Every so often, promotions within companies are announced. These opportunities are defining moments that could elevate career dreams into reality.
Yet, the anticipation of promotions is frequently shadowed by the dynamics of office politics—a complex dance in which each handshake has an underlying message, and silence is loaded with profound implications.
Navigating this web requires more than cautious observation and moving silently; it requires ensuring your previous contribution is unmistakably recognised.
What is office politics?
Beverly Khasiala, talent manager at Ceriops Environmental Research Organisation, likens career promotions to climbing a pyramid. As employees ascend the workplace ladder, available positions become increasingly scarce, leading to fiercer competition.
Hence, most employees opt for office politics, using unofficial and informal ways of power and influence to achieve their personal goals within the workplace.
“This is through means like sabotaging colleagues who openly criticise your work, throwing you under the bus, spreading rumours about you and taking credit for your work,” Beverly clarifies.
While office politics gives some unfair advantages, it can not be denied that it influences an organisation’s decision-making. Ms Khasiala says that playing dirty becomes inevitable if many employees have qualified for one position.
“It is a competition. So, who do you know or relate to? Understand the culture regarding who can sabotage you and how you deal with them professionally and not out of emotion,” offers Beverly.
However, she points out that much like it is in a scorpion’s nature to sting, challenges and competitive behaviours are inherent to office politics.
Nonetheless, an employee can remain authentic amid these dynamics by thoroughly preparing for the promotion position.
“Tick the boxes of being skilled, competent, neutral, and clear-communication. Let everyone view you as your friend so that no one has a grudge against you,” she elaborates.
Just like a leopard that moves in stealth and secrecy while hunting, Beverly emphasises that patience and precision are needed when seeking a promotion amid office politics.
“It should not be clear that you are also seeking the same position because they begin to look for ways to tear you down as soon as it is known. You have to maintain secrecy to the greatest extent possible.”
How to navigate
Kevin Kadipo, a Human Resource practitioner recalls feeling that he was due for a promotion to an assistant HR manager after working in the banking industry for five years.
“So, I walked into the head of HR office and told her I was interested in the position. I made her understand that I had served for five years, letting her know my achievements in the period I had been the branch HR head, plus a few calls here and there after the visit,” he reveals.
Additionally, Kevin visited the head of legal affairs and asked him to put a good word for him to the bosses. While he was ‘lobbying’ for the position, he ensured that his performance was stellar.
“Of course, I did not let my competitors know that I was interested in the position, but when they realised that I had secured the job, they started spreading rumours that I was the HR head’s brother,” he says.
While lobbying for promotion opportunities is common in most companies, Kevin says such a culture dominates when meritocracy is thrown out the window.
“The management of the previous company I worked for decides who to promote and what salary to give. Basically, your supervisor can influence and recommend that no interview be conducted to determine merit,” he notes.
Leadership’s role
Ultimately, the responsibility rests with the leaders of any organisation. If the top management values performance and is aligned with the company’s strategic objectives, he says, then promotion opportunities will be meritorious, effectively minimising the space for lobbying.
“Once a leader is professional in the decisions they make, employees will see that it was their underperformance that caused them to lose an opportunity, not because they did not grant some favours,” he echoes.
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