Office Politics - Christians’ Friend or Foe ? Sherman Lam Dec 2002

Office Politics - Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

Sherman Lam Dec 2002

Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?April 2002

What is office politics ?Lessons from real casesThe clues for survivalThe key to successThe humility of serviceThe road to sanctityAppendices

The clues for the cluelessThe 48 laws of powerReferences

Outline

PurposeTo explore some Christian ways to survive, succeed and serve in the marketplace / workplaceTo learn from each other’s experience, struggles & insightsTo stimulate practitioners to further explore faith-work integration

Your active participation, please

Pls suspend judgmentPls share your experience & insightsPls provide some real cases for discussionPls ask questions & help answer as well Pls give feedback

What is office politics ?

Your views, please…

“ I wish it (The Ring) need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo.

- The Lord of the Rings : The Fellowship of the Rings -

Myths about office politics

Myth 1 :

There is no politics in my office or company.

Myth 2 :Politics is game playing. It is an undignified,

self-serving waste of productive work time.

Myth 3 :

If I play fair, others will play by the same rules and be fair to me.

Myth 4 :If you are a good employee, you don’t need

to worry about office politics. Your performance will speak for itself.

Myth 5 :I don’t need to campaign for my own

career interests. I can depend on others higher in the organisation to recognise & reward my talent & contributions.

Myth 6 :Chinese and non-Chinese play the same.

Myth 7 :Good Christians should not play politics.

When you talk about office politics, you mean…

Corporate culture / sub-cultureOrganizational ambiguityManagement fadsTribal strife, role conflictsRelationship problemsPerformance vs reward Ethical issues

Politics is… From the Greek word, politikos, which means

Of a citizenPrimary meaning is having practical wisdom, being prudent, shrewd, diplomaticSecondary meaning is being crafty or unscrupulous

- Webster’s New Word Dictionary -

Office politics is… A fact of organizational life

If you’re in the office, you’re in the game

The way we get things done at work It is individuals & teams competing resources, responsibility, power, position, & privilegesBecause our success is defined by those things, getting them will determine whether or not we are doing a good jobBuilding relationship, being diplomatic, collaborating with others & being an effective team player

Politics could be… Positive Dirty

Win-win for greater good

Win-lose for self interests

Empowering Power-hungry

Collaborative, productive

Manipulative, destructive

Build, recognise Beat, backstab, trap, flatter

Create credibility Create resentment

Giver Taker

“ I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo.

“ So do I,” said Gandalf “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

- The Lord of the Rings : The Fellowship of the Rings -

Outline

Lessons from real cases Source of wisdom

Remember, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves; so be clever as serpents and yet as simple as doves.

- Matthew 10:16 -

The tension of being clever vs being simple

Case 1Imagine you are charged to cut 1,000 staff.

Having made a few vain attempts to persuade the top dogs otherwise, you are finally asked to do what you are told or leave the company.

What would you do ?

Case 2 When your boss tries to make you an

accomplice against company’s tendering procedure, you know if you reject it he will make your life hell & ruin your career.

What would you do ?

Case 3 When you’ve done a great job but the credit

goes to your rival who got the promotion you’re angling for.

What would you do ?

Case 4 When an important project fails, everybody

is passing the buck and making you a scapegoat.

What would you do ?

Case 5 Imagine you’re a HR Manager directly

reporting to MD of a subsidiary with dotted line to Group HR Director in the HQ. In a meeting, you’re caught in the middle & urged to take side.

What would you do ?

Case 6 Imagine you’re trapped by somebody who

has promised to support your proposal in the meeting and turns out to do otherwise.

What would you do ?

Case 7Imagine you’re planning to emigrate. Your

boss tapped the grapevine and checked with you.

What would you do ?

Case 8 When a big shot forces you to endorse an

investment which you think is a dog,

what would you do ?

Case 9When you’re muscled by an office shark, what would you do ?

Case 10 When you’re designated to succeed a top

dog, you worry about your ability to survive the power play.

What would you do ?

To fight or not to fight, you may calculate…

Standard

Self Situation

What are the biblical & ethical norms ?

Do you get the power you need ? Are your guts up ?

After all,be accountable

for your decision ! What’s on stage ? What’s behind the scene ?

Outline

The clues for survival :Master the art of

invisibility

Strategies for survival

I. Be in the crowd, but not of the crowdII. Make your boss look goodIII. Detach from blame & creditIV. Keep your P/E low

Strategy I :Be in the crowd but not of the

At these words the whole audience was filled with indignation.

They rose up and expelled him from the town, leading to the brow of the hill and intending to hurl him over the edge.

But he went away through their midst and walked away.

- Luke 4:28-30 -

The mob

Pilate said to the Jews, “Behold, your King !“They therefore cried out, “Away with Him,

away with Him, crucify Him !”Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your

King ?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king

but Caesar.”So he then delivered Him to them to be

crucified.

- John 19:14-16 -

The idol, the victim and the mob

Strategy I :Be in the crowd but not of the

crowd Be corporate chameleon – blend into the mob but closely observe its movementDwell in the shadow of others Beware of insult by omissionAvoid attaching to celebrity or becoming a group’s idol / a scapegoatRemember, all scapegoats start by being different

Strategy II : Make your boss look good

I don’t want any yes-men around me. I want everyone to tell me the truth even if it costs them their jobs.

- Samuel Goldwyn -

The boss

Rule # 1 : The boss is always right.

Rule # 2 : If the boss is wrong, please refer to rule # 1.

The golden rules

Strategy II : Make your boss look good

Never go around your bossTell him what he wants to hear, even when he claims that he wants dissenting viewsIf he wants something dropped, drop itBe sensitive to his wishes so that you anticipate what he wantsDon’t report something that he doesn’t want reported, but cover it up. Do what your job requires, and keep your mouth shut

- Robert Jackall, Moral Mazes : The World of Corporate Managers -

Strategy III : Detach from blame & credit

God asked, “Have you been eating of the tree I forbade you to eat ?”

Adam replied, “It was the woman you put with me; she gave me the fruit, and I ate it.”

Then God asked the woman, “What is this you have done ?”

The woman replied, “The serpent tempted me and I ate.”

- Gen 3:11-13 -

The blame

"There are two kinds of people, those who do the work and those who take the credit. Try to be in the first group; there is less competition there."

- Indira Gandhi -

The credit

The blame and the credit The seven phases of a project

1. Enthusiasm2. Illusion of progress3. Panic 4. Disillusionment5. Search for the guilty 6. Punishment of the innocent7. Praise / honors for the non-participants

Strategy III : Detach from blame & credit Accept blame (for others) in small ways; it tends to inspire loyaltyPractice creative incompetenceAvoid winning battles but losing the warDon’t get caught in the clash of TitansShare credit & win yourselves friendsRemember, blame follows credit

Strategy IV :Keep your P/E low

Political price-earnings ratio

Politician(~IPO w/ no earnings)

CEO (~expensive growth stocks)

Bureaucrat(~widow & orphan stocks)

Worker(~value stocks)

Visibility

UtilityLow High

Buy a stock with a boring nameBuy a stock that does something boringBuy a stock that is boring and disagreeable at the same time

Peter Lynch’s Rules

In a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his or her level of incompetence.

The Peter Principle

Strategy IV :Keep your P/E low

Be “the worker” – low visibility, high utilityTrade higher security for lower pay Peter Lynch’s Rules – “boring” can be a hidden assetAvoid the Peter PrincipleRemember, low risk low return

The ethics of survival Work is a curse, filled with conflict of interests; therefore, our obsession is with security

Should security be our ultimate value ?Should low P/E compromise ROI (Return on Investment) (God’s given talents, resources, opportunities…) ?

Possible conflict between obedience to our boss and obedience to our values

How far are we willing to stretch our integrity in order to survive ? Without our integrity, who is it that survives ?

The master praised the dishonest steward for his astuteness. For the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of the light.

Use Money, tainted as it is, to win yourselves friends, and thus make sure that when it fails you, they will welcome you into the tents of eternity.

- Luke 16:8, 9 -

The parable of dishonest steward

Outline

The key to success :Focus on your goal

Strategies for success

I. Bank on your competencyII. Play positiveIII. Confront the darknessIV. Detach from your enemies

His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your master.”

- Matthew 25:21, 23 -

The parable of talents

What is success ?

What do I want ?The true measure of success is achieving your own goal, not someone else’s

Strategy I :Bank on your competency

Know what you’re good atDo what you’re passionate & you’ll do it wellSet your goal and focus on itDon’t borrow other peoples’ desires and goalsMake things happenDeliver what you advertiseBe “the CEO” and yield high ROIRemember, high risk high return

Strategy II :Play positive

1. Know the big picture2. Volunteer for special tasks3. Dare to be different 4. Ally with right people5. Collaborate with peers6. Tell the truth7. Be professional8. Choose your battles 9. Have fun

Strategy III :Confront the darkness

Aware & beware of the 48 laws of power (Appendix 2)

Political problems are primary and technical problems are secondaryWhen it isn’t broke, don’t fix itWhen in Rome do as the RomansBe in the office, but not of the officeKnow when to hold and when to foldRemember, be as formless as possible

Don’t chase what your competitors have; focus on your ownLove yourself as your neighbors – you become what you hate so as to succeedBefriend your enemies & convert themThere are no real enemies, only paranoid projectionsRemember, the only real competitor is your own ego

Strategy IV : Detach from your enemies

The ethics of success Work is creative, playful self-expression and self-actualisation

Is self-actualisation our ultimate value ?

Our obsession is with winningFor whom & for what are we fighting ?

Possible conflict between defeating our rivals and protecting our values

Have your competitors disappeared ? If not, you have not achieved success

Outline

The humility of service :Respond to the call

And the King will answer and say to them, , “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to me.”

- Matthew 25:40, 45 -

The parable of goats and sheep

The call Be yourselvesDo what you areOurs for others

Be yourselves Focus on who you areAccept who you are notBe honest about your personal strengths & weaknessesWho you want to be > what you want to do

Don’t make false promisesDon’t pretend to be able to deliver what you can’t You can’t please all “customers” – and they know thisBut you can please some – figure out what you are good at and do it

Do what you are

Ours for othersAuthorship

Help others to do something they love doing, to use their chosen skills, or to express something important about their deeper selvesUnlock the creative freedom of others’ talent

Ours for others

PowerEmpower others to make a difference and influence the world around themLook for “the workers” – help them to produce the greatest return, but respect their lack of desire for the limelight

Ours for othersLove

Take the risk of showing others genuine appreciation, caring and affectionTake the blame for a subordinate strategically (not blindly)

Lessen the amount of the mob violenceGain a powerful ally

Give others psychic support & personal fellowship

Ours for others

TrustBuild healthy teams and respect their autonomyBuild trust by being loyal to those absent, then you retain trust of those present

SignificanceHelp others feel that they matter & their works makes the world a richer place

The ethics of service Work is a blessing, therapy, and service

What is your call ?Who you are and who you are not ?What you are good at and what you are not ?

Possible conflict between meeting the needs of our “customers” and preserving our values

Who are our customers and who are not ?What are their needs ? Can you fulfill ?Are you willing to promote others not for return ?How about mixed motive ?

Outline

The road to sanctityGet your hands dirty*

* ‘Dirty’ here means engagement

In your context, work is… Co-creation,

Actualization ?

Curse,Punishment ?

Blessing,Therapy ?

Gen 1:27-29; 9:1

Gen 3:17-19 Gen 2:8,15

WorkAs

… your choice could be

Actualization =>Success

Curse => Survival

Blessing =>Service

WorkContext

v. Office Politics

After all, we’ll grow w/ life struggles

Success

Survival Service

Office Politics

Contradictory ?Exclusive ?

Sequential ?

Rationalization ?Mixed motives ?

We are not human beings struggling to be holy, but holy people struggling to be human

- Source unknown -

Office Politics - Christians’ Friend or

Foe ? and !

Your feedback / questions, please

Appendix 1 The clues for the clueless

Outline “Cluelessness Trap”“Escape Map”Escape cluelessness I to X

“Cluelessness Trap”Personal

Not knowing enough about ourselves, our actions, and our impact on other people

SituationalBaffled by structures & systems, mystified by culture & symbols, terrified by political games of power & self-interest, etc.

SpiritualNot sure about our beliefs, our values or our life path to follow

“Escape Map”STOP 1 : The murky underworld of politics

To learn how to map political playing field & get enough power to get things done

STOP 2 : The emotional world of people at work

To find ways to improve relationships with others & make a bad job better

STOP 3 : The red-tape land of bureaucracyTo study feudalism – a guided tour of monarchs & serfsTo learn tricks for shaping structure to work for you

“Escape Map”STOP 4 : The depths of tribal life at work

To learn how to decode cultural puzzlesTo pick up some ways to give the workplace a little more excitement & fun

STOP 5 : Change & leadershipTo grasp ways to survive the endless changes that keep sweeping over youTo learn nudging things in more +ve directions

STOP 6 : A silent companion at workTo tell yourself what life path you really want to follow

Escape cluelessness I :Face the problem

Work is often confusing & chaoticWe need to understand why we’re clueless & what we can do about itWe’re at risk of 3 forms of cluelessness :

Don’t understand ourselvesDon’t understand what’s going on

Don’t understand where we’re going

Escape cluelessness II : Map the political terrain

Accept the political realityAssess interest & clout of key players Seek ways to rally allies, lure fence-sitters, & neutralise opponentsKnow when to hold & when to fold

Map the playing field Who are the key players ?

Who the players are (personality) Where they are (position)Who their friends are (group membership)What are their interests ?

Allies Fence-sitters Opponents

Escape cluelessness III : Get a bigger slice of the pie

Understand 3 forms of power & get the one you needUnderstand 4 approaches to workplace politics and opt one of them Set your agenda & move aheadEmbrace your friends & befriend your enemiesMake win-win deals

Get the power you need Who you are (personal power)

Characteristics – charm, energyCompetence – knowledge, skill

Credibility - track record, reputation Where you are (positional power)

Job, position, department, organisation, etc

What you have got (resources power)Friends, allies, resources, information, etc

Choose your stance

(Good for company; bad for you)

Good Soldier

(Best long-term bet)

(Option for losers)

Victim

(Hit it big, or take on a big hit)

OrganisationalCommitment

Political SavvyLow High

Make win-win deals Separate people from the problemFocus on interests, not stancesInvent options for mutual gain

Escape cluelessness IV : Know ourselves

We all suffer from the gaps what we do & what we’re doingBetter relationship begin with knowing ourselvesDecide whether to muddle, exploit or learnWe learn & help others learn through interpersonal feedback

“Why do you see the speck on your neighbor’s eye, but not notice the log in your own ?”

- Matthew 7:3 -

Johari Window

Public Self Hidden Self

Blind Self Uncharted Self

Known to

Others

Unknown toSelf Others

“Everyone sees what you seem, but few know what you are”

- Machiavelli, The Prince -

Receive or give feedback… Ask and you shall receiveSay thank youAsk before givingWhen asked, give your bestTell the truth

Escape cluelessness V : Make or find a better job

Work doesn’t have to be miserableGood workplaces

Hire and retain the right peopleInvest and empower their workforce

Fix your job – or get a new oneFix at yourselfForm a coalitionFight backFind a better job

Escape cluelessness VI : Understand hierachy

Position shapes behaviorHierachy creates monarchs, lords and serfs in organisationsTo escape feudalism :

Study the systemStop blamingSwim upstream Or step out of the flow

Escape cluelessness VI : Understand hierarchy

We all want clarity & predictability but hate red tape; effective structure balance efficiency & flexibilityDesign system around customer and reduce cost of bureaucracy

Escape cluelessness VII : Shape structure to circumstance

Bad structures harm both people & productivityStructure depends on circumstances :

Top-down, vertical control works best for simple tasks in stable environmentsTurbulent, fast-changing situations call for flatter, more fluid structures

Escape cluelessness VII : Shape structure to circumstance Improve structures by:

Setting clear goals Aligning structure to situationPutting people in the right jobRewarding performanceClarifying relationships

Escape cluelessness VIII : Crack the cultural code

Every group & organisation creates cultural ways to make sense and give meaning to life & workCultural ways & traditions dictate what people wear, how they speak & what they doUnderstanding culture reduces surprise & stress, increases understanding & confidence

Escape cluelessness VIII: Crack the cultural code

Study cultural clues :Enlist guidesConnect to the grapevineWatch for spiesForm cabals

Understanding the existential underbelly lets you shape as well as be shaped by culture

Sometimes we choose change; often someone else choose it for usChange efforts run into 4 universal barriers :

Individual’s resistance to anxiety & feeling incompetentDisruption of established patternsConflict between winners & losersLoss

Escape cluelessness IX : Cope with change and learn to lead

Change takes leadershipYou can lead from anywhere if :

You know your goalEnlist othersPart the watersMake sure people know their jobDeal with conflictCelebrateLead with focus, passion, wisdom, and courage

Escape cluelessness IX : Cope with change and learn to lead

Which path are you following ?Fog – you are not sure where you’re headedBog – you are too mired in the muck to get where you want to goPiracy – you’re seeking adventure or treasure, via plunder if necessaryService – in search of a better life or better world

If you’re going no where, or in a wrong direction, find a better path

Escape cluelessness X : Choose a life path

Appendix 2 The 48 laws of power

The 48 laws of power 1. Never outshine the master 9. Win through your actions, never

through arguments

2. Never put too much trust in friends, learn how to use enemies

10. Infection. Avoid the unhappy & the unlucky

3. Conceal your intentions 11. Learn to keep people dependent on you

4. Always say less than necessary 12. Use selective honesty & generosity to disarm your victim

5. So much depends on reputation, guard it with your life

13. When asking for help, appeal to people’s self-interest, never their mercy

6. Court attention at all cost 14. Pose as a friend, work as a spy

7. Get others to do the work, but always take the credit

15. Crush your enemy totally

8. Make other people come to you – use bait if necessary

16. Use absence to increase respect and honor

The 48 laws of power 17. Keep others in suspended terror. Cultivate an air of unpredictability

25. Re-create yourself

18. Do not build fortresses to protect yourself – isolation is dangerous

26. Keep your hands clean

19. Know who you’re dealing with – do not offend the wrong person

27. Play on people’s need to believe to create a cultlike following

20. Do not commit to anyone 28. Enter actions with boldness

21. Play a sucker to catch a sucker – seem dumber than your mark

29. Plan all the way to the end

22. Use surrender tactic : Transform weakness into power

30. Make your accomplishments seem effortless

23. Concentrate your forces 31. Control the options : Get others to play the cards you deal

24. Play the perfect courtier 32. Play to people’s fantasies

The 48 laws of power 33. Discover each man’s thumbscrew

41. Avoid stepping into a great man’s shoes

34. Be royal in your own fashion : Act like a king to be treated like one

42. Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter

35. Master the art of timing 43. Work on the hearts and minds of the others

36. Disdain things you cannot have : Ignoring them is the best revenge

44. Disarm and infuriate with the mirror effect

37. Create compelling spectacles 45. Preach the need for change, but never reform too much at once

38. Think as you like but behave like others

46. Never appear too perfect

39. Stir up waters to catch fish 47. Do not go past the mark you aimed for; in victory, learn when to stop

40. Despise the free lunch 48. Assume formlessness

Appendix 3 References

ReferencesBooks

Clever as serpents : Business ethics & office politics By Jim Grote and John McGreeneyA Michael Glacier book published by The Liturgical Press @ 1997Comment : A must-read classic for Christians to lead a corporate life; cynical though, its repeated ‘wake-up’ calls for ascetic detachment may echo in veterans’ heartsRating : *****

Escape from cluelessness : A guide for the organisationally challenged

By Lee G. Bolman and Terrence E. DealNew York, NY : AMACOM Books, 2000Comment : A simple, easy-to-read handbook for the rookiesRating : ***

ReferencesBooks

The 48 laws of powerBy Robert Greene and Joost ElffersViking Penguin @ 1998Comment : A must-read classic for power games Rating : *****

Cubicle warfare : Self-defense strategies for today’s hyper-competitive workplace

By Blaine L. PardoePrima Publishing @ 1997Comment : A practical guide to craft strategies for different cases; already translated into Chinese Rating : ****

ReferencesMovies

DisclosureComment : A must-watch classic for the boss to trap the subordinate & the latter to fight back Rating : *****

Wall StreetComment : A classic for the boss to manipulate the mob / the marketRating : *****

Journals (www.gcf.org.hk)

“Office politics”, GCF Journal 2001, Vol. 8“Compromise”, GCF Journal 2001, Vol. 7

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