Company politics are counterproductive

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), Dec, 1994

The competitive politics practiced in the workplace are taking their toll on businesses. In a poll conducted for Accountemps, a temporary staffing service for accounting, finance, and information technology, executives said they waste an average of 20% of their time dealing with company politics.

"Politics are an inherent part of the corporate culture," notes Bob Half, founder of Accountemps. "In a competitive environment, there will always be some people who try to advance their careers by using subversive tactics to manipulate or influence others. Company 'yes-men,' for example, who are more concerned with self-promotion than fulfilling company goals, can create a great deal of conflict."

Not all maneuvering within an organization is negative: "Being 'political' can mean getting someone to see your point of view, or being diplomatic toward others in the company. Negative company politics are often the result of internal pressures, especially when businesses demand unreasonable levels of productivity. External factors, such as advances by competitors and industry downcycles, which can lead to job insecurity, also contribute to a politically charged atmosphere.

"Companies need to reward results and achievement, not political performance. Half indicates that executives should take action well before office politics get out of hand. "Try to identify the causes of the infighting in their early stages, and plan your strategy accordingly. Sometimes, all it takes is more effective communication within and between departments."

Half offers the following suggestions for dealing with negative company politics:

* Develop a system that rewards teamwork.

* If a single individual or group is instigating conflict, confront them with your concerns. In extreme cases, when an employee's politics are doing more harm than good, you may have to let that person go.

* Minimize unhealthy competition by making it clear that one individual's promotion does not preclude another's chances for advancement.

* If scarce resources have resulted in increased competition, consider adding a staff member (on a full-time or temporary basis) to ease the workload and alleviate backlogs.