professional ramifications in the final session. For optimal impact, people can sharpen their stories, clarify their facts, and improve their stage appearance through these dress rehearsals. Numerous participants attribute their ability to tweak and improve their presentations in order to secure money, motivate new strategies, and inspire followers to the input they received from their new network. The ladies frequently assisted one another in obtaining new positions, moving between departments, and gaining entry into powerful networks. To put it another way, the connections made through the program and the insights gained from those connections assist our participants increase their impact.
3. “It’s fake,” “I’m being paid to have a point of view, and I’m going to communicate it.”
According to studies, in order to be authentic, a person must be mindful of their identity, motivations, and contribution to the circumstance. They must also express themselves (consciously aligning your behavior with your awareness). It entails acting in a way that helps the situation while being consistent with your genuine feelings, ideas, and ultimate objectives. Authenticity demands self-control, bravery, and wisdom. You relate to the players and circumstance from a solid sense of who you are; it’s not a reaction to what’s going on around you.
Office politics will affect you more adversely if you don’t know what you believe in or lack the bravery to speak up for it. In order to advance projects and teams in a way that is consistent with your ambitions and the objectives of the business, you must be political — and real. People tend to oppose politics more readily than they do when they can clearly articulate their positions and support them.
When we assist people in shifting away from this style of thinking, we assist them in discovering their purpose and values so they may make decisions that are consistent with them.
As an illustration, one woman was disheartened by the senior leaders in her business unit’s leadership style. She was therefore thinking of leaving rather than pursuing advancement to the following level. She discovered via coaching that her choice was a response to the behavior of her coworkers, but she hadn’t specified the kind of leadership behavior she valued. She felt motivated to set an example for new behaviors and start discussions about how leaders influence culture within her business unit as a result of being given the opportunity to better articulate her own leadership perspective. As a result, she had a different perspective on her current position and was more inspired and encouraged to stick with it and possibly even ask for a promotion.
She deliberately chose to be a role model for the leadership style she wanted to see prevalent in her business rather than responding to what she didn’t like.
4. From “I dislike being aggressive” to “My leadership strategy needs to be appropriate for the circumstance.”
Political behavior can be off-putting, particularly when it utilizes hard power techniques like intimidation, sabotage, and coercion. This is what “being political” means to a lot of people, men and women equally, as opposed to employing softer power strategies like persuasion, forming alliances, and providing aid.
But regardless of its might, power is neither good nor bad. The reasons for using it and the effects it has on other people determine whether using power is beneficial or negative. While it’s simple to see how hard power might be used negatively, soft power can also be abused or employed for evil purposes. Think about how persuasion, charisma, and relationship-building were used by Jim Jones, Bernie Madoff, and Jeffrey Skilling.
We assist leaders in shedding this mindset by educating them on the importance of applying hard or soft power strategies depending on the circumstances rather than out of personal choice or design. Both harsh force and soft power are appropriate in different circumstances. To hold people accountable, make difficult and unpopular decisions, set limits, or implement repercussions to unacceptable workplace behavior, strong power tactics may be required.
One of the experts mentored a leader who firmly preferred soft power strategies. She was employed in the creative sector, where her collaborative approach first succeeded. However, once she took over as team leader for a short while, team members started to voice burnout concerns. A few senior team members left due to dispute shortly after that. This prompted her to consider the team dynamics and how her leadership played a role.
She came to the realization that her collaborative approach has led to team meetings being dominated and derailed by a few outspoken members through conversations with each team member. People were forced to spend hours in discussion to summarize and rehash the findings since agendas were frequently hijacked by off-topic conversations and meetings frequently concluded without clarity and direction.
In order to fit the dynamics of the team, the client learned to use strong power methods. She started to step in, establish limits, establish criteria for dialogue, and hold participants accountable when they broke the meeting rules. Realizing that tougher power tactics can also be used, and that collaborative leadership has its limitations was a revelation to her.
5. “The consequences are too great.” To “I prioritize my growth.”
Women are punished for having ambition and political acumen. Positive stereotypes have positive effects on one’s career, according to study. It is true that showing desire comes with a high cost for women and minorities.
However, the alternative can be worse for many. It might be difficult to deal with the fallout from showing ambition, but it can also be difficult to deal with the psychological and personal costs of not pushing yourself to the fullest. Waiting for the world to change before making their voices heard is a higher price to pay for many women and minorities than the consequences of being ambitious.
In this situation, expansion is prioritized. But you shouldn’t approach this lightly. It’s crucial to plan ahead and think about any potential repercussions. Before taking any action, you might need to gather supplies and allies, make sure you have support in both your personal and professional lives. Above all else, having a Plan B or even a Plan C in place is crucial. Realistically consider the punishments you might incur. Do you have backup plans in case things don’t go as you had hoped? Are you ready, if necessary, to change business divisions or even companies?
Positive stereotypes can be avoided by having a growth mindset, which is the conviction that abilities can be developed by perseverance, wise planning, and feedback from others. For instance, a research indicated that teaching growth mindset to Black university students improved their academic performance because they were less likely to internalize the negative stereotype that was made about them. However, those who had a fixed mindset and believed they couldn’t change were more likely to experience the harmful impacts of stereotyping.
One of the experts worked with a lady who complained that her manager habitually took credit for her work, restricted her access to top leaders, and inhibited her aspirations. Her management had forced her out, leaving her with little choice but to quit the company. She discovered via mentoring that she had actually mastered her role. There was no room to acquire new abilities, make a bigger influence, or interact with new stakeholders. Her limited opportunities were due as much to the scope of her work as they were to her disapproving management.
Recognizing her need for development, she made the deliberate decision to go outside of her company for a new position with greater scope and impact potential. She understood that her prior position was more constricting than her leader rather than feeling “chased out.” Her perspective changed, turning her from the victim to the hero of the tale.
The sad truth is that racialized minorities and women frequently encounter prejudice, antagonism, and discrimination. However, there are options available, options that either offer more flexibility and resilience or less. A strong defense against potential backlash is to prepare oneself, gather supporters and resources, have a backup plan in place, and have a growth mentality that views the challenge as an opportunity to learn and advance.
Whether you participate in office politics or not, it has an impact on your work experience and your projects. We argue that being a player is preferable to being a pawn. The women we coach aspire to be leaders at the highest levels, but many of them haven’t looked at their stifling assumptions about how to use politics to improve their careers. Your success depends on the frame of mind you bring to any situation, even one that can be perceived as unfavorable and unpleasant.
Workplace politics are necessary because, as relational beings, people and relationships matter just as much as knowledge and experience do. Participating in politics and using your political abilities are vital not just for job progress but also for your wellbeing at work.
Exercise 10.2: Shift Your Mindset
Course Manual 3: Five Myths
Case Study: Why You Can’t Sit Out on Office Politics
Niven Postma has more than 20 years of experience in the corporate, nonprofit, and governmental sectors as an executive. This is what she learned…
I took pride in my unwillingness to participate in office politics over these years. I remarked, “I truly don’t have the stomach for all of that crap, to anyone who would listen (and maybe even a few who wouldn’t). Politics is terrible, dangerous, and pointless, and I’m just too honest to put up with all the charade they demand. I go to work to complete tasks, not to engage in idle conversation.
Given my method, it’s hardly surprise that when I was laid off several years into my profession, I was totally unprepared and out of my depth. It wasn’t because I wasn’t working hard enough or wasn’t accomplishing my objectives. It was because I had neglected to build connections with those who could have fought for my employment.
Under the pretense of “budget savings,” I was fired graciously and expensively without cause or rebuke because someone in a position of power didn’t want me around any longer. The worst kind of “office politics” can be seen in this situation.
I learned from the event that my burying my head in the sand strategy needed to be revised. It was about time I started being a little more politically savvy at work. I gave the subject my whole attention. I devoured every study, book, and article I could get my hands on and asked a fellow executive-turned-coach for advice.
I started to think more and more about my profession as I learnt more. Despite my remarkable accomplishment, I failed a lot of times and missed a lot of possibilities because I didn’t have a good understanding of office politics. Despite being crucial to surviving (and succeeding) in every work environment, it is not a subject that is typically studied in colleges or business schools.
Because of the case study above, Niven has made it a top priority in her current work as a global consultant to teach professionals how to deal with organizational politics at every level of their careers.
Understanding the myths
Office politics are not always bad, despite all the bad connotations. They are about the power that influence, and relationships offer you, or don’t provide you. Niven has now given organizational politics lectures to tens of thousands of workers all around the world, and she discovered five myths that we will share in this lesson that are equally pervasive and detrimental as they are simplistic and untrue. You should find out the truth sooner rather than later especially if you’re just starting out in your job and believe it’s better to avoid politics.
5 Myths About Office Politics
Myth 1
You can either be a good person, or you can play politics.
Niven always asks participants to summarize office politics in three words at the beginning of each lecture or workshop she conducts. Every single time, 99% of the remarks spoken are unfavorable. It nearly always comes down to “toxic,” “frustrating,” “hazardous,” “demotivating,” “draining,” “unfair,” “unnecessary,” “cliques,” and “gossip.” A coworker used the phrase “heart-breaking” last week.
This first myth is very common since these are the words, we associate with office politics. If we are not ourselves toxic, hazardous, unethical, and unpleasant, how could any of us possible engage in activities that are universally seen as harmful and risky, or at the very least, unpleasant, and unethical?
This myth is founded on an incomplete and incorrect understanding of the nature of office politics. However, at their core, office politics are simply the variety of informal, unofficial, and occasionally covert actions that occur in all organizations as individuals position themselves, their interests, their teams, and their priorities to achieve goals. Office politics may be used in both ethical and unethical ways.
Let’s say, for instance, that you are going to go to a key conference where company stakeholders will decide which initiatives, including yours, will receive funding. If you are politically adept, you are aware that you must first know the priorities and opinions of those stakeholders in order to get support for your concept. You must speak with them in order to successfully convey your idea.
Let’s say you’re up for a promotion, you can ask your boss to join you for a game of golf to establish that you’re a team player.
These are examples of how you can ethically use workplace politics to your benefit.
However, disruptive, and negative politics are both a possibility and reality. In a similar circumstance, it would be immoral to engage in political maneuvering if you distribute untrue information about the paucity of scientific support for your colleague’s initiative.
Painting all political activities with the same brush makes us blind to the possibility of constructive politics, which refers to a variety of totally ethical and proper actions that help to fortify allies, increase influence, and provide a strong foundation for you and your team to work from.
Myth 2
You can escape workplace politics.
Politics within organizations can’t be avoided. Niven was discussing this reality with a group of young managers a few years ago. She asked one of the participants to give his thoughts after noticing that he appeared to be troubled by what he was saying.
Like where? Asked Niven.
What about NGOs, though? maybe a church? You know, locations where people toil for the benefit of humanity as a whole. There must not be any politics there, right?
Niven resisted the need to chuckle and responded by telling the man the tale of a friend of his who had served as a pastor of a church. She made the decision to start a business after nearly ten years of leading a congregation. The dreaded “corporate politics” that coworkers warned her about and that acquaintances in business frequently complained about were the only thing that truly worried her during the shift. She jumped into a major accounting firm unafraid but yet somewhat worried, and after a few months, she was eager to hear how it was going.
Over coffee, she informed me, “I’m loving it.”
“Politics? Are you serious? Church politics are nothing compared to corporate politics!
The statement made in Lee G. Bolman and Terrence E. Deal’s study that “the question is not whether organizations will have politics but rather what kind of politics they will have” is dead on. We employ relationships, informal influence, and power plays because we are social creatures, and we engage in these things whether for good or bad.
Myth 3
Politics don’t affect your job performance or career.
How often have you heard or even said, “I don’t do politics,” yourself or to someone else? My output ought to speak for itself. I prefer the proverb that Carla Harris, vice chairman of Morgan Stanley, uses: “You can’t let your work speak for you; work doesn’t talk.”
We need to talk about our work, and we need other people to talk about it because people speak. Speaking about our job, however, does not necessarily mean listing all of the things we are involved in. Instead, we should frame our actions in terms of how they will affect the organization as a whole and why they are important.
“I’m finding it quite difficult to accept the fact that I will always have to deal with politics. There must be somewhere, right?
Participants in Niven’s seminars and lectures frequently engage in extended debates about whether “self-promotion” is necessary or even desirable. Many of us firmly believe that one should just need skill and hard work to succeed. This belief, in my opinion, is largely due to the way that so many of us approach our jobs. It is usually assumed when we are in school that if we put up the effort and grasp the subject matter, we would receive good grades and advance to the next level. The reality is that unseen contributions at work have little value, thus thinking in this way is risky and incorrect.
Myth 4
In virtual spaces, politics disappears.
Surely all forms of informal power play and political maneuvering that take place in the workplace cease to exist when there are no face-to-face interactions. This is not the case, as anyone who switched to remote work during the pandemic knows.
While research indicates that office politics are less prevalent in online settings, there is no proof that they vanish completely. This shouldn’t come as a surprise because most people are considerably more motivated by the informal and political than by the formal and established. Again, this can be either positive or negative, but it is a crucial component of human conduct regardless of the setting.
People who believe they “don’t play politics” are frequently shocked to learn that they are actually engaging in political activity when they “take something offline,” “socialize” their idea with decision-makers prior to a more formal meeting, or “just have a chat” with someone they believe can increase their effectiveness. This is valid whether you carry out these actions locally or virtually.
Myth 5
Political acumen is an inherent trait.
Niven frequently gets asked if some people are more suited for politics than others. She always responds in the same way: It’s true that some people are more naturally gifted with the abilities at the core of political intelligence than others. However, they remain skills. They are not characteristics that we either have or do not have at birth. To master a skill, just like any other, you must practice it.
In one of her courses, she was explaining the essential abilities and tactics of the politically astute when a young manager, who was staring at me with a mix of fatigue and amazement, spat out, “But this is a lot of work!”
She was accurate.
With all the demands on your time and energy, it could seem like the best accomplishment you’ve had all week was getting your unread emails down to double digits. Currently, you might be wondering: Am I saying that in addition, you need to find the time and energy to invest in relationships, get strategic about your supporters and sponsors, search for methods to grow the influence and power you have, and then use all of those things to develop your career?
Well sure.
It requires intentionality, focus, and practice to do this; over time, it will become second nature. An otherwise promising career is likely to never reach the potential heights if the alternative (i.e., failing to curate your network, establish your brand, and all the other things that politically clever people do) is taken. Or, even worse, entirely ruin your career.
What can you do?
Now that you know the reality about these urban legends, let’s look at what you can do to gradually become a good “office politics” player.
Reframe your definition of “politics.”
Start to become conscious of the way your language shapes your reality, particularly the way it shapes your perception of and behavior in the workplace.
Are you sucking up or concentrating on forming and comprehending new connections? Are you annoyed and resentful that you have to attend a number of smaller meetings before to the major meeting, or do you understand the value of setting the stage, being organized, and giving your ideas the best possible chance of success? Do you regard casual talks as doing crucial homework or as lobbying (with all the bad connotations this typically carries)?
A lot more often than not, it’s about the purpose behind the action, as well as the meaning and evaluation we give to both. It is obvious that we tend to expend more energy on activities we consider to be beneficial and significant than on things we dislike or don’t see the value in doing.
If, however, the negative connotations of “office politics” are so deeply embedded in your mind that you are unable to alter your perspective, try referring to them by another name. You can tell yourself things like, “I’m growing my coalition of support” or “I’m developing strategic partnerships with my stakeholders.”
What you refer to them by is irrelevant. It matters that you place work and focus into these activities because you value and consider them to be significant.
Compare your personal style to the political climate in your organization.
Focus your time and attention on understanding the type of political environment you are in rather than complaining or feeling resentful about the nature of organizations, which are by their very nature political.
• Is your company pathologically, mildly, moderately, or highly politicized?
• How well does the political climate align with your (present) political philosophy and the goals you have for your life and career?
Political players can be categorized into one of four groups, according to organizational politics specialist Kathleen Kelley Reardon:
However, unless we make these adjustments, it’s highly unlikely that a purist will be content or productive in a highly politicized environment or that a street fighter will be welcomed in a minimally politicized environment. Of course, all of us can learn new skills and alter our approaches if we really want to.
Work on improving your “relationship currency” constantly.
It’s quite doubtful that focusing solely on your performance currency, or the credibility you establish through your job, will lead to the success you’re after, whether that success takes the form of a bonus, a promotion, or recognition from senior executives. But you can only get such things if you put time into expanding your networks and creating the relationships that can speak for you and your business. Instead of being a distraction from your “actual” job, this investment in strategic relationships is one of its most crucial components.
While it’s crucial to consciously cultivate ties with future allies, don’t make the error of forgetting to cultivate relationships with individuals who could turn out to be your adversaries. Your political power decreases with each new foe you face.
Additionally, you must comprehend where and how interactions are still formed, particularly as the workplace transitions to a more virtual one. talks on WhatsApp. Online coffee dates? calls lasting an hour with no purpose other than to catch up with coworkers? If none of these things are occurring, you might be able to start them, not just with individuals who are currently a part of your network but also with those who you would like to include.
There are several ways to connect with people outside of your organization via social media. This has a tremendous impact on your career. It has been consistently demonstrated that a vast, diversified network is significantly more beneficial than a limited, homogeneous one.
“Don’t be stingy with your praise and support of other women. What goes around comes around. It’s great karma.” – Bonnie Marcus, Not Done Yet! How Women Over 50 Regain Their Confidence and Claim Workplace Power
Continually increase your “political” savvy.
You must be certain of where you are beginning from in order to get where you want to go. Knowing the fundamentals of political intelligence is one thing; knowing how you compare to them is quite another.
You can find some very helpful advice and self-assessment tasks in the workbook and videos on my website. These will help you see yourself from a fresh perspective and gain insights that will enable you to develop a political strategy. The secret is to continually review and adjust your political plan as the situation evolves, just like with any other approach. It is inevitable that you will occasionally fail, but you will also succeed. What matters is getting up and trying again. “In war, you can only be killed once,” Winston Churchill famously observed. Politicians are frequently assassinated.
Remember that doing politics on your own terms and with a clear-eyed understanding of how to be successful without giving up your principles will not only help you but also those stakeholders and colleagues who are depending on you to perform at your highest level. We all participate in politics in some capacity and improving in the one we want to is essential for both professional and personal success. Because if you don’t do politics, politics will do you—this is a real statement.
Exercise 10.3: Political Assessment
• Is your company pathologically, mildly, moderately, or highly politicized?
• How well does the political climate align with your (present) political philosophy and the goals you have for your life and career?
Course Manual 4: Team Competition
A creative strategy that incorporates friendly competition may be the answer if you’re seeking for ways to enhance employee engagement, productivity, and collaboration. Competitions at work can promote teamwork and employee loyalty when done carefully. You can design team-building competitions that inspire healthy team growth and competition by having a clear understanding of the purpose of competitions at work.
In this lesson, we give six instances of workplace contests, discuss the various types of competition, go through the advantages of workplace competition, the difference between teamwork and team building and provide advice on how to organize your own competitions.
What is workplace competition?
People compare themselves to their peers in a competitive environment at work in order to fuel their own motivation. This can apply to employees, different departments, or even rival businesses operating in the same industry. Some companies arrange their competition by ranking employees either publicly or privately, publishing performance indicators, or rewarding top performers. Others occasionally hold competitions and offer rewards to promote a casual culture of healthy competition.
What do competitions at work entail?
Coworkers compete in games or contests at work in order to win rewards or recognition. Competitions can improve particular professional abilities, stimulate teamwork, and raise morale. These contests frequently focus on the principles and values of the organization and encourage team members to collaborate to find solutions to issues. For instance, you might organize a contest to boost the team’s ingenuity by awarding a prize to the individual who develops the most original tagline for the business.
6 Examples of Workplace Competitions
Here are some terrific ways to encourage teamwork and boost employee morale if you’re seeking for competition ideas for the office:
1. Trivia contests
An excellent method to promote business culture and give out amusing prizes to staff is to build a game around company information, such as interesting facts about the company’s founding or current values and purpose statements. Participants in trivia games often have to respond to inquiries about various pieces of general or specialized knowledge. By their responses, your coworkers’ personalities can also be discovered.
2. Decoration competitions
Decoration competitions can inspire creativity and enable team members to interact with one another in a relaxed, unhurried manner, whether they are decorating their desks, cubicles, or departments. Think about holding a competition with a holiday or desk decoration theme. You might also make a survey to determine what interests your staff.
3.Costume contests
Costume competitions can be a low-stress, enjoyable method for staff members to interact and compete. For the holidays, think about holding a costume contest or maybe a contest with a theme. It might encourage them to participate if the staff is given the opportunity to vote on the best outfit.
4. Competitions based on sales and quotas
Team members can compete to see who can make the most sales in a particular month or hit certain sales goals if they operate in a field where success is measured in terms of units sold. Employees may be inspired to come up with innovative new techniques to close a transaction by this kind of friendly competition. As employees strive harder to win first place, it also helps the company’s sales and revenue grow.
5. Talent contests
Talent competitions can be a terrific method to promote uniqueness in the workplace and assist team members in developing new perspectives on their coworkers. Employees can vote for their favorite talent, and participants can choose what they’d like to showcase. Team members may feel more appreciated if their special talents are acknowledged.
6. Company t-shirt design competition
A t-shirt design competition can be a great way to include every employee in the launch of a new product or service your business is offering. Employees can submit their own unique T-shirt designs, and the winning entry will become the shirt’s main design. This is also a fantastic approach to promote the launch of a new product.
Different types of workplace competitions
There are many types of competitions that leaders can implement in the workplace, ranging from individual to company-wide competitions. Competitions can relate to specific business-related goals and objectives, or they can aim to boost morale. Here are a few types of workplace competitions:
Individual Competitions
Individual competitions typically focus on the key strengths of each employee. For example, if a sales associate consistently sells $100 of merchandise per hour, management might offer them a cash bonus if they can increase their sales by $50 per hour over a week. Another example is desk decorating competitions that aren’t tied to a business goal but can promote camaraderie by allowing employees to express themselves in creative ways.
Team Competitions
Team competitions involving groups of individuals inside a department or organization are frequently organized by leaders. This type of competition framework can promote more effective teamwork. An effective strategy to integrate a competition that benefits the company is, for instance, to divide employees into teams and see who can raise the most money when a nonprofit is raising money to buy new supplies. Another example is creating teams out of the employees and giving rewards to the team that accomplishes a deliverable objective the quickest or gets the best customer feedback.
Company -wide and departmental competitions
Multiple departments participate in both internal and external tournaments. A similar event would involve a quarterly sales competition to determine which department can bring in the most money in a period of three months. A wellness competition to reduce weight could involve the entire company, two departments competing for bonuses or other prizes, or both.
Guidelines for competing at work
It’s crucial to design and carry out office competitions in a way that’s cordial, upbeat, and brings out the best in individuals. When planning office competitions, keep the following things in mind:
Set attainable goals.
Setting reachable, realistic goals will help staff stay motivated throughout the competition. A realistic goal ensures that your team or organization understands its capacity to achieve those goals and helps drive it toward success. Goals should be based on the skills of the team or individual and the requirements of the business.
Clearly define the competition’s requirements and rules
Specify the rules for each competition to establish clear expectations and guarantee that everyone abides by them. This promotes fair competition for all participants and produces truthful outcomes. This can foster more teamwork and healthy competition, ensuring that everyone has an equal chance of finishing their tasks.
Construct competitions around shared objectives or goals
Competitions can be effectively organized by linking them to group advantages for the team or business. It is more likely to provide the intended results and result in improved performances when employees are informed about how the competition benefits the company and its employees. Additionally, these contests can strengthen corporate culture and serve to reaffirm key company principles.
Benefits of Competition in the Workplace
A well-planned workplace competition can help a business much by bringing together coworkers who are working toward the same objective. Competitions can help your business achieve its short- and long-term goals by connecting employees from different areas, teaching new talents, and reinforcing specialized skills. Just a few advantages of establishing workplace competitions include the following:
• Increased employee engagement: Competitions and contests provide each individual team member clear goals so they know what is expected of them and how they may participate.
• Elevates employee productivity: Since everyone is working toward clearly defined goals as a result of workplace competitions, which come with built-in deadlines and targets.
• Enhanced employee loyalty and retention: Employees are more inclined to stick with a company and strive for long-term objectives and promotions when they feel valued members of a team.
• Promotes Growth: Competition provides people with a standard to aim towards, which motivates them to advance their careers and sharpen their talents. Giving them a challenging objective, they may strive towards will hasten their progress and provide them a motivation to learn more.
• Provides motivation: While internal drive is essential for success, external drive can also help you thrive. In addition to their own joy, competition offers your team unique prizes and benefits for their achievement at work.
• An improved sense of teamwork: This results from employees having the possibility to bond with coworkers both inside and outside of their department and to become more familiar with their skills sets.
Team Working vs. Team Building: Similarities and Differences
Colleagues get together through teamwork and team building to work more productively and achieve goals. By paying attention to the needs of employees and learning about their strengths and shortcomings, businesses may create great teams. Working together to achieve shared goals can boost productivity, improve job satisfaction, and aid in an organization’s expansion. In this section, we’ll talk about what teamwork and team building are, how they apply in the business, and their similarities and distinctions.
What exactly is teambuilding?
Building a team is the process of assembling a group of people who have been chosen for their particular talents and capacity to work well together. It also entails getting these team members involved in activities that strengthen their bond by training them to complement one another’s strengths. Because it serves as the foundation for team working, team building is crucial in the workplace. Office competitions, volunteer work, and workplace outings are a few examples of team-building exercises.
What does teamwork entail?
Collaboration among members of a group is known as team working. Team working, which is another name for collaboration, describes the strategies groups employ to accomplish their goals. When teams organize effectively, they may achieve more as a group than they might separately.
Because many firms rely on employees from certain areas, like marketing or accounting, to use their distinct skills and knowledge to work toward the same goals, teamwork plays a crucial role in organizations. Teams that operate effectively together have numerous traits in common, such as:
• Clearly defined roles
• Clear communication among participants
• Minimal Competition
• Decision-making that is inclusive
• Mutual assistance and respect
• Responsibility for roles and actions
Teamwork versus team building
While teamwork and team building have different objectives, they also share certain similarities. Both activities, albeit they go about it in different ways, aid members of an organization in achieving particular objectives. The following are some ways that teamwork and team building are similar and different:
Purpose
To establish a team so that teamwork can occur, team building is done. It enables firms to create varied teams with people who can cooperate to achieve the same goals in various ways. Team-building exercises are designed to improve morale and motivate team members by bringing them together.
After there has been team building, there is team working. Members of a team formed by an organization talk about how to address current problems and how they may each contribute. They then autonomously execute their respective jobs, and the combined results benefit both the team and the business.
Structure
The composition of the gathered team is based on the design of the team-building exercises used by the organization. The team-building exercises that businesses utilize differ depending on their main objectives. For instance, they may base their team-building exercises on volunteer work if they wish to stress kindness and helpfulness. It can be easier to build the team they desire if they make critical thinking their main priority.
The dynamics of the team, the reasons the organization formed it, and the outcomes of the team-building exercises all affect how the team works. Some organizations have flat or organic structures with flexible positions that might overlap. Mechanistic organizations feature a clearly defined hierarchy with a small number of leaders.
Strategy
The main objective of the team-building strategy is to create a cohesive team. Organizations can take the following actions to create strong teams:
• Set the team’s goals.
• Form a team based on the appropriate roles.
• Build trust among the members.
• Be precise with your expectations.
• Regularly assess performance.
• Provide helpful constructive feedback.
In order to build a strong foundation for a team, teamwork tactics must be developed that inspire members to collaborate effectively. Teams can get better at operating as a team by:
• Promoting dialogue and listening
• Valuing the diversity of the team’s members
• Making decisions based on consensus
• Working together to find solutions
• Introducing new members to individuals who can make them feel at ease
• Keeping in mind the highest priority tasks for the team
• Setting and achieving objectives fun
Collaboration
Collaboration among team members is crucial to both teamwork and team building. Organizations give their teams tools to explore, communicate, and develop ideas in order to promote collaboration while working in teams. Many businesses employ digital tools to support efficient team collaboration. Programs for video conferencing and messaging, project management software, and cloud-based productivity tools are a few examples.
Organizations take into account the roles a team needs to play in order to accomplish its objectives in order to promote teamwork. Although team sizes vary, businesses can use Dr. Meredith Belbin’s nine team functions as a reference when selecting team members. These positions were developed in 1981 by researcher and management consultant Belbin to aid firms in balancing their teams and fostering fruitful teamwork.
The roles include:
The Plant: Develops novel concepts and approaches to problems
Resource investigator: Make new contacts and get information and ideas from them
Coordinator: Aids other team members in their work
Shaper: Guides the group and promotes development
Team worker: Facilitates resolution of disputes and promotes cooperation among teammates
Monitor evaluator: Plans objectives in a strategic manner and applies analysis to difficulties.
Implementer: Facilitates efficiency and maintains team organization
Completer: Conducts quality control to complete tasks.
Specialist: Offers expert advice and provides special guidance for specific tasks
Objectives
The goals of team development and teamwork vary and are related to each other. The goals of team development place a strong emphasis on how connected team members are. They consist of connecting, engagement, trust, and communication.
Objectives for teamwork are centered on how successfully the team achieves objectives. Teams have different frameworks, but businesses often use a similar set of metrics to gauge effectiveness. They might consist of things like:
• Productivity
• Participation
• Contentment at work
• Retention
• Conflict Resolution
• Goal achievement
Outcomes
Despite their significant distinctions, teamwork and team building both aim to increase individual and corporate growth. A functional team achieves objectives that are advantageous to the team’s members, the team, and the company. Successful team building produces functional teams.
When it comes to organizing competition within your company paying close attention to organizational culture is beneficial. Has your business thought about using competition as a motivator? Would a competitive setting be suitable? Or would it perhaps undermine a culture of cooperation, teamwork, and camaraderie? Be sure to look for balance and keep it positive.
“You might not be able to outthink, out market or outspend your competition, but you can outwork them.” – Lou Holtz
Exercise 10.4: Office Olympics
• Ahead of time before the workshop starts – Use this site to select 3 games for your competition https://teambuilding.com/blog/office-olympics Or choose your own.
• Gather all necessary supplies and or equipment needed.
• Divide your group into teams of 3 or 4.
• Play all 3 games and award prizes to the winners at the end after all the games are complete.
Course Manual 5: Examples of WP
Selfishness, greed, petty fighting, and a hunger for power are just a few of the problems that plague government, but they can also infiltrate your company’s culture and hinder productivity. Leaders must be on the lookout for “political” issues and act quickly to stop them before they get out of hand.
Climbers, who strive to advance themselves at any costs, hurdlers, who progress on the backs of coworkers, especially by taking credit for others’ work, and takers, who solicit advice or assistance but never seem to return the favor, are all common in almost every office. Since it’s virtually impossible to avoid them, recognizing the archetypes in each of these categories can help you understand how to deal with office politics.
7 Political Archetypes
1. The office joker
This coworker appears to get along with everyone and joke about with everything at first impression. With some people, this incessant laughing and joking may be a sincere effort to release stress, but the office joker frequently has a hidden agenda. She uses humor to establish connections in an effort to get special treatment or even to harm people’s reputations in order to further her own career. It is probably safe to suspect a hidden agenda if this person only cracks jokes around superiors and other people in positions of authority.
Be cautious around the office joker, but keep in mind that she isn’t actually a problem for you. Especially if she is making jokes about coworkers, the employers will gradually learn that this joker has no actual personal links to team members.
2. The office gossip
The gossip is one of the most prevalent office personalities and knows everything. There is one in each office. He is able to stay up to date on the office gossip and learns all about the quirks and personal lives of his coworkers. He doesn’t understand the concept of discretion, so he tells anyone who is still long enough everything he knows.
It can be challenging to deal with a gossip hunter because you almost always need to talk about projects. However, keep the conversation completely business-related. When the conversation starts to veer toward the personal, abruptly withdraw using the justification of pressing work and approaching deadlines.
3. The office fawner
This employee continually flatters others, especially those in positions of authority. By requesting assistance and suggestions from coworkers with little in return, she might also come out as flattering. It could be challenging to determine whether she’s sincere if she’s adept at praising. But the majority of managers are trained to spot a phony attitude, detect the flatterer, and either ignore them or call them out.
4. The office saboteur
The saboteur, a more mature version of the playground bully, openly and continuously criticizes other team members while backstabbing and discrediting them in the workplace. He is unlikely to accept accountability for his own shortcomings or errors. This office saboteur is similar to the bully from your youth in that they may back down if challenged. If you don’t feel comfortable doing that or if it doesn’t work, keep a thorough record of your encounters in a calendar or planner, preferably in language that is as emotionally neutral as possible, and talk to your manager or a member of the human resources department about it.
5. The office credit poacher
This office pirate may have already crossed your path. She misrepresents other people’s work as her own or takes ideas from her coworkers. While refuting the accusations can be challenging, speaking up frequently and boldly in front of your teammates during team meetings will help ward off credit thieves. Check out some advice on team building as an introvert if speaking in front of groups of people is challenging for you. By regularly updating your team manager on your progress, you may ensure that you are given credit for your job.
6. The office crusader
The office crusader could provide as inspiration for a political lobbyist. He works hard to alter people’s attitudes on just about any topic, and he frequently succeeds in doing so through attrition. There are numerous strategies to handle them:
His pleas won’t be heard if you ignore them.
Speak up for projects that you believe in, especially if you disagree with the lobbyist.
7. The office coach
This person frequently has the ear of the company’s leadership and is always accessible to offer advice, giving her a considerable amount of indirect power. She keeps managers and supervisors informed and may even function as a gatekeeper for them in her capacity as an unofficial adviser. The easiest way to deal with this office politician is to make friends with her and use her power to your advantage.
You might be able to withstand the fights in the office. Be aware of the many personalities you encounter so you won’t be surprised by any of their actions later on.
Common Organizational Problems with Solutions
Here are nine common problems that an organization has too many politics, along with solutions for each:
Problem #1: Gridlock. Everyone in your firm is at a loss for what to do, so everything is at a stop.
Solution: Senior leaders should agree on shared objectives. They should do the following to hold people responsible for adhering to consensus rules during the decision-making process: offer everyone a chance to participate and give them a chance to rationally and objectively explain why they feel a certain way about a particular subject.
Problem #2: Bureaucracy. People’s advancement is hampered by the excessive paperwork, bureaucracy, and restrictive rules.
Solution: Leaders must define which decisions people can make on their own and determine which ones should be delegated to others or require extra input. For instance, an employee might be able to accommodate a customer for a sum less than $1,000 but might require supervisor clearance for any sum higher than that. To examine processes and levels of approval that might be streamlined and lowered, task teams may also be established. Encourage people to think about new methods or processes rather than using the justification “but we’ve always done it this way.”
Problem #3: Grandstanding (aka brown-nosing) . People give leaders’ ideas lip service in an effort to appease them and win their favor, but they are not truly committed to bringing about change.
Solution: Create a thorough action plan with roles and due dates that are distinct from one another. People are more dedicated to following through if they are held accountable for completing tasks and informing their peers and bosses about their progress.
Problem #4: The Two-Faced Two-Step. People speak to their listeners according to what they believe they want to hear.
Solution: It is the leaders’ job to foster an environment in which staff members feel free to be open and honest. They should play the devil’s advocate whenever feasible to encourage staff members to communicate both good and bad news. Ask employees what could go wrong if they discuss the positive aspects of a strategy. Don’t “kill the messenger” by criticizing or penalizing people who provide negative news. Encourage candid, straightforward, and open comments, and express gratitude to those who provide their thoughts.
Problem #5: Passing the Buck. No one takes ownership of anything, and people are eager to place the blame elsewhere.
Solution: Constant finger-pointing is a symptom that an organization’s staff members work independently rather than as a team to achieve a common goal. If you want to introduce people to various areas of the company, think about work shadowing or an orientation program. For instance, marketing agents can accompany sales agents on calls. In order to keep them connected to the company’s lifeblood, a well-known credit card corporation mandates that every management take at least one customer care call every month. Ask individuals from various departments to discuss their objectives and what they need from one another.
Problem #6: Poor work ethics, clock-watching, and laziness. People have a sense of entitlement, and they only “put in face time” while waiting to go home.
Solution: Many workplaces require an adrenaline boost. Discover the preferences, passions, skills, aspirations, and talents of your staff. Show them that you care about them as individuals by exchanging your excitement and goals with them. When feasible, try to develop goals that are connected to their areas of interest and expertise that are both attainable and demanding.
Problem #7: Indirect communication. When coworkers are the source of an issue, employees complain to managers and gossip about them behind their backs.
Solution: Strive for transparency as a cure. Encourage people to challenge the status quo and pose questions. In a workplace with closed doors, gossip, rumors, and backbiting flourish. The rumor mill starts to die down when there are no secrets or taboo talks.
Make it clear that rumors and chitchat are not acceptable. Regularly participate in public forums and make sure people know you’re always available.
Problem #8: Pork barreling. Employees with clout push through costly projects that benefit only a small portion of the business.
Solution: Leaders in high-functioning organizations prioritize expressing the organization’s broad common vision and goals. They offer guidelines for allocating funds and choosing initiatives based on how they support the mission, core values, and anticipated return on investment of the organization. Pork-barreling is instantly reduced when everyone is crystal clear on the company’s goals.
Problem #9: Corruption . People are actually stealing from the business, falsifying reports, or acting in a dishonest or criminal manner.
Solution: Maintaining ethical standards is a “must-do” now more than ever, especially in light of the recent spate of corporate scandals. The organization’s ethics must be clearly stated by leaders, who must then hold employees accountable for upholding it and have zero tolerance for transgressions. Leaders also serve as role models for the proper conduct they expect from others. Establishing a “whistle-blowers” forum for people who want to disclose unethical behavior without worrying about consequences is one option.
Become a “VEO” to Overcome Politics
The organization can start to become what I refer to as a “Vibrant Entrepreneurial Organization,” or VEO, once the nine political issues listed above have been resolved. An organization made up of staff members that have a sense of pride in the company is known as a VEO. They are motivated to work passionately, to execute relentlessly, and to innovate continually. To keep ahead of the competition, they take the required steps.
An organization is a “VEO” if:
• gives people a broad perspective so they can feel confident to take risks
• encourages and supports employee adherence
• encourages increased productivity while reducing stress
• creates a successful tradition
• elevates dialogue to the level of art
Employees won’t require all the political drama and distractions if they start to see excellent results. Their effort will make them happy. Working for a thriving entrepreneurial organization is like that. That’s exactly where you’ll be once the political chains holding you back are removed.
Learn how to spot office politics in your place of employment and how to deal with them.
• Politics at work are a result of power struggles amongst coworkers.
• Despite the fact that office politics are unavoidable, they can be managed with the right leadership and influence.
• Reduce political distance from business choices, demand accountability from every team member, and discipline political behavior to avoid politics in the workplace.
Because your employees’ efforts are so crucial to the success of your company, it’s critical to preserve employee satisfaction across the board. Although it could be simple for your company’s top executives to make choices that benefit themselves, it is your duty as a leader to reduce office politics and guarantee that each choice benefits the business as a whole.
Case Study
According to Chris Chancey, the founder of the hiring firm Amplio Recruiting, office politics are a result of the dynamics of power that exist among coworkers.
Chancey says, “people use these power dynamics to serve their personal interests or the interests of a group they are involved with.” Given that people are innately political and will go to whatever lengths to advance their own interests, such behavior is unavoidable.
Although workplace politics can be either positive or harmful, managing partner David Frankel of executive consulting firm Slingstone Group stated that there would always be some type of politics in the workplace. It is your duty as a leader to prevent and combat unfavorable political behavior at work.
How to determine whether your workplace is politicized
It’s crucial to pay attention and pinpoint the underlying problem if office politics are causing conflict within your firm. There are various indicators that structural changes to your organization may be necessary.
Frankel outlined five indications of a politically charged workplace environment:
• Personal benefits for an individual do not correspond to organizational awards.
• The best navigators are rewarded, but there is a “system” that needs to be worked.
• Process takes precedence over urgency, and those who value the status quo start to feel frightened by change.
• People who consistently fail to deliver results are not fired or penalized.
• The typical employee has little access to, and awareness of the company’s decision-making processes.
Other signs of bad office politics include the perception of a divide between lower-level workers and executives, secret meetings where confidential information is shared but not with the rest of the company, and top personnel quitting because they don’t see a path to promotion.
Exercise 10.5: Open Discussion
Course Manual 6: Power and Politics
When discussing power and politics at work or elsewhere this usually means organizational politics. Corporate politics refers to methods used by employees to advance their own interests at the expense of those of others, sometimes even at the expense of organizational goals.
An organization’s politics can be seen in the competition for resources, interpersonal conflicts, struggles for control and opposition, and the strategic actions used by individuals and groups to gain control. (Kacmar & Ferris 1992). Organizational politics, in its simplest form, are the informal, purposeful behaviors that happen within organizations. These steps are intended to advance or safeguard the careers of employees within the particular organization. Politics is a specific administrative element of businesses that has an impact on every facet of corporate activity.
However, there are several forms of power and politics at the workplace, some of which are advantageous to the firm and its surrounding community (Kacmar 2000). Powers That Are Good Any type of behavior that promotes productivity is referred to as positive power in an organization. It also involves recognizing employees who have been competent and have performed well, as well as allocating staff members who are capable of carrying out their duties in the workplace well enough to manage and organize additional staff members. Staff members’ self-confidence is boosted and improved by positive power, which also motivates them to perform harder. Positive power impacts occur when top-level managers gain their influence via employee respect and communication rather than through coercive methods of control. Because they have the ability to voice their concerns, one of the most important components of this form of authority is that it boosts employee retention rates (Robbins et al 2008).
Negative Types of Power: This kind of power arises when bosses at work treat their workers disrespectfully. Negative power in a leader motivates workers by intimidating them with threats like job termination and other penalties or by acting nepotistically toward certain employees and failing to recognize the hard work of the workforce. This kind of control results in lower job quality within the company and higher profit margins at the workplace (Ferris & Kacmar1992). favorable office politics In general, employees who professionally direct the office politics are more diligent than those who are uninvolved. The management of a firm should develop a political philosophy that is simpler for employees to understand and appreciate in order to boost productivity. The establishment of clear policies and lines of command helps the staff comprehend the need of creating high-quality work as well as its advantages.
Positive Types of Power: The goal of positive workplace politics is to foster a culture that values collaboration and management equity. Unfavorable office politics Because there is often disagreement, workplaces that accommodate bad political contexts fare poorly. If prejudice outweighs the value of the work and employees are encouraged to engage in dishonest or fraudulent behavior to advance, a company will have decreasing output and high turnover rates. A workplace without policies or with weak command structures as a result causes personnel to exert greater effort in the absence of any fruitful outcomes, even though the issue is at the management level rather than with the employees (Ferris & Kacmar1992). Effects of politics and power generally on businesses and employees: 1. A decline in productivity across the board Politics at work reduces an individual’s productivity, which ultimately has an impact on the output of the company.
According to corporate analyses, employees who engage in politics at work tend to be less committed to their duties since they are more interested in backstabbing activities and spend the majority of their working hours analyzing and evaluating their coworkers or even their superiors. Last but not least, politics causes workers to fall short of their deadlines (Robert 2007). 2. Impacts Attention People find it difficult to focus on work when there are office politics going on. This is due to their greater concern with ruining the reputation of other employees in front of their superiors or their coworkers. The victims become less motivated as a result.
Politics-related employees are more likely to commit mistakes because they are more concerned with other people’s shortcomings (Robert 2007). 3. Ruins the atmosphere Politics at work leads to unfavorable working conditions and ruins interactions between coworkers since the person who oversees active politics at the company is not well liked. 4. The employees’ attitudes change since even the hardest workers are affected, which causes them to lose focus and interest in their task. No matter how much effort a person puts out in a politically charged environment, it goes unnoticed (Robert 2007).
In the study of organizations and the individuals who work in them, one of the most contentious subjects is power. It is considered to be the “final nasty word” because of this. Power discussions are frequently uncomfortable for people. People in positions of power try to hide their goals from others, those seeking power deny having it, and those in positions of authority keep their methods of obtaining it a secret. How individuals acquire and exercise power inside organizations has been the subject of extensive OB research. It has been noted that the majority of formal organizations are very political, and that power has a significant impact on how they operate.
The dynamics of organizational behavior (OB) heavily involve politics and power. Any group or organization will naturally have power dynamics. It’s critical for OB students to understand how power is obtained and used. Power is not always a bad thing, despite the proverb “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts totally.” It is challenging to eliminate power because it is a part of organizational life. Additionally, being aware of how organizations function in terms of power can make a person more effective Various academics have defined power in various ways. Power, according to Stephen P. Robbins, is “the capacity to influence and control something that is valuable to others.”
The likelihood that one actor within a social connection would be able to carry out his own will despite resistance, according to pioneering sociologist Max Weber, is what is meant by the term “power.” Dependence is the key component in the study of power. The more dependent A is on B, the more control B has over A in that relationship. Furthermore, reliance is a result of how A perceives the options and how much weight A gives to the ones that B controls. Only when one has control over something that the other wants can one have power over them.
For example: If your coach is the only expert available and you need to learn a given talent, the coach will have control over you. You must develop those talents since your options are restricted and you are reliant on the instructor. But as soon as you master those abilities, you become less dependent on your coach, and as a result, he loses some of his control over you.
Organizational politics and power
No organization can avoid the reality of power and politics in organizations. One cannot simply assert that there are no power centers or individuals with vested interests even in the most professionally run and managed firms, despite the evolution of the modern corporation and the concurrent rise of the managerial class with a professional way of running the firms being touted as one of the contributory factors for the decline on power politics in organizations.
This is because politics and power are as old as human nature and written history, and one cannot simply wish away the instinctual desire to rebel against those in control or attempt to impose their will. The top management and senior leadership frequently strive to get their way while individuals in the middle and those who were passed over for promotions to CEOs and other C level jobs try to resist such power plays. This is the interplay of forces inside companies.
Bases of Power:
Depending on where it comes from and how it is used, there are various sorts of power. Coercive, reward, legitimate, expert, and referent are the five sources of power that social psychologists John French and Bertram Raven have identified.
French and Raven outlined five main ways that people can use power to influence others in social settings.
Five Ways to Use Power to Influence:
Referent Power. In some circumstances, person B follows person A primarily because of A’s personal traits, traits that B admires in A, or because of A’s reputation. A can sway B in this situation by using the referent power. Referent power has also been referred to as charismatic power since loyalty is built on a person’s attraction to another person on a personal level. Examples of referent power can be found in advertising, when businesses employ celebrities to endorse their goods in the hopes that the products will gain some of the celebrity of the endorser. Junior managers frequently imitate senior managers in the workplace and take on unnecessary subordinate duties out of personal adoration rather than out of respect for authority.
Expert Power. When person A establishes control over person B due to information or experience relevant to B, expert power is being displayed. For instance, teachers are likely to have influence in the classroom due to their expertise in a certain field. Staff specialists in businesses provide additional instances of expert power (e.g., accountants, labor relations managers, management consultants, and corporate attorneys). In each instance, the person has authority in that area because they are credible in a certain, constrained field as a result of their experience and knowledge.
Legitimate Power. When person B submits to person A because B believes that A has the authority to exercise power in a certain area, that is when legitimate power is present. As was previously mentioned, legitimate power is simply another term for authority. For example, a supervisor has the right to delegate duties. Legitimate power is distinct from incentive-based and coercive power in that it is based on an individual’s official position rather than on relationships with other people.
Three things provide legitimate power. First, a group may be given power because of prevalent cultural beliefs. For instance, elder workers in Japan and Korea are given authority solely by virtue of their age. Second, the established social order makes it possible to acquire legitimate power. For instance, the royal families of several nations in Western Europe and Japan are the foundation of their society. Third, lawful power may be assigned, as in the selection of a new business president by the board of directors or the promotion of a person into a managerial position. Regardless of the motivation, people exploit their legitimate power because their subordinates believe they have a right to. The people’s decision to first question and then criticize the shah of Iran’s legitimacy to rule is cited as one of the main causes of his demise.
Reward Power. Reward power exists when person A has influence over person B because A can decide what benefits B will get. These incentives may take many different forms, such as income increases, job promotions, appealing job assignments, increased responsibility, new equipment, and so forth. According to research, employees who perceive a strong performance-reward contingency do better on the job more frequently.
Supervisors and managers do not, however, actually have much control overcompensation in many firms. For instance, the majority of blue-collar workers base compensation and promotion decisions on a labor contract rather than a performance review.
Coercive Power. Fear is the primary foundation of coercive authority. Because A can penalize B in this situation, A is in a position of authority over B. As a result, this type of ability is also known as retribution power. Coercive authority does not necessarily depend on the threat of violence, as Kipnis shows out. “People use coercive power by relying on their physical prowess, verbal skill, or the capacity to offer or withhold emotional support from others. These foundations give the person the tools necessary to physically injure, intimidate, degrade, or withhold affection from others.
The ability (real or implied) to terminate or demote employees, move them to undesired positions or locations, or revoke prized perks are all examples of coercive power in enterprises. In fact, it has been proposed that a significant portion of organizational behavior (such as prompt attendance, projecting a sense of busyness, and refraining from blowing the whistle) can be linked to coercive, rather than rewarding, authority. The ability to harm others is conceivably the one that is utilized the most, criticized the most, and is the hardest to manage out of all the bases of power that are available to man, according to Kipnis.
Case Study: Go Sports Inc.
The board of directors of Go Sports Inc., a significant national sporting goods company that has struggled with internal and economic challenges over the past few years, has appointed James Park as its new CEO. Despite Park’s expertise leading huge organizations that required significant strategic and structural change, he has been “butting heads” with a strong group of executives at Go Sports who are dissatisfied with the hire and feel threatened by the new CEO’s success.
A rapid departure by Park would leave a power vacuum, which would make it difficult for other factions to fill. It is said that this is why the decision to appoint Park was not made unanimously by the board of directors. Park is called before the board of directors to report on the developments and his ideas for restoring Go Sports to its former glory after two weeks with the organization.
Politics and power are ingrained in human nature.
However, it should be mentioned that not all power battles result in bad things happening because it frequently happens that the winning side emerges as a result of the losing faction become too dictatorial or totalitarian. This is the situation in companies like Hewlett Packard and Apple where the old guard was reintroduced and promoted as a result of power conflicts for the benefit of the companies. Additionally, it is usually advisable to establish a system of checks and balances within organizations in order to reduce any undue centralization of power and authority. Additionally, it is beneficial to have specific dissenting actions since the more diverse and conflicting the viewpoints.
Additionally, it is advantageous to have specific instances of disagreement since it helps a company decide on the best course of action when thoughts and viewpoints are various and divergent.
Indeed, it is preferable for decision-makers to hear from a variety of viewpoints as opposed to surrounding themselves with followers and sycophants who have a personal stake in elevating their bosses. Additionally, decision-making that considers various points of view is always preferable to unilateral approaches.
In conclusion, even if politics and power are as old as humanity, it is also true that they should be evaluated from this perspective rather than from a negative one because there is a balancing mechanism in place anytime there is a tendency to break the bounds.
Exercise 10.6: The Game of Choices
Objective:
For example:
• Would you rather be a dog or a cat?
• Would you rather go without TV or junk food for the rest of your life?
• Would you rather be good at sports or be super smart?
Instructions:
Course Manual 7: Organizational Cost
We all participate in office politics occasionally, let’s face it. Office politics can aid you positively by making your contributions more visible. Your capacity to create bonds, promote unity, and form alliances will play a role in your success. Finding out who in the company can assist you in presenting and promoting your ideas is quite acceptable. If you have good ideas, please share them with the company. Additionally, jockeying for position might be advantageous to the organization. People are more likely to remain alert when they are forced to compete for prizes and promotions. A business culture should ideally motivate employees to reach their full potential.
The unfavorable type of office politics is backstabbing, in which individuals put coworkers, team members, and reports in danger in order to protect their own selves. Examples include assigning blame for your errors to others, disparaging coworkers, and passing off other people’s ideas as your own. This is a quick way to destroy trust, which is essential to any organization. Your decent people will cease exchanging ideas out of concern for piracy and instead concentrate on getting by, trying to spot the next booby trap. As though you were swimming with sharks. Ironically, some of the worst spies I’ve encountered are also the ones that send happy new year wishes for world peace.
Positive politics can be advantageous for organizations, but negative politics comes at a cost. People’s time and attention are diverted from performance and company goals to play games, which has a direct cost in terms of lost productivity. Another direct expense of these games is the negative impact they have on employees who would rather focus on their work than deal with gossip or piracy. Instead, rather than concentrating on accomplishing their jobs, they start concentrating on keeping them. As they become less eager to take risks, engagement decreases. Negative behavior that is supported by the boss has the potential to bring down the whole company.
Each of us suffers personally as a result of office politics. You most likely are not immune. Even though you might desire to end office politics because of how it affects your mood at work, your company is probably not ready to take any action.
It requires a cause. Management needs to understand the cost to the organization as a whole to be motivated to reduce politicking.
What effects do workplace politics have on workers and their work?
Niven Postma offers business advice on management and workplace culture. She claims that when she asks people to describe office politics, she hears phrases like:
• Toxic
• Frustrating
• Dangerous
• Demotivating
• Unfair
• Gossip
Somebody even described it as tragic. These drawbacks highlight how risky office politics are and highlight the need to avoid letting issues linger. A dynamic business culture is the antithesis of office politics.
Making the required adjustments to change workplace dynamics where you work makes financial sense. Take into account that over $100 billion in productivity is thought to have been lost in the United States alone as a result of stress-related causes. Even though the statistic is concerning, the majority of businesses won’t act until they fully comprehend the link between politics and performance.
When the Challenger exploded in 1986, NASA started an inquiry to ascertain what caused it. The testimony given as a result by the experts who worked on the space shuttle is, to put it simply, disturbing. According to the evidence, some project participants expressed concern about the craft’s suitability. Others merely believed it shouldn’t have been launched. However, those questioned refrained from speaking up out of concern for the potential political fallout. They believed that in order for the initiative to appear effective, a delay would damage that reputation.
No one wanted to deal with the personal repercussions of stopping the launch, even though many people could have proposed it. Despite being “career limiting,” such a call would not have been cause for dismissal.
Do you experience the same level of pressure to always present your company in a positive light? It goes without saying that this type of influence is all too common in politically powerful companies. Thankfully, the expenses are typically lower than they were in the Challenger accident, but these organizations will incur expensive performance gaps.
Realizing Potential
Every business has a discrepancy between current and potential performance. The level of performance that its employees are capable of is virtually always higher. However, for extraordinarily well-run businesses, this gap is negligible or nearly insignificant. They are performing at their best and have essentially bridged the gap. They are extremely recognized for their talent. This disparity is large for the remaining 90% of all firms. The only thing that will deliver riches and success to the company and its stockholders is working to close the performance gap (or stakeholders, for not-for-profit organizations). Any organization should be concerned about that.
Office politics or the internal enemy that hinders organizational success may be the root of all or a significant percentage of the performance gap. How? It can erode confidence, impede creativity, promote turnover, skew communications, erode pride and joy at work, and, most importantly, it can result in poor decisions.
Making Decisions in a Political Workplace
Does office politics speed up or slow down decision-making? We think it is a crippling factor that, by undermining the decision-making process, prevents a company from being consistently profitable over time.
Every firm is built on a series of interconnected tasks. Customers’ demands are discovered, then items or services are created, provided, and bills are sent and paid, among other things. In the chain, staff members make dozens of business decisions each day.
Although some managers may regard their staff members’ instincts and feelings, these feelings nonetheless need to be backed up by facts and a strong business case. Facts and concepts are more valuable than titles and personalities in a well-run organization. Looking for methods to work smarter, quicker, and better is what propels individuals forward. Managers actively participate in information gathering and dissemination as well as the creation of plans and strategies for evaluating performance. You’ll observe employees operating in the organization’s best interests, which are consciously connected with their own personal interests. It should come as no surprise that these businesses frequently succeed and reward their owners with an increasing stock price.
If you look inside a politicized workplace, you’ll discover that employees are diverting their attention from serving the interests of the business. Every person in the organization chart is busy turning their job into a personal fiefdom, with each manager solely considering his or her own area of responsibility and almost no one considering what is best for the business as a whole.
The Personal View
After looking at how office politics, or the enemy inside, affects organizations, let’s briefly return to how it affects specific employees. Here’s what experts have discovered…
Workers become less accountable as employment gets increasingly political. Instead, they learn to only work for their money and become psychologically disengaged from their profession. Rarely do they make an extra effort, give up taking chances, or stop being imaginative. As a result, they no longer have any personal ownership over their work or the outcomes of it. They approach work by just doing what they are told and hope for a promotion when they feel like they are juggling between competing priorities—those of the firm, their supervisors, and themselves.
Managers start to justify that they are working for a giant organization that can cover up and absorb many mistakes when they lose their feeling of commitment. They don’t need to make them right. Their work merely becomes a conduit to an objective that is external to the organization. Although the business encourages people to commit, they don’t see many things to which they can personally commit.
People who live in politically charged environments learn to care more about their jobs than the company. They gradually lose awareness, become numb, and stop being vigilant. Their capacity to solve problems declines.
Therefore, it should be obvious that office politics need to be dealt with as a management issue. In the end, a company is only as good as the choices that its employees make. For a corporation to prosper, anything—including office politics—that impairs or interferes with their capacity to take wise judgments must be addressed.
Case Study: New on the Job
In May of 2010 Gregory, who had recently started working for the company as the Group HR Manager, was as thrilled as you might expect. Trying to figure out how to address this new task, he was sitting in his office reading the collective bargaining agreements for the businesses that fell under his jurisdiction and browsing through the files of his predecessor.
He heard a tap at his door, and one of the plant’s most experienced workers—indeed, one of the most experienced HR officers—walked in. He entered and struck up a discussion to get to know Gregory and ascertain whether he was a benefit or a liability.
Gregory acknowledges that he was also doing this, and they both got into a discussion about their respective perspectives on organizational life.
Gregory told him during that chat that the learning organization was the key to success since adaptation was the way businesses used their experiences to get better. He shook his head and gave Gregory what Gregory should have realized was a wise piece of academic and professional advice in a highly dramatic tone. Gregory gazed at him deeply, seemingly anticipating where he was heading, and then abruptly interjected and changed directions without any warning as skillfully as a skillful striker on a football field. As he waited for his head to stop shaking, he ultimately paused and murmured office politics.
There were several occasions when he and Gregory witnessed the costs of office politics personally, and Gregory would have proudly remarked on his extraordinary insight. Gregory has replayed that comment numerous times.
Because politics is the art of decision-making, politics exists in every organization. The cost that he alludes to is the opportunity cost or financial cost associated with the choices that the participants in the game known as work life make.
Office politics frequently leads to conflict, tribalism, mistrust, and the formation of self-serving interest groups. Personal ambition frequently takes precedence over the objectives of the organization and the aims of the business. Interest comes first and the organization comes second. The politics began with a straightforward request, and from there, these “low hanging fruits” were twisted into a convoluted web with sharp corners and ambiguous places.
3 Top Costs of Negative Office Politics:
Negative office politics may cost a business time, money, and morale, three things necessary for success. During political fights, leaders turn into tyrants or truants, and the people who simply want to be productive are the losers.
When you have an opinion, or wish to have an opinion, you are forced to comprehend the political dynamics of the organization. You must know what gives you credibility with both your supporters and detractors.
Understanding the political will and ill will of the organization and using that knowledge to influence where you believe you should go is a crucial aspect of becoming a leader.
Two or more people constitute an organization, but no two people will ever agree on every matter, and politics will eventually get in the way.
Politics provides a framework within which we can harness this impulse, and politics by division becomes decision making via invitation and collaboration. An organization mirrors human nature, and it is in our nature to try and influence and control our environment.
3 Ways to keep negative workplace politics out of your organization
A rising organization’s leadership must be committed to minimizing politics, and the best way to do this is to promote open communication and teamwork at all levels. To dismantle the dividing walls of negative politics at work, Frankel suggested the following actions.
1. Become more involved in business decisions.
The typical employee automatically distances themselves from executive leadership on a daily basis when small businesses expand and add more structure, rules, and management layers. Management teams must be aware that politics can creep into even the most prosperous businesses as a result of this separation from daily operations.
Holding frequent meetings, town halls, and group meals will help teams communicate and cooperate. Ensure that everyone is aware of the company’s goals and discuss the difficulties it is experiencing in an open and sincere manner. Make all employees (not just CEOs and managers) stakeholders in the company’s success by giving them access to information. The team can actively participate in overcoming obstacles when leaders have faith in them and provide them with information about such challenges.
2. Refuse to put up with political behavior.
The overarching business goals should serve as the primary yardstick for measuring everyone’s achievement. Make sure to quickly eliminate any “me first” conduct that even hints at appearing in a meeting or email. No matter who is involved or at what level inside the business, advancing personal objectives shouldn’t be rewarded. The moment leadership endorses political or bureaucratic behavior, it opens the door for it to proliferate throughout the workplace culture.
3. Make sure everyone on the team takes responsibility.
Each employee should know what their responsibilities are and how they contribute to the company’s success before being asked to perform. When the business achieves a significant milestone, it should be celebrated as a team accomplishment and the contributions of all levels of the organization, not simply the senior salesperson, head engineer, or management.
Likewise, anyone who contributed to a mistake or failure should be expected to take responsibility for their actions (including executive management) in order to correct it and prevent it from happening again. Employees who are happy to receive praise for accomplishments but unable to accept blame for failures are more concerned with their own success than the success of the business.
No matter how dedicated a leader is, Frankel added, “the workplace cannot be entirely depoliticized.” The influence that politics will have as a barrier to the company’s success, however, can be significantly lessened by executives who make a concerted effort to [be more open and transparent].
Exercise 10.7: Knot a Problem
• Have participants stand next to one another in a circle.
• Instruct everyone to put his right hand in the circle and grab someone else’s hand. Then have them do the same with their left hands, latching on to someone different.
• When everyone is tangled, instruct them to unwind without breaking contact.
Course Manual 8: Effective Strategies
Employees were asked to select the three most crucial factors at work, and the top three responses were:
• Fair compensation
• Fair response
• Ethical principles
Even the finest corporate cultures can be undermined by office politics because they foster a poisonous environment that ignores justice and ethical behavior. But you can get rid of any office politics that might be damaging your business by taking the appropriate actions.
Levels of Workplace Politics
Politics at work frequently have different levels of existence. For instance, some workplace politics appear to be mild or nonexistent, while others are blatant. These levels or degrees of office politics can occasionally exhibit distinctive conduct that is part of the workplace dynamic:
Low to Nonexistent
Low to nonexistent workplace politics may indicate that a business places more emphasis on achieving results than on developing a culture and fostering relationships among employees. Requirements for promotions, benchmarks for team management and leadership, and behavior norms are typically spelled out in unambiguous terms when the political climate is low. Coworkers may feel a sense of camaraderie and be able to grasp their respective roles.
Moderate
Even at a workplace with a mild political climate, rules and regulations can nevertheless be observed, upheld, and comprehended. Within small teams or departments, however, this level of office politics may exist, and while there may be conflict, it may be uncommon and readily addressed. Employees at a corporation may also have a “team player” mentality, in which case they may be able to handle minor cases of office politics even if they would rather not.
High
Formal rules, management expectations, and conduct standards may exist in a highly political workplace, but they may only be upheld when it is advantageous for superior employees. Additionally, there can be a few coworkers that push out smaller groups or people. A very political environment could also be characterized by employees undermining the efforts of their coworkers. Working in a company with these traits is frequently extremely stressful, but many businesspeople may also learn how to communicate and manage their careers in an environment with this level of politics.
Pathological
Day-to-day interactions and activities can become tight, uncomfortable, and extremely stressful when office politics reaches a pathological level. As well as avoiding supervisor scrutiny of political activity, it may be typical in these types of workplaces for personnel to achieve goals and reach targets by disobeying formal standards, rules, and regulations. Colleagues who operate in such an environment frequently exhibit a high level of mistrust, which eventually lowers productivity.
Managing Workplace Politics
To develop a strong corporate culture that supports employees and fosters a productive workplace where everyone is treated fairly and equally, office politics must be eliminated.
The most productive workplace cultures raise output and performance. For instance, businesses that make the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list see revenue growth that is often more than twice as high as that of other businesses.
How can you control office politics while fostering a more positive work environment?
12 Effective Strategies for Managers and HR to Navigate and/or Eliminate Workplace Politics
1. Understand the dynamics inside the organization
Sometimes office politics will obstruct or avoid the formal organizational framework. To deal with office politics, one strategy is to watch how your coworkers and superiors operate inside the system. Likewise, pay attention when someone’s position or superiority is neglected in favor of those who are influential or in positions of authority within your organization.
You may also pay attention to and take note of the supportive politics at work. You might learn from coworkers who serve as mentors, managers who provide ongoing, useful feedback, or other coworkers who have positive influence at work.
2. Take an active leadership approach
Avoiding office politics, yourself is the first step in ending them. Employee participation will only increase if they witness this sort of behavior among the executive ranks or witness others getting rewarded for engaging in office politics. HR leaders must set a good example for others to follow and educate business executives, managers, and supervisors on how to behave.
3. Improve communication abilities
Building relationships with coworkers might help you improve your interpersonal abilities. As you may learn how to communicate effectively with coworkers and superiors, interpersonal skills might ultimately help you attain social success in the job. Building your network and honing these skills can operate as a continuous cycle of skill development and friendship building because your professional relationships can continue to develop based on good interpersonal skills.
4. Hold employees accountable
Business executives must spot office politics when they see, hear, or learn about it and intervene to prevent it from happening. Managers should receive training from HR departments on how to spot and deal with office politics. This includes holding individuals responsible for their deeds.
5. Hold employees accountable
Supervisors and managers are also held accountable. Without their dedication, nothing will change. actively search for indications of partiality and instruct managers on how to do so.
Some organizations even link performance evaluations to how successfully managers control office politics inside their teams and how well teams function.
6. Foster a culture of openness and transparency
Encourage a culture that respects honesty and openness. Employee contact and feedback are ongoing, which keeps everyone focused on company goals.
Many issues at work can be resolved through communication, including office politics. Discussing how and why company decisions are made as well as sharing decisions can be helpful. This includes discussing difficulties as well. Teams are empowered when leaders foster a culture of trust and actively seek out employee participation.
Promote positive change. You may decide to take action to support improvements to prevent higher levels of politics if you see that your workplace has some office politics that could potentially have a detrimental effect on the business. For instance, you might offer to work with many coworkers to develop a team-building activity to assist various teams or departments in cooperating and interacting when they might not currently do so. To help people move past minor infractions, you may also think about providing support when disagreement emerges in the form of documentation, advice, or mentorship.
7. Create purpose-driven teams that work well together.
Employees are more likely to act in the best interests of the team and the organization as a whole rather than just themselves when the team is cohesive and working towards a common objective.
8. Remain close to your team.
Many corporate executives came of age during a period when the employer was expected to keep their distance from the workforce. Today, it can be challenging to observe how team members interact and perform when working alone. Unintentional power dynamics amongst employees can be produced through absentee management techniques.
You can start reaching out and developing relationships with your coworkers as you learn and come to grasp the social customs of your job. You can always be friendly and encouraging to the coworkers you interact with, but you might think twice before choosing one person or group of coworkers above another.
When you maintain good relationships with all of your coworkers and extend friendliness. You can demonstrate that you are willing to broaden your network and develop professional contacts.
9. Promote respect amongst team members
Coworkers respect each other in a productive workplace. By making sure that everyone is aware of the requirements and works to foster a supportive workplace that values cooperation and collaboration, you can contribute to setting the tone for professionalism.
You need to handle situations where employees don’t live up to these standards. Neglecting to address a lack of respect can encourage negative behavior. High-performing workers may decide to leave in search of employment with a better culture as a result.
10. Be wary of cliques
You may discover more about the informal networks that exist at work after monitoring the formal organizational processes. Consider how people interact with those who have more authority than them as opposed to those who have not. You might also keep track of which of your coworkers get along well and which coworkers seem to prefer keeping their distance from one another.
Understanding how your company’s social networks operate might ultimately assist you in navigating through unfavorable political conditions while fostering positive surroundings.
It’s typical for some groups of coworkers to develop close relationships with specific coworkers in the office. While this occasionally has a good effect, it can also give rise to cliques, which are the perfect environment for office politics. Even if they aren’t, they have the power to disenfranchise any workers who feel excluded.
Promote group interpolation. For instance, deliberately mix up the employees on team projects so they work with people who are not part of their regular cliques.
11. Remain impartial in challenging circumstances
You always have the option to stay impartial if office politics become more heated. Any argument, no matter how small, may be resolved by restating your essential principles and the reason behind your work. Additionally, deciding to avoid overtly political conversations, interactions, or favoritism might assist highlight your wish to remain disinterested and impartial in the matter.
12. Apply policies fairly
Employees may become politically divided in a company if they witness some people being treated unfairly. This is viewed as partiality and unfairness by certain employees. Streamline or do away with any inconsistent application of policies. Regardless matter who the offender is, you must respond appropriately if a policy you’ve established is broken.
Additionally, you need to be very explicit about your decision-making process when it comes to rewards like increases, bonuses, and promotions. Allegations of favoritism can be reduced when everyone in the organization is aware of the requirements for receiving a prize.
Make rewards as objective as you can, rather than subjective.
Invest in your team.
Sometimes it’s simple to forget that everyone at work is a human with insecurities. These anxieties frequently give rise to office politics. Business leaders who understand what motivates people’s office politics can offer the direction and mentoring necessary to bring about positive change.
The finest piece of advice might be to invest in your team. Team members are more focused on their task and are less inclined to engage in office politics when they are aware of the goal and work together to achieve it.
“Hard work spotlights the character of people. Some turn up their sleeves. Some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all.” – Sam Ewing, baseball player
Things to Keep in Mind If You Are Personally Dealing Workplace Politics
Play, but play fair
Realize that decency, respect, politeness, and office decorum begin and stop with you if you wish to cope with politics at work. Be kind to your employees and inspire them to reciprocate. Helping people realize their goals is the finest way to develop power. The idea that you owe someone their support, or reciprocity, is a potent motivator. Office politics can occasionally turn downright vicious, and your only option is to enter the fray. But before tempers flare, pay attention to the problem, not the offender. Address the behavior, never the person. Confrontations should be handled in privacy, fairly, and without bias.
Make friends
You need to get involved to change a poisonous workplace environment. Studies have shown that people’s physical health and wellbeing suffer when they feel excluded from a group. As a result, it makes sense to make friends if you’re feeling alone or alienated at work because of bad office politics. If one coworker is the main cause of conflict, working together to resolve it is the best course of action.
Maintain composure
Nothing that occurs at work is worth having a heart attack. Will the issue matter in a week in the grand scheme of things? six weeks? A year? By keeping these things in perspective, you will also be less likely to let small mishaps snowball into major disasters. Always aim for equanimity when dealing with politics at work. Never lose your composure since nothing that occurs will matter in the long run. Keep your physical and mental wellness as your top priorities.
Let go and forget
The most crucial thing to remember when dealing with workplace politics is that you need to forget the incident and forgive the people involved. The long-term effects of harboring animosities toward one another will be negative and will foster an unfavorable work atmosphere. If someone has criticized you, address the problem directly. After exchanging handshakes, go. Retaliating just serves to harm your own reputation.
Record your work
It’s crucial to refrain from retaliating when coworkers use political strategies against you, including claiming credit for your efforts. It can be tempting to criticize your boss or coworker in front of others but refrain from doing so. You should be more shrewd than that. Make sure to thoroughly record your job and inform your superiors, your boss’ superiors, and your coworkers of what you are doing and have completed. By having a mechanism to back up your productivity, you can defend your reputation if coworkers doubt your work ethic.
Don’t drop to their level
It can be tempting to reciprocate when coworkers make an effort to discredit you or undermine you. This could, however, backfire because you might come off as petty and it’s unlikely to alter your boss’s or a coworker’s conduct. Asking them to have a private talk is a better strategy for handling challenging coworkers. Instead of blaming them, ask them calmly why they behaved that way. Since it forces people to think about their actions, this is frequently the best strategy to change behavior.
Change culture from within
The negative connotations associated with office politics should be changed to good ones. You should make an effort to support the workplace culture that values individuals and forbids any type of abuse towards them. The greatest ways to achieve this are to provide compliments to others, promote teamwork, and show empathy for your coworkers. You can improve the atmosphere for everyone if you work to shift the culture to one of kindness and integrity.
Accept
Recognize that workplace politics are a feature of life. You won’t ever have time to manage your own tasks if you spend all of your time worrying about what other people are saying at the water cooler. You’ll stay sane if you have some level of complacency. It’s not worth the trouble if your employment is a hotbed of office politics and makes it difficult for you to accomplish your job well. Consider seeking for opportunities with better work environments.
In today’s workplaces, politics are prevalent. However, how you respond to it and deal with it is all up to you. It is always important to maintain a healthy work environment, but not at the expense of discomfort for the body or mind.
Exercise 10.8: Let’s Face It
Objective:
Supplies:
Instructions:
1. Start with dividing into 2 groups; in each of these, someone will need to volunteer as a facilitator. This facilitator simply keeps the game on track and gets the discussion going afterward.
2. Each player writes down a feeling on a small piece of paper, folds it, then passes it to the volunteer facilitator. From her, they take another piece that someone else has written, and tries to act out that feeling to the rest of their group—using only their facial expressions.
3. The other participants try to guess that emotion and this should lead to a talk about the role of expressions.
• What feelings do we understand the easiest, when only facial expressions are used? Why might that be?
• Describe some contexts where facial expressions play a particularly important role in communication?
• In what ways can facial expressions influence our ability to deal with misunderstandings?
Course Manual 9: Workplace Policies
Policies are crucial for outlining expectations and proper behavior at work. Employers and employees can both gain from having strong policies in place. It’s critical to comprehend what workplace regulations are whether you’re a manager, compliance professional, or employee who wants to learn more about the policies that control workplaces. In this course manual, we define workplace policies, go over their significance, and look at 16 actual examples of company policies.
What does a workplace policy mean?
A workplace policy is any regulation or instruction that establishes acceptable behavior or industry standards in a formal context. Workplace policies frequently cover subjects including employment, peer or customer interactions, and health and safety. Employers typically link their policies with their company objectives and the type of workplace culture they want to create. They establish the senior management’s expectations as well as the organizational norms.
There are numerous policies in place to abide by local, state, or federal laws. For instance, workers’ compensation rules mandate that businesses carry insurance to pay for the medical expenses associated with on-the-job injuries. Employee handbooks and employment contracts frequently contain a description of an employer’s workers’ compensation policy. Other workplace regulations, also known as business rules or codes of conduct, are industry-specific or at the very least commonplace without being mandated by legislation.
Why are workplace regulations important?
There are a number of reasons why having workplace policies is important:
They guarantee compliance
Compliance in the workplace is the act of abiding by a rule, typically a state or federal requirement. Governments impose a plethora of laws on organizations. Some of these only apply to companies in specific industry or with a set number of employees, while others are more broad. Since the Labor Criteria Act has standards for things like overtime compensation, for instance, a company is likely to incorporate a policy describing the overtime wage system in their employment contract or employee handbook.
They allow for consistency and fairness
The quality of a practice that is applied to each and every situation and employee is known as consistency. A dress code, which specifies the employer’s notion of appropriate look for all employees inside the firm, is an illustration of a workplace guideline that encourages consistency. By outlining the benefits provided to employees, such policies might indirectly advance justice. In the case of the dress code, the employer might allow casual attire during the week, giving employees the freedom to choose whether to dress formally or informally.
They advocate for best practices
Many workplace policies serve as standards for actions or choices. Some businesses have email policies that include topics like subject header conventions, message formatting, when and how to react to emails, and who to CC on specific correspondences. Such a policy serves as a blueprint that can enhance information flow and eliminate doubt over message contents. Employees are able to create, receive, and comprehend messages more quickly and efficiently as a result.
They establish expectations
Workplace rules convey to employees how the employer expects them to behave, perform, and interact with others. They are reflections of an organization’s values and mission. For instance, policies describing how to engage with customers, including how to welcome them and how to address them, are frequently found in retail enterprises. With this kind of regulation, staff members can better understand what constitutes a proper customer relationship.
They make the environment safer
Workplace policies also contribute to a safer workplace by supporting best practices. They can specify what behaviors might endanger workers or the company and offer recommendations for avoiding such actions. For instance, laws that mandate the use of certain protective equipment and the avoidance of loose sleeves and other clothing that could tangle with machinery are frequently in place on building sites. These regulations aid in reducing occupational accidents.
“Punctuality and showing respect in the workplace are the foundations of success. Success is meaningless without them. I’m always looking to pass these lessons on to younger players, because they are the secret of excelling and developing your game.” – Raul
16 Examples of Workplace Policies
Here are 16 typical types of workplace policies:
1. Attendance
An attendance policy handles a variety of attendance-related issues, such as tardiness, early departure, and unannounced absences. These terms are often defined in attendance regulations, which also detail or refer to disciplinary proceedings. For instance, a company might outline a progressive disciplinary plan and define tardiness as showing up more than five minutes after the start of a shift or the conclusion of lunch.
2. Code of conduct
Employee conduct is covered by a code of conduct policy. This type of policy frequently handles a wide range of topics, such as:
• Dress codes that are appropriate and incorrect
• confidentiality regarding business operations or projects
• interpersonal interactions and actions
• being intoxicated at work
• the usage of social media or mobile devices while at work
A code of conduct policy can also state that breaking the rules could result in disciplinary action and issue a warning to those who do. These elements of the policy promote adherence to it and aid in others’ understanding of the gravity of the challenges it addresses.
3. Equal opportunity for all
An anti-discrimination policy known as “equal opportunity” forbids companies from treating employees or job hopefuls unfairly because of their age, culture, race, gender, belief system, or other characteristics. This policy is crucial because it encourages managers and coworkers to treat everyone fairly. Additionally, it enables a business to abide by rules set forth by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
4. Safety and health
Health and safety regulations are in place to protect employees from sickness and accidents at work. These regulations may, for instance, stipulate that staff members periodically wash their hands and offer guidance on how to do so in a setting where food is served. Additionally, they might include instructions on how to use potentially dangerous appliances like deep fryers, meat slicers, knives, and other typical kitchen gear.
5. Safety
A security policy deals with the information found in a particular region of a facility or the physical safety of the employees of an organization. Security regulations typically specify how to access and leave a building, a room, or a business. It could specify the categories of personnel who are allowed admission into secret areas and mention the use of an ID card or fingerprint scanner.
6. Cyber security
The defense of a company’s networks and digital assets is known as cybersecurity. Various areas of concern are frequently addressed by cybersecurity policy, including but not limited to:
• password security
• password modification
• Utilization of personal computers
• recognizing fraudulent emails and attachments
• Transfer and copy regulations for digital files
These kinds of precautions aid in avoiding undesirable occurrences like data loss and data compromise.
7. Appropriate usage
An organization’s computer network and devices must be used in accordance with a set of guidelines called an acceptable usage policy. Both cybersecurity and the code of conduct can be considered as being extended by this. These policies frequently forbid actions like downloading specific file types, posting unlawful items to the network, and using particular email or messaging services for communication.
8. Bring your own device
The practice of allowing employees to use their personal computing equipment, particularly mobile devices, for work is referred to as “bring your own device,” or “BYOD.” This is an expansion of authorized use because using personal devices may make cybersecurity threats worse. BYOD policies typically include requirements for antivirus software and limitations on uploading to the company network.
9. Social media
A social media policy, which is sometimes seen as an addition to the definition of permitted use, establishes the conditions under which employees may access their personal social media accounts while on the job. Social media policies frequently limit access to specific times, including as breaks, because many companies may be concerned that accessing social media could reduce productivity. To avoid the leakage of sensitive information, these policies may also limit the types of employer-related information that workers may communicate.
10. Privacy
The extent to which a corporation gathers employee data and keeps track of employee activities is specified in its privacy policy. Employees are typically informed about the collecting of specific sorts of personal information in a privacy policy, such as addresses, phone numbers, and social security numbers, which are required for paperwork. Additionally, it can mention that although work correspondences are monitored, employees still have the right to privacy when it comes to their personal property, correspondences, and discussions.
11. Paid vacation
Paid time off, or PTO, is the term used to describe vacation days, personal days, and holidays when an employee is still entitled to their usual rate of pay. An employee’s vacation and personal days, how they accrue, and the number of holidays the company observes each year are typically covered by a PTO policy. If one of these holidays comes on a weekend or if an employee doesn’t use all of their vacation days within a fiscal year, those situations may also be covered by the policy.
12. Sick leave
Separate from the PTO policy, some firms have a sick leave policy. Days missed from work because of illness or injury are referred to as sick leave. Hourly workers normally do not receive compensation for sick days, while salaried employees frequently do. A sick leave policy often describes the amount of sick days that are permitted annually as well as the procedures that must be followed, such as getting a doctor’s letter or finding a coworker to cover your shift.
13. Leave of Absence
An extended departure from work is referred to as a leave of absence (LOA). The amount of time off and the range of situations in which an employee may request leave set this apart from PTO. There are many different sorts of leave, both paid and unpaid, and there are two main categories:
• Parental: Those who have just given birth or adopted a child are eligible for parental leave.
• Bereavement: People who recently experienced the death of a loved one are eligible for bereavement leave.
• Medical: People who have serious, ongoing medical conditions or who are in charge of someone else’s care are eligible for medical leave.
An LOA policy normally lists the kinds of leaves that the company permits, the amount of time authorized, and, if any, modifications to the rate of pay.
14. Flexible work
The term “flexible work policies” refers to compensation for employees who work outside of the typical office setting and hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Flexible employment examples include:
• Work-from-home or remote: The employee may do some or all of their business from a remote location, typically their house.
• Flex time: The employee may come in and go out as they like on a given day, provided they work the stipulated number of hours each day or week.
• Compressed schedule: The employee works fewer days per week overall but greater hours per day, usually 10 hours per day for four days.
15. Harassment
The term “harassment” is used to refer broadly to behaviors that make other people feel intimidated or denigrated. A workplace harassment policy may outline the term and give instances. This type of policy typically addresses both the harassers and the harassed, pointing to disciplinary action and offering, respectively, options for relief.
16. Payroll
A payroll policy gives employees reassurance about their salary. According to the policy, the company promises to pay earnings or salaries on a given day or at regular intervals. It frequently also makes reference to deductions like federal and state taxes.
Organizations must create rules and procedures that take into account both the demands of their workforce and its vision, values, and culture. Enforcing these rules after they are established is even more important.
Exercise 10.9: Workplace Policy Exchange
• Divide the group into pairs.
• Have each team select one of the workplace policy examples and then do some research to discover the current company policy that relates to that topic. Share the similarities, differences, and suggested areas for improvement.
• Have each team share their discoveries.
Course Manual 10: Political Discussions
Management inevitably involves having difficult talks, whether you’re informing a customer that a project is delayed, or your presiding over a performance assessment that lacks enthusiasm, or someone wants to talk politics to you. How do you get ready for a conversation like this? How do you find the appropriate words in a crisis? How can the exchange be managed to run as smoothly as possible?
What Professionals Say…
According to Holly Weeks, the author of Failure to Communicate, “We’ve all had horrible experiences with these kinds of dialogues in the past.” Perhaps your direct report started crying during a performance review, your supervisor yelled at you during a heated argument, or your client picked up the phone on you. Therefore, we usually steer clear of them. But it’s not the correct response. After all, according to Jean-Francois Manzoni, professor of human resources and organizational development at INSEAD, “difficult conversations are not black swans.” It’s important to understand how to deal with them so that you and the person you’re speaking to experience “a better outcome: less anguish,” he advises. This is how.
8 Steps to Follow When Having Difficult Discussions
Change Your Mindset
You’re more likely to feel anxious and unhappy before a talk you’ve classified as “difficult” if you’re preparing for it. Manzoni recommends “framing it in a positive, less dichotomous” manner as an alternative. In this case, you are discussing development rather than providing unfavorable performance evaluation. Instead of telling your boss “no,” you are presenting an alternative course of action. The best way to approach a challenging topic, according to Weeks, is to treat it like any other ordinary chat.
Breathe
Manzoni says, “The better you are at handling uncomfortable conversations, the more calm and centered you are. Taking “frequent breaks” throughout the day to engage in “mindful breathing” is advised, according to him. You can “refocus” and “gain ability to take any blows” that come your way as a result of this. This method is also effective in the heat of the moment. For instance, if a coworker approaches you with a problem that could lead to a difficult talk, step away, get a cup of coffee, or take a quick lap around the office to gather your thoughts.
Think ahead but don’t script
Before your conversation, making notes and outlining your main points might help you prepare what you want to say. But writing a script is a waste of time. Weeks opined, “Anything’s quite improbable that it will proceed according to your plan.” When your opponent “goes off script,” you have no forward momentum and the conversation “becomes bizarrely artificial” since he doesn’t “know his lines.”
” According to Weeks, your approach to the dialogue should be “fluid” and include “a repertory of potential responses.” She continues, “Your language should be straightforward, direct, and neutral.”
Recognize your counterpart’s viewpoint
Avoid approaching a challenging topic with a “my way or the highway” mentality. Weeks advises pondering the following two issues before bringing up the subject: “What’s the issue? What does the other person believe to be the issue, then? She advises that if you are unsure of the other person’s perspective, “acknowledge that you don’t know and inquire.” Manifest your care for your counterpart, advises Manzoni. He continues, “Take time to digest the other person’s words and tone,” and “express your interest in understanding how the other person feels.” Once you hear it, seek for areas where your perspective and that of your counterpart overlap.
Be compassionate
These dialogues frequently result in [strained] working relationships, which can be painful, according to experience, says Manzoni. So, it makes sense to approach delicate subjects with sensitivity. Be thoughtful and kind. “You can manage to communicate bad news in a gutsy, honest, and fair way, albeit it might not always be pleasant.” At the same time, Weeks advises, “do not emote.” The worst thing you can do, according to her, “is to ask your counterpart to feel sorry for you.” Sayings like “I feel so horrible about saying this” or “This is so hard for me to do” are not appropriate, she advises. Don’t act like a victim.
Take your time and listen
Manzoni advises attempting to “lower the tempo” of the discussion in order to prevent tensions from escalating. He claims that speaking more slowly and hesitating before answering the other person “gives you time to find the proper words” and helps to “defuse negative emotion” in them. According to him, if you pay attention to what the other person is saying, you’re more likely to discuss the appropriate topics and the conversation will always be more fruitful. Make sure your words are supported by your deeds, says Weeks. Saying, “I hear you,” while tinkering with your smartphone, is disrespectful.
Contribute something of value
Ask yourself, “Is there something I can offer back?” before starting a conversation that may “place the other person in a difficult situation or take something away from them,” advises Weeks. You may remark, “I have written what I think is a solid recommendation for you; would you like to see it?” if, for example, you’re letting go of a long-time coworker. If you need to let your boss know that you can’t handle a particular task, offer a workable substitute. Be positive, advises Manzoni. Nobody desires issues. Offering alternatives “makes the other person see a way out and also conveys respect.”
Reflect and take notes
Manzoni asserts that it’s important to “reflect ex post” after a challenging talk and evaluate what worked and what didn’t. “Consider why you responded the way you did and what you might have said differently.” Weeks also advises taking note of other people’s successful coping mechanisms and modeling your own strategies after them. She advises, “Learn how to disarm yourself by copying what you see.” It takes fortitude to conduct a challenging conversation well, in addition to skill.
Key Points to Keep in Mind
**Keep in mind that knowing how to play the game of politics can be incredibly beneficial to your career. It will help you to advocate for yourself, stand up for what you believe in and help guide the direction of your team or the organization.
Case Study #1: Be direct, concise, and unemotional
The founder and CEO of Integrated Finance and Accounting Solutions, a financial company with clients in both the public and private sectors, Tabatha Turman, was aware that she had an issue with a particular employee. He put in a lot of hours and was a kind guy, but productivity was a problem, she claims. He wasn’t the ideal person for the job.
After six months, she and her staff tried a variety of interventions, including having him work with a qualified coach. However, she realized that something had to be done. We kept pushing the problem off, but I recognized I would have to play the villain. She would have to terminate his employment.
Tabatha was afraid to break the news. She remarks, “I truly loved this person.” We’re a tiny team and are quite connected; you hear about people’s families and vacations. Everyone on the team has a role to perform, and if there is one weak link, the whole thing might fall apart.
Tabatha used her 20 years of expertise as an army officer to prepare herself for the discussion. She explains, “I grew up in a military setting where there is no bluff. “You are at work when you are at work. You must suppress your emotions for the sake of the people around you.
Her sentences were brief. He was “not a good fit,” she told the worker. She gave details regarding the severance payout after explaining that the corporation would retain him through the end of the month. Although the employee “wasn’t happy,” Tabatha said he handled the layoff “like a trooper.”
Tabatha claims that the talk “lingers” in her thoughts even though she acted emotionless during the meeting. It wasn’t right, but I still feel horrible that it didn’t work out, she adds. We had to proceed.
Case Study #2: Empathize and adopt the appropriate attitude
Betty Thompson, the chief personnel officer at Booz Allen Hamilton, is used to having difficult conversations. For instance, she recently had to inform a seasoned, effective employee that his position was being removed.
According to her, “his role had lost some of its significance to the organization over time.” Additionally, there were geographical disparities because he was on the other side of the country from his team. It was simply not going to continue to function.
Betty made the decision that it would be best to deliver the message over the course of several conversations spread out over a few months rather than in a single session. She says, “I didn’t want to hasten anything. It required a process,
She reminded herself of her good intentions before even bringing up the matter with the employee. “Going into something like this, you need to have the correct energy. It won’t be a productive conversation if you’re starting from a position of frustration, which is understandable because we’re all human. The ideal manner for this person to hear the message must be considered.
She started by sitting down with the worker and getting his opinion on how things were going. I was curious to learn about his frustrations, she says. I didn’t want to poke him in the eye; I wanted him to glance in the mirror.
She then provided her own viewpoint on the issue following his remarks. He was initially hostile, but by the time they had a second conversation, he had changed his mind and acknowledged that there was an issue.
“Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy and mutual valuing.” — Rollo Reece May
How to Handle Political Discussions in the Office
Politics will inevitably come up in the workplace. Here are some ideas for how company executives may foster respectful debate and constructive conflict at work.
Politics can be a sensitive issue for people to discuss at work. There are a few things to keep in mind when having these discussions in order to preserve a happy and effective work environment.
Some businesses contend that a “no politics” policy is desirable and that employees need to focus on their work. However, politics are a reality of American life, and expecting otherwise would be ridiculous. Business owners should provide a secure environment where staff members can have constructive conversations.
You can have a decent political debate even if you lose.
Make it clear that when discussing politics, neither party should seek to win in person or online. It eliminates the need to listen closely in order to challenge the other person’s viewpoint if everyone joins the conversation expecting to learn something new.
You are not attentively listening if you are delaying your response until your colleague has finished speaking. Instead, pay close attention while others are speaking, respond in an open and respectful manner, and be knowledgeable enough about your own opinions to have productive discussions with those who have opposing views.
Be willing to grow and accept discomfort.
Politics can be unpleasant at work but paying attention to your coworkers’ perspectives might help you avoid conflict. Even if you don’t agree with their opinions, try to be empathetic when speaking with coworkers.
It’s acceptable when other people don’t share our viewpoint, but if workers refuse to compromise, they won’t be able to perceive or comprehend the other viewpoint in any discussion. You must be prepared to hear and even support opposing points of view. This is incredibly difficult in our current politicized atmosphere.
We grow the most when we venture outside of our comfort zones. We broaden our worldview when we interact with someone who challenges our prejudices. Encourage employees to approach conflicts with an open mind and a readiness to listen since you are more likely to establish common ground among staff members who learn something new about their coworkers as a result of the dialogue.
If you know your opinions will lead to disagreement, hold them back.
Everybody has a unique set of opinions, just like fingerprints. The midpoint of the spectrum does not apply to everyone. Imagine that some of the employees had strong, atypical political opinions. Then it could be a good idea to urge them to refrain from expressing their radical viewpoints or endorsing politicians who strike you as being problematic.
No, biting one’s tongue is never simple, but there are times when it’s the right course of action. Each employee is free to express their opinions, but they should be aware that not everyone will share them. Despite the fact that the distinction between harassment and opinion may seem hazy, the law has made it clear. Yes, the law preserves one’s right to free expression, but it doesn’t mean doing so is without risk of punishment. To prevent insults and taunts in the workplace now and in the future, let employees know what is and is not acceptable.
Avoid being overly enthusiastic; no one likes to deal with an irate employee.
It’s important to try not to get too angry when discussing politics at work. It can be simple to start a conflict with coworkers over who is right and who is wrong, but in the end, it only adds to the tension and discomfort for everyone. Although it’s simple to condemn people who don’t agree with us, doing so prevents us from having a constructive conversation.
When you hear rude language (even concerning a political candidate), let the staff members know that there are consequences for using such language. No one likes to deal with an irate coworker. The conversation should then come to an end. A brawl breaking out during a business debate is the very last thing you want to happen. Encourage staff to remain professional and maintain positive working relationships with coworkers despite differences of opinion. As a result, your team will work harder and develop a positive culture.
Avoid hot button issues
Religion, morality, and contentious issues are polarizing and frequently cause conflict in the workplace. Request that any delicate conversations take place outside the Zoom breakout room or outside the water cooler if employees feel inclined to do so. Instead, instruct staff to look for a secluded area.
Encourage staff to discuss specific policies rather than drawing generalizations. Let the office be a place where it is acceptable to interrupt or switch topics when emotions are high. Stay away from contentious subjects to maintain harmony at work.
Don’t let employees gloat
No one appreciates a showoff after an election or a lengthy discussion, especially an ebullient employee. Gloating, according to workplace expert and “Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant” author Lynn Taylor, is ineffective, puts others down, and fosters a “us vs. them” mentality.
Do not accept boasting and keep workers’ attention on work-related duties and away from politics in the days following an important election or during tense times.
Recognize when to leave.
Remember to exercise caution when and how you bring up politics at work. Although it can be simple to lose control, keep in mind that there are limits. Pay attention to when workplace political discussions get out of hand and decide when to leave a conversation.
Each person must determine what is appropriate for their workplace. However, advise staff to err on the side of caution. It’s best to maintain harmony and avert any potential conflicts in the workplace.
There are times when boundaries must be drawn or when a discussion has reached its conclusion. However, constructive disputes do have benefits because people frequently leave these discussions with more “nuanced, deeper ideas, and better solutions.” Even while it could be simpler from a business owner’s standpoint to restrict the political diversity of views that are exchanged, workplaces that promote civil, vigorous discussion will benefit much from it.
“To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” — Anthony Robbins
Exercise 10.10: Just Listen
• Were speakers able to better express their views?
• Did the summaries show that the listeners were paying attention?
• How easy was it to listen without being allowed to speak?
Course Manual 11: Workplace Culture
The culture of a workplace – an organization’s values, norms and practices – has a huge impact on our happiness and success. – Adam Grant
To empower and push their staff, businesses are going to great lengths. They have legitimate cause for concern given the depreciating value of involvement. Think about Gallup’s meta-analysis of data spanning decades: It demonstrates that high engagement, which is generally described as feeling a deep connection to one’s work and colleagues, feeling like a meaningful contributor, and having plenty of learning opportunities, regularly produces favorable results for both people and businesses. The benefits include increased profitability, better-quality products, and more production.
It is so evident that developing an employee-centric culture can be beneficial to business. But how exactly do you go about doing that? Typically, culture is created on the fly around arbitrary benefits like “karaoke Fridays” or gourmet dinners, frequently while being controlled by some psychological trend. And despite the reality that there is no way to pay for greater job satisfaction, companies continue to deploy golden handcuffs to retain talented workers. Such initiatives might increase workplace contentment in the short run, but they have little long-term impact on performance or talent retention.
According to research…
Employees in high-trust organizations outperform those in low-trust organizations in terms of productivity, energy level, ability to work well with others, and length of employment. Additionally, because they are happier with their life and experience less chronic stress, they perform better.
At least conceptually, leaders are aware of the risks. According to PwC’s 2016 worldwide CEO survey, 55% of CEOs believe that a lack of trust poses a threat to the expansion of their company. However, the majority haven’t done anything to boost trust, largely because they don’t know where to begin. In this lesson we will share a framework that is supported by research to assist our manager/leaders.
Case Study: How Workplace Culture Impacts Productivity – by Paul J. Zak
Paul J. Zak is the founding director of the Center for Neuroeconomics Studies and a professor of economics, psychology, and management at Claremont Graduate University, and the CEO of Immersion Neuroscience.
I started tracking people’s brain activity while they worked around ten years ago in an effort to better understand how workplace culture impacts performance. Eight strategies that leaders can use to successfully establish and maintain a culture of trust are revealed by the neuroscience studies I have conducted. I’ll outline those tactics and discuss how certain organizations are successfully utilizing them. Let’s examine the science supporting the framework first, though.
What Takes Place in the Brain
I established a mathematical connection between trust and economic performance in 2001. Although I discussed the social, legal, and economic factors that affect trust in my paper on this topic, I was unable to address the most fundamental query: Why do two individuals trust one other in the first place? Worldwide studies have revealed that although people have a tendency to trust others, they don’t always do so. I reasoned that there must be a neurobiological cue that tells us when to place our trust in someone. To find out if that was accurate, I therefore began a lengthy research project.
I was aware that oxytocin, a brain hormone, has been linked to rats’ ability to detect when another animal is secure enough to approach. I questioned if that applied to people as well. I made the decision to check into it as no one had done so before. My team employed a strategic decision task designed by academics in the lab of Vernon Smith, a Nobel laureate in economics, to quantify trust and its reciprocation (trustworthiness) objectively. In our experiment, a participant selects a sum of money to give to a stranger via computer while being aware that the money will triple in value and that the recipient may or may not share the profits.
The recipient has two options: either keep the entire sum of money or act honorably and give it to the sender.
My colleagues and I designed a protocol to take blood from people’s arms before and just after they chose to be trustworthy (if they were senders) or to trust others (if they were receivers) in order to assess oxytocin levels throughout the exchange (if they were receivers). Despite the fact that participants had no conscious control over the amount of oxytocin they produced, we chose not to inform them of the study’s purpose out of concern for how it would affect their conduct. We discovered that recipients’ brains released more oxytocin the more money they got (indicating greater sender confidence). Additionally, the quantity of oxytocin recipients made indicated their level of trustworthiness, or likelihood to distribute the money.
Since the brain constantly produces messenger chemicals, it was plausible that we had merely noticed arbitrary fluctuations in oxytocin. We put safe dosages of synthetic oxytocin into living human brains to demonstrate that it fosters trust (through a nasal spray). Giving individuals 24 IU of synthetic oxytocin more than doubled the amount of money they sent to a stranger when compared to participants who got a placebo. We demonstrated that those who received oxytocin maintained cognitive function using a range of psychological measures. Additionally, we discovered that they did not gamble recklessly, indicating that the rise in trust was not brought on by brain disinhibition. One thing that Oxytocin seemed to do was lessen the fear of trusting a stranger.
The following ten years were then spent by my team conducting more research to determine the oxytocin promoters and inhibitors. This study explained why trust differs between people and circumstances. For instance, a lot of stress has a strong oxytocin inhibitor. Most people are aware that they cannot properly engage with others when they are anxious. We also learned that oxytocin boosts empathy, a valuable quality for social creatures attempting to cooperate. We were beginning to form theories that could be applied to the creation of high-trust environments, but in order to validate them, we had to leave the lab.
In order to quantify oxytocin and stress hormones, as well as to evaluate the productivity and innovativeness of personnel, we were granted permission to conduct tests at several field sites. In order to determine whether the link between oxytocin and trust is pervasive, my research even brought me to the rain forest of Papua New Guinea, where I examined indigenous people’s oxytocin levels. (It is.) I developed a survey instrument that measures the constituent factors of trust within organizations and quantifies it based on all these findings (described in the next section). I was able to investigate thousands of businesses thanks to that poll and create a framework for managers.
Leading with Trust
Through the questionnaires and the studies, researchers have identified eight management practices that promote trust. These actions may be controlled to increase performance because they are measurable.
8 Ways to Lead with Trust
1. Recognize superiority.
The neuroscience demonstrates that acknowledgement that comes quickly after a goal is achieved, from peers, and that is tangible, unexpected, personal, and visible has the biggest impact on trust. Public acclaim encourages people to strive for excellence by utilizing the might of the crowd to applaud accomplishments. Additionally, it provides a platform for top achievers to exchange best practices so that others can benefit.
The 80 production-automation manufacturers owned by Barry-Wehmiller Companies, a provider of manufacturing and technology services, are successfully recognized as top performers by this high-trust organization. Employees at each facility are asked to annually recommend a deserving peer as part of a program that was created by CEO Bob Chapman and his staff. The facility is closed on the day of the celebration, and the winner is kept a secret until it is revealed to everyone. The entire team joins the chosen employee’s family and close friends, who are invited without giving away the winner. The ceremony is opened by plant leaders reading the nomination letters highlighting the recipient’s efforts, and it is concluded with the winner receiving the keys to a sports automobile for a week.
Although it doesn’t happen right away, the acknowledgement is real, surprising, and both private and public. Additionally, Barry-Wehmiller allows everyone, not just those at the top, a vote in what constitutes excellence by allowing employees to choose the winners. All of this appears to be beneficial to the business: In 1987, it just had one facility; today, it is a conglomerate with an annual revenue of $2.4 billion.
2. Bring about “challenging stress.”
When a manager gives a team a challenging but doable assignment, the activity’s mild stress causes the release of neurochemicals like oxytocin and adrenocorticotropin, which sharpen people’s focus and reinforce social bonds. Brain activity effectively regulates team members’ behavior when they must
cooperate to accomplish a task. However, this only works when obstacles are manageable and have a clear purpose; ambiguous or unachievable objectives lead to individuals quitting before they even begin. Leaders should often check in to review progress and modify too simple or unattainable targets.
The research on the power of progress by Teresa Amabile, a professor at Harvard Business School, supports the necessity for achievability: Amabile discovered that 76% of people said that their best days entailed moving toward goals when she examined 12,000 diary entries of workers from a range of industries.
3. Allow team member to choose how they want to do their task.
After employees have received training, whenever possible let them run projects and manage people in their own style. Being trusted to solve problems is a major motivator: According to a Citigroup and LinkedIn survey conducted in 2014, nearly half of workers would forego a 20% pay increase in exchange for more flexibility in their jobs.
Because various people attempt different things, autonomy also fosters innovation. While people explore, unfavorable deviations can be reduced with the aid of oversight and risk management methods. Additionally, post-project debriefs give teams the chance to explain how successful deviations occurred so that others can build on their success.
Because they are less bound by what “normally” works, your most innovative employees are frequently your youngest or least experienced workers. That is how developments in self-driving cars were made. No autonomous military vehicles had been created despite a large investment by the US government in the main three automakers over a five-year period. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency changed course and offered a sizable cash reward to anyone who could build a self-driving car that could navigate a track in the Mojave Desert in less than 10 hours. A team of Stanford University engineering students took on the challenge and earned $2 million two years later.
4. Allow job customization.
People concentrate their efforts on what they care about most when employers allow employees to choose which projects they will work on. Due to this, businesses like the Morning Star Company, the biggest manufacturer of tomato products worldwide, have extremely productive coworkers who continue to work for them year after year. People don’t even have job titles at Morning Star (a company Paul Zak has worked for), and they self-organize into work groups. Valve, a maker of gaming software, provides its staff with mobile offices and nudges them to participate in endeavors that look “rewarding” and “interesting.” But they continue to face consequences. When employees join a new group, clear expectations are established, and 360-degree evaluations are completed at the end of projects to quantify individual contributions.
5. Widely share information.
Only 40% of employees say they are knowledgeable with the objectives, strategies, and tactics of their organization. Chronic stress caused by this uncertainty about the company’s future weakens teamwork by preventing the production of oxytocin. The remedy is openness. Employees’ ambiguity about where they are going and why is reduced when organizations communicate their “flight plans” to them. Constant communication is essential: According to a 2015 research of 2.5 million manager-led teams across 195 countries, regular communication between managers and direct reports increased employee engagement.
Buffer, a firm that optimizes social media content, goes above and beyond by making public the pay formula it uses. Interested in the salary of the CEO, Joel Gascoigne? Just do a search. That is being open.
6. Develop your relationships intentionally.
Evolutionarily speaking, the brain network that oxytocin activates is old. Thus, the sociality and trust that oxytocin promotes are ingrained in our biology. However, we frequently hear at work that we should prioritize accomplishing duties over developing personal relationships. My lab’s neuroscientific research demonstrates that when people consciously create social networks at work, their performance rises. According to a Google study, managers who “show interest in and concern for team members’ achievement and personal well-being” outperform others in terms of the caliber and volume of their work.
Yes, even engineers need to interact with others. In Silicon Valley, software engineers were studied, and it was discovered that individuals that interacted with others and assisted them with their projects not only gained the respect and confidence of their colleagues, but also were more successful in their own work. By providing financial support for meals, after-work gatherings, and team-building exercises, you can aid employees in forming social bonds. People perform better when they care about one another because they don’t want to let their teammates down, despite the fact that it may seem like forced fun. White-water rafting counts as a moderate difficulty, which will hasten the social-bonding process.
7. Encourage the growth of the full person.
People who work in high-trust environments benefit both personally and professionally. Numerous studies demonstrate that learning new skills for the workplace alone is insufficient; you must also develop yourself in order to function at your best. When developing personnel, high-trust firms embrace a growth attitude. Some even claim that managers no longer need to do yearly performance reviews when they set clear objectives, provide staff members the freedom to attain those objectives, and offer regular feedback. Instead, managers and direct subordinates should schedule more frequent meetings to concentrate on their own development. Adobe Systems and Accenture have adopted this strategy. To delve deeper into employee professional aspirations, managers can pose queries like, “Am I helping you acquire your next job?” Discussions about family, time for recreation and reflection, work-life balance, and family are all part of evaluating personal growth. Engagement and retention are significantly impacted by investments in the whole person.
8. Be willing to be vulnerable.
Leaders in high-trust environments enlist the assistance of subordinates rather than simply giving them orders. Paul’s study group has discovered that doing this causes people to produce more oxytocin, which fosters more trust and collaboration. Asking for assistance is a sign of a confident leader—one who motivates everyone to achieve objectives. “I found that being really upfront about the things he did not know actually had the opposite effect than he would have imagined,” said Jim Whitehurst, CEO of open-source software developer Red Hat. It aided in credibility-building. Asking for assistance works because it appeals to our innate desire to work with others.
Case Study: The Benefits of Trust
Paul and his colleagues investigated the relationship between trust and business success after defining and quantifying the managerial practices that promote trust in firms. They employed numerous strategies to do this.
First, they gathered data from a dozen businesses that had implemented new policies to increase trust (most were motivated by a slump in their profits or market share).
Second, they carried out the earlier indicated field studies: His team offered groups of employees specific tasks, evaluated their output and inventiveness on those tasks, and obtained highly precise data—including direct measures of brain activity—in two organizations where trust varies by department. These results demonstrate that trust boosts performance.
Third, in February 2016, they gathered information from a nationally representative sample of 1,095 working individuals in the U.S. with the aid of an impartial survey company. The conclusions from all three sources were comparable, but because they can be applied generally, here’s what they discovered from the national data.
They were able to determine the level of trust for each corporation by asking employees how much the firms engaged in the eight activities. (They never used the word “trust” in surveys to prevent respondents from being primed.) On a scale of 100%, the average level of organizational trust in the United States was 70%. With one company getting an appallingly low 15%, 47% of respondents worked in organizations where trust was below the norm. Companies generally scored poorly on sharing information and recognizing excellence (67% and 68%, respectively). The data therefore indicates that even if the average American corporation did not improve in the other six areas, it might increase trust by doing so in these two.
On self-reported work performance, trust had a significant impact. In comparison to respondents whose companies were in the worst quartile, those whose companies were in the top quartile reported having 106% more energy and 76% more engagement at work. Additionally, they claimed to be 50% more productive, which is consistent with our measurements of productivity from studies we have conducted with workers. Employee loyalty was significantly impacted by trust as well: Employees in high-trust organizations planned to stay with their employers 50% longer than those at low-trust organizations did, and 88% more stated they would recommend their workplace to relatives and friends.
Additionally, his team discovered that employees in high-trust organizations loved their work 60% more, were 70% more in line with the mission of their organizations and felt 66% more connected to their coworkers. Additionally, a high-trust environment helps people treat one another and themselves better. Employees in high-trust environments showed 11% more empathy for their coworkers, depersonalized them 41% less frequently, and burned out from work 40% less frequently than those in low-trust environments. Additionally, they reported a 41% higher sense of accomplishment.
Once more, this analysis confirms the conclusions of our qualitative and empirical research. However, one novel—and unexpected—discovery they made was that high-trust businesses charge more. When compared to businesses in the lowest quartile of trust, employees at businesses in the highest quartile earn an extra $6,450 a year, or 17% more. Employees at high-trust companies must be more productive and creative in order for this to happen in a market where jobs are competitive.
CONCLUSION
A leader’s first duty is to define reality, according to former Herman Miller CEO Max De Pree. The leader must take on the role of the servant in between the two.
Paul’s experiments firmly substantiate this theory. The best way to build trust is to set a clear course, provide people with the tools they need to succeed, and then step aside.
It’s not about being lenient with your staff or having lower expectations of them. When companies have a high level of trust, they hold employees accountable without micromanaging them. They handle people like mature grownups and allow them to shine in their perspective roles within the organization.
Exercise 10.11: True and False
• Have the facilitator go around the room and ask each participant to share their 3 stories. 2 True and one false.
• Then, have the rest of the group guess which story is false.
Course Manual 12: Staying Positive
All jobs have the potential to become stressful at times, regardless of the sector or career field you work in. However, there are a variety of strategies to deal with pressure, from deep breathing exercises to stress balls, which can help you handle difficulties in a positive and healthy manner. Additionally, maintaining your motivation, productivity, and job satisfaction at work depends on your ability to manage your stress. This lesson will share ways to reduce stress at work and how to juggle your personal and professional life, so you can continue to enjoy life and while being effective in your career.
22 Methods to Reduce Stress at Work
When things at work get a little stressful, it’s critical to have a variety of coping mechanisms at your disposal. You can obtain a better understanding of what coping mechanisms will be most effective for you by considering the following methods for managing stress at work:
1. Start practicing deep breathing.
When you’re feeling overloaded, slowing down and recharging with deep breathing can be really helpful. Try this method the next time you feel stressed at work by taking slow, deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Ten breaths should be taken by holding each inhalation for three to five seconds before letting it go.
2. Workout during your break.
A good physical outlet for stress management is exercise. Try to engage in some form of physical activity during a work break, like a 10-minute stroll outside. Physical activity and taking a break from your desk can help you de-stress so you can return to work renewed.
3. Leave the office to eat lunch.
Sometimes all it takes to de-stress from work-related tension is a quick change of environment. Decide on one or two days per week when you leave the building to relax and take a break if you can leave your workplace for lunch, even to sit outside.
4. Use time-management techniques.
Missing deadlines, working on projects at the last minute, or doing any number of time-sensitive tasks that may easily become burdensome can occasionally cause stress at work. If your stress is brought on by needing to fulfill your work duties, look for time management strategies that might keep you on track. To work more productively and avoid job overload, for instance, use a time management tool to track important activities and your progress on them.
5. Eliminate the clutter.
Sort through your desk and get rid of anything extra. Examine old records, purge old papers, and discard anything unnecessary. Your workspace will be more organized, easier to find key materials, and more conducive to concentration if it is cleaned and arranged.
6. Adhere to basic massage techniques.
Self-massage is a simple and effective method for reducing stress that you can use while sitting at your desk. Use your thumbs and index fingers to gently pinch the upper cartilage of your ears when you’re feeling anxious. Take a few deep breaths while lightly massaging your fingers and thumbs. Put your hands through the same massage routine by lightly pinching the space between your thumb and index finger.
7. Employ the visualization method.
Utilizing the method of visualization can help you settle down, clear your mind, and release stress and frustration. Simply close your eyes and visualize a pleasing environment. If you’re feeling frustrated, for instance, close your eyes for a few seconds and visualize a beach scene or your ideal house. The trick is to focus on an image that makes you feel happy and at ease. When coupled with deep breathing, this can be extremely effective.
8. Have a healthy snack.
Bring nutritious snacks that will give you the energy you need during the day. You can actually reduce your overall stress by eating properly. So, choose something healthy and fresh to nibble on rather than, say, a bag of chips from the vending machine.
9. Stand up and walk around.
Similar to formal exercise, general movement can be a great way to unwind and recharge. Take a short walk around the office, use the stairs rather than the elevator, or stand up and stretch for a while. So that you can return to concentrating on your task, the exercise will help you let go of tension and fight stress.
10. Chat with a coworker.
When you’re feeling stressed out, talking with a trusted friend or family member can be really beneficial. Discuss your feelings with a coworker or buddy from the office. Speaking out about your feelings and opinions can frequently lead to insightful comments that can help you deal with any stress at work that you may be experiencing.
11. Request assistance when you need it.
When you need assistance, ask for it. Even while working independently has its advantages, being aware of when you require more assistance to complete a difficult activity, or a complex project will help you better recognize your limitations. Working with your team also exhibits your capacity to solicit feedback and pay attention to various viewpoints, which is a crucial skill in many fields.
12. Set priorities effectively.
Learn to order your daily tasks and work assignments based on their urgency and importance. The Eisenhower Matrix, for instance, is a great method for separating the chores that must be finished immediately from those that may wait or be dropped. Try categorizing your assignments as urgent, assignments that require planning, chores that may be assigned to others, and tasks that you can entirely cross off your to-do list when prioritizing your workload.
13. Spend time socializing.
You’re bound to make some friends at work and taking some time to socialize with your coworkers is a terrific way for you both to relax a little bit and de-stress at the office. You can reduce your stress by, for instance, having a five-minute conversation about your weekend in the morning before work or going out to lunch once a month with your coworkers.
14. Stretch at your desk.
When you must remain seated at your computer while completing a business assignment, stretching is also beneficial. Squeezing your calf muscles while lifting your legs straight in front of you while seated in a chair are some basic stretches you can try. Raise your arms straight above your head, clasp your hands, and sit up straight while doing this while seated at your desk for another relaxing stretch. Even though you are seated, the movement can help you swiftly decompress and release stress.
15. Set reminders and use mobile apps.
Use the calendar apps on your mobile devices to keep track of essential events like meetings, project deadlines, and other work-related activities. You may set notifications for several of these programs to alert you when you have something important to do.
16. Lessen the distractions.
Distractions are common when working in an office setting. When you’re attempting to focus, noises from workplace equipment or chats among coworkers might occasionally be distracting. When you need a quiet space to work in if you have a separate office from others, keep your door closed. A set of noise-canceling headphones will help you concentrate if you work in an open office environment.
17. Play soothing music.
Playing some calming or light music while working is another excellent approach to keep concentrated and stress-free. You can use headphones to block out noise even in an open office atmosphere. For instance, make a playlist of classical music and listen to it throughout the day whenever you need to unwind.
18. Establish healthy practices.
You can stay energized and effective during the workplace by getting enough sleep. Check your sleep schedule and allow yourself adequate time each morning to get ready for work. Having a last-minute breakfast and rushing out the door in the mornings can increase job stress but going to bed a bit earlier can help you establish a healthy pattern that supports your work-life balance.
19. Be prepared ahead of time.
You may plan ahead and maintain focus on critical assignments by setting up your chores and projects for the following day at the end of each workday. For instance, prepare your to-do lists in advance by using the final five to ten minutes of each workday. By doing this, you’ll be able to start your day at work each morning knowing exactly where to go.
20. Set short-term objectives.
Make yourself some short-term goals and mark them when you reach them. Make it a weekly goal, for instance, to finish all critical work by Friday afternoons. You’ll be less likely to concentrate on unpleasant situations that are out of your control when you take the time to think back on what you’ve accomplished.
21. Demonstrate accountability.
Own up to your mistakes and be accountable to yourself. Take ownership of your mistake, for instance, and attempt to improve and learn from it. This applies if you make a mistake on a work task. This not only aids in your growth but also exemplifies your fortitude and drive to pursue your own personal development.
22. Spend a few minutes each day in meditation.
You can experience the benefits of meditation for stress alleviation with just five minutes of deep breathing, visualization, and body awareness. With a variety of smartphone apps that offer guided meditations, you can meditate right in the office so you can take a few minutes to refocus and rejuvenate.
“Either you run the day, or the day runs you.”– Jim Rohn, Motivational Speaker
Feeling overworked might make you stressed out and less motivated at work. Your long-term success depends on you being able to strike a balance between working productively and having enough time and energy to enjoy life outside of work.
Working outside of the office is now possible thanks to modern technologies. When you have the option to work continuously, it can be challenging to strike a healthy work-life balance, regardless of whether you are vying for a promotion, have a heavy workload, or rely on gigs for cash.
Now, let’s talk about what work-life balance is, how to get it, and why it’s good for your career.
What does “work-life balance” mean?
Work-life balance is the process of balancing the amount of time and energy you devote to your professional life with your personal life. With this modification, you should be able to efficiently finish all chores and projects for work while still having energy left over for leisure activities, hobbies, spending time with loved ones, or just relaxing.
By being able to concentrate on the task at hand, this balance will enable you to sustain enthusiasm at work in order to accomplish long-term career goals and actually enjoy your free time. You shouldn’t aim for a one-size-fits-all answer, and this doesn’t necessarily imply an equal balance. When you feel productive at work and still have time to enjoy life outside of work, you have achieved the optimal work-life balance.
The advantages of a balanced work-life
Prioritizing work-life balance can increase productivity and lengthen employment at a single organization. Higher-quality work is produced by content employees, which frequently translates into better outcomes for the business. If you discover that work-life balance is not a top priority at your company, you might think about talking to your boss about how promoting work-life balance can help both you and their broader team. Without a way to strike a balance, working longer hours and taking on more work will probably have the opposite effect of what they want.
How to juggle work and family
While finding work-life balance should be done in whichever method works best for you, there are a few suggestions. Maintaining a positive work-life balance demands ongoing effort. The objective is to prioritize both work and your life outside of work, even though there will probably be occasions when you feel tugged in one direction or another. Let’s examine each of these suggestions in more detail and discuss how you may use them in your own work.
5 Ways to Juggle Your Personal and Professional Life and Maintain Balance
1. Shut off your computer or put your work aside.
It’s challenging to leave work behind after a long workday since we have greater access to it than ever before. This amount of accessibility has advantages, but if you can never mentally finish a task, it can also become a problem. Try disabling your notifications if it’s an option for you and your job, and refrain from checking your emails after hours.
2. Cut back on time-wasting pursuits
While taking breaks and occasionally losing yourself in mindless pursuits might be beneficial, concentrate on prioritizing vital chores so you can finish your work at the office. If you’re having problems setting priorities for your chores, decide which ones are urgent or will have a high impact with little effort. Put jobs lower on your list if they are not urgent, won’t have much of an impact, or will take a while to provide value. The idea is to make the most of your working hours so that you can take pleasure in your free time.
3. Check your schedule again
Sometimes altering one’s schedule is necessary to achieve a healthy work-life balance. To guarantee you have the time and mental space to recover and attain balance, for instance, you can think about canceling or postponing other commitments that evening if you had to put in extra hours to finish a particular assignment.
4. Speak with your employer
To achieve work-life balance, it’s imperative to keep the lines of communication with your management about your workload open. Your manager is in charge of making sure you meet your personal and professional career goals. They won’t know until you tell them explicitly if you’re exhausted or overworked. During these discussions, act with integrity and professionalism and present potential solutions. This could entail expanding the workforce, reorganizing responsibilities, or providing resources for professional development in areas like time management and boundary setting.
5. Strive for work-life harmony stress reduction methods
Even if you follow the advice above for striking a balance between work and life, you can still feel stressed or anxious about your job. Use the activities we discussed earlier to lower tension and anxiety so you can enjoy your free time outside of work, though you should select a healthy stress-relief technique that works for you.
“Be steady and well-ordered in your life so that you can be fierce and original in your work.” – Gustave Flaubert, Writer
Exercise 10.12: Keep Your Balloons in the Air
• What does the audience notice about the overall list of stress or overwhelm items?
• What are they surprised is on there?
• What is missing from the list?
• One volunteer starts by hitting and trying to keep their balloon in the air.
• Then give the volunteer another balloon and ask them to keep 2 balloons in the air.
• Finally, give them a 3rd balloon to keep in the air. Once they stop:
Project Studies
Process Review:
As a whole, the Women Empowerment Program aims to create a better culture and a level playing field for women in your organization. Each workshop is designed to delve deeply into a specific topic so that we have a clear understanding of how to apply the information in our daily personal and professional lives. This Workshop on Workplace Politics – focuses on Step 4 of the Business Transformation Process – Advanced Communication and Presentations Skills.
After completion of the Workplace Politics Workshop, and after going through the implementation exercises in this Project Study it will be clear to see how to best incorporate these new processes into your organization. Once you develop your own set of skills and tools necessary to become savvy when it comes to workplace politics.
This Workshop and Project Study focuses specifically on the following areas and strategies:
1. How to navigate positive and negative politics in the office.
2. Learn the key steps to becoming a good “political player.”
3. Discover an easy process on how to organize your own company competitions.
4. Learn the solutions to combat the 9 most common organizational problems.
5. Five ways to use power to influence.
6. 3 Steps to keep negative politics out of your organization.
7. Learn the 12 most effective strategies for managers and HR to navigate and or eliminate workplace politics within their organization.
8. Learn more about your companies policies.
9. Eight steps to follow when having difficult discussions in the workplace.
10. Discover 8 specific ways to lead with trust, so that you can empower your team.
11. Access some great ideas for how company executives may foster respectful debate and constructive conflict at work.
12. Identify 22 ways to reduce stress at work.
Project Study (Part 1) – Customer Service
The Head of this Department is to provide a detailed report relating to the Workplace Politics process that has been implemented within their department, together with all key stakeholders, as a result of conducting this workshop, incorporating process: planning; development; implementation; management; and review. Your process should feature the following 12 parts:
01. Politics at Work
02. Playing Politics
03. 5 Myths
04. Team Competition
05. Examples of WP
06. Power and Politics
07. Organizational Cost
08. Effective Strategies
09. Workplace Policies
10. Political Discussions
11. Workplace Culture
12. Staying Positive
Please include the results of the initial evaluation and assessment.
Project Study (Part 2) – E-Business
The Head of this Department is to provide a detailed report relating to the Workplace Politics process that has been implemented within their department, together with all key stakeholders, as a result of conducting this workshop, incorporating process: planning; development; implementation; management; and review. Your process should feature the following 12 parts:
01. Politics at Work
02. Playing Politics
03. 5 Myths
04. Team Competition
05. Examples of WP
06. Power and Politics
07. Organizational Cost
08. Effective Strategies
09. Workplace Policies
10. Political Discussions
11. Workplace Culture
12. Staying Positive
Please include the results of the initial evaluation and assessment.
Project Study (Part 3) – Finance
The Head of this Department is to provide a detailed report relating to the Workplace Politics process that has been implemented within their department, together with all key stakeholders, as a result of conducting this workshop, incorporating process: planning; development; implementation; management; and review. Your process should feature the following 12 parts:
01. Politics at Work
02. Playing Politics
03. 5 Myths
04. Team Competition
05. Examples of WP
06. Power and Politics
07. Organizational Cost
08. Effective Strategies
09. Workplace Policies
10. Political Discussions
11. Workplace Culture
12. Staying Positive
Please include the results of the initial evaluation and assessment.
Project Study (Part 4) – Globalization
The Head of this Department is to provide a detailed report relating to the Workplace Politics process that has been implemented within their department, together with all key stakeholders, as a result of conducting this workshop, incorporating process: planning; development; implementation; management; and review. Your process should feature the following 12 parts:
01. Politics at Work
02. Playing Politics
03. 5 Myths
04. Team Competition
05. Examples of WP
06. Power and Politics
07. Organizational Cost
08. Effective Strategies
09. Workplace Policies
10. Political Discussions
11. Workplace Culture
12. Staying Positive
Please include the results of the initial evaluation and assessment.
Project Study (Part 5) – Human Resources
The Head of this Department is to provide a detailed report relating to the Workplace Politics process that has been implemented within their department, together with all key stakeholders, as a result of conducting this workshop, incorporating process: planning; development; implementation; management; and review. Your process should feature the following 12 parts:
01. Politics at Work
02. Playing Politics
03. 5 Myths
04. Team Competition
05. Examples of WP
06. Power and Politics
07. Organizational Cost
08. Effective Strategies
09. Workplace Policies
10. Political Discussions
11. Workplace Culture
12. Staying Positive
Please include the results of the initial evaluation and assessment.
Project Study (Part 6) – Information Technology
The Head of this Department is to provide a detailed report relating to the Workplace Politics process that has been implemented within their department, together with all key stakeholders, as a result of conducting this workshop, incorporating process: planning; development; implementation; management; and review. Your process should feature the following 12 parts:
01. Politics at Work
02. Playing Politics
03. 5 Myths
04. Team Competition
05. Examples of WP
06. Power and Politics
07. Organizational Cost
08. Effective Strategies
09. Workplace Policies
10. Political Discussions
11. Workplace Culture
12. Staying Positive
Please include the results of the initial evaluation and assessment.
Project Study (Part 7) – Legal
The Head of this Department is to provide a detailed report relating to the Workplace Politics process that has been implemented within their department, together with all key stakeholders, as a result of conducting this workshop, incorporating process: planning; development; implementation; management; and review. Your process should feature the following 12 parts:
01. Politics at Work
02. Playing Politics
03. 5 Myths
04. Team Competition
05. Examples of WP
06. Power and Politics
07. Organizational Cost
08. Effective Strategies
09. Workplace Policies
10. Political Discussions
11. Workplace Culture
12. Staying Positive
Please include the results of the initial evaluation and assessment.
Project Study (Part 8) – Management
The Head of this Department is to provide a detailed report relating to the Workplace Politics process that has been implemented within their department, together with all key stakeholders, as a result of conducting this workshop, incorporating process: planning; development; implementation; management; and review. Your process should feature the following 12 parts:
01. Politics at Work
02. Playing Politics
03. 5 Myths
04. Team Competition
05. Examples of WP
06. Power and Politics
07. Organizational Cost
08. Effective Strategies
09. Workplace Policies
10. Political Discussions
11. Workplace Culture
12. Staying Positive
Please include the results of the initial evaluation and assessment.
Project Study (Part 9) – Marketing
The Head of this Department is to provide a detailed report relating to the Workplace Politics process that has been implemented within their department, together with all key stakeholders, as a result of conducting this workshop, incorporating process: planning; development; implementation; management; and review. Your process should feature the following 12 parts:
01. Politics at Work
02. Playing Politics
03. 5 Myths
04. Team Competition
05. Examples of WP
06. Power and Politics
07. Organizational Cost
08. Effective Strategies
09. Workplace Policies
10. Political Discussions
11. Workplace Culture
12. Staying Positive
Please include the results of the initial evaluation and assessment.
Project Study (Part 10) – Production
The Head of this Department is to provide a detailed report relating to the Workplace Politics process that has been implemented within their department, together with all key stakeholders, as a result of conducting this workshop, incorporating process: planning; development; implementation; management; and review. Your process should feature the following 12 parts:
01. Politics at Work
02. Playing Politics
03. 5 Myths
04. Team Competition
05. Examples of WP
06. Power and Politics
07. Organizational Cost
08. Effective Strategies
09. Workplace Policies
10. Political Discussions
11. Workplace Culture
12. Staying Positive
Please include the results of the initial evaluation and assessment.
Project Study (Part 11) – Logistics
The Head of this Department is to provide a detailed report relating to the Workplace Politics process that has been implemented within their department, together with all key stakeholders, as a result of conducting this workshop, incorporating process: planning; development; implementation; management; and review. Your process should feature the following 12 parts:
01. Politics at Work
02. Playing Politics
03. 5 Myths
04. Team Competition
05. Examples of WP
06. Power and Politics
07. Organizational Cost
08. Effective Strategies
09. Workplace Policies
10. Political Discussions
11. Workplace Culture
12. Staying Positive
Please include the results of the initial evaluation and assessment.
Project Study (Part 12) – Education
The Head of this Department is to provide a detailed report relating to the Workplace Politics process that has been implemented within their department, together with all key stakeholders, as a result of conducting this workshop, incorporating process: planning; development; implementation; management; and review. Your process should feature the following 12 parts:
01. Politics at Work
02. Playing Politics
03. 5 Myths
04. Team Competition
05. Examples of WP
06. Power and Politics
07. Organizational Cost
08. Effective Strategies
09. Workplace Policies
10. Political Discussions
11. Workplace Culture
12. Staying Positive
Please include the results of the initial evaluation and assessment.
Program Benefits
Marketing
- Customer experience
- Sales support
- Effective communication
- Positioning power
- Market growth
- Increased ROI
- Increased productivity
- Competitive advantage
- Improved image
- Accelerated growth
- Cutting edge
Management
- Increased collaboration
- Leadership excellence
- Improved communication
- Happier team
- Empowered employees
- Positive environment
- Innovation
- Augmented skills
- Valued skills
- Increased productivity
- Increased engagement
Human resources
- Improved culture
- Happier workplace
- Greater retention
- High-impact teams
- Growth mindset
- Increased engagement
- Improved management
- Leadership excellence
- Improved skills
- Strong Communication
- Empowered employees
Client Telephone Conference (CTC)
If you have any questions or if you would like to arrange a Client Telephone Conference (CTC) to discuss this particular Unique Consulting Service Proposition (UCSP) in more detail, please CLICK HERE.