LER Alumni Presentation An excerpt from LER 590: Influence, Change & Politics in the Organization

1. LER Alumni PresentationAn excerpt from LER 590: Influence, Change & Politics in the Organization Organizational Politics Jim Schultz Adjunct Professor & President, Pretty Good Consulting, Inc.

2. Quote for the Day “The operational definition of Political Savvy is ethically building a critical mass of support for an idea you care about.”  - Joel R. DeLuca, Ph.D.

3. Learning Objectives • By the end of this session you should havetips and techniques for increasing your influence through a deeper understanding of: • The attributes of politics done well and done poorly • The importance of building political support • The necessity to engage in politics

4. Surviving the Politics of Learning & Performance Judith A Hale, Ph.D., CPT ibstpi Fellow Hale Associates Haleassoci@aol.com Judy@ispi.org 4

5. Definitions • Positive Politics • Having practical wisdom • Being prudent, shrewd, & diplomatic • Being expedient as a plan of action • Process of gaining support • Negative Politics • Factional scheming for power & status • Being crafty or unscrupulous

6. Definitions • Politics is the study of influence and the influential • Influence is measured on the basis of the number of shares one or a group has in the preferred values or attributes • The more values or attributes shared, the greater the influence • No single index (share) is a wholly accurate gauge of influence

7. Political Influence • Measured in terms of who gets the most of what there is to get, that is the ‘elite’: • Access to people, places, things, opportunities, • Attention from others • Deference to ideas, positions, places • Security, safety, protection from harm or hardship • Greater financial reward • Rational Meritocracy • Being ‘elite’ is contextual

8. Plain Old Influence • The ‘elite’ get the most based on the number of shared values or attributes they possess: • Wealth • Physical Attractiveness • Skill & knowledge • Personality • History • Background or experience • Attitude • Which gets them access to: • People • Information • Resources

9. Rule 1 • Build your knowledge base • Identify the key characteristics valued by the organization • Gain deep knowledge of your organization’s business • Gain deep knowledge of your organization’s industry • Build your functional expertise • Learn your boss’s job

10. Personal Power Model* • Company friendships • Desirable personal traits • Opportunity • Perceived expertise • Information • Personal Confidence • Status • Seniority • Interpersonal Skills • Richard Byrd –Guide to Personal Risk Taking • Challenger Gray & Christmas article: http://challengeratworkblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/5-risk-taking-exercises-for-nice-girls.html

11. Personal Power Check 0 = none, 3 = a lot • How many company friendships do you have? How are they distributed across the organization? ___ • What are the preferred attributes of the influential & what % do you share? ___ • Do you have opportunities to be known, demonstrate your skills, etc? Can you create them for yourself?__ • What expertise is valued by the organization & at what level do others perceive your level of expertise? __

12. Personal Power Check • Do people describe you as confident? Assured? Arrogant? Tentative? ___ • Do you have ready access to information or are your at the bottom of the information chain? What can you do to gain access to more information? ___ • Who has status in the organization? What is the basis of the status? How might you increase your status?__ • Is seniority valued or looked down on? Where does seniority play a role in influencing decisions? ___ • How would you rate your interpersonal skills? What might you do to strengthen your interpersonal skills? ___

13. Rule 2 • Stay out in front, but not too far • Aspire to have the attributes of a leader • Shared history, education, experience, values • On the edge, moderate risk taker DesiredGroup Attributes DesiredGroup Attributes Leader Misfit

14. Rule 3: Don’t Get Derailed • The Elite in business: • Have a great track record • Are outgoing, well-liked • Are technically great • Are loyal, makes personal sacrifices • Are ambitious • Moved up in previous reorganizations • Are great at directing others

15. Derailment – Fatal Flaws* • Specific performance problems • Insensitivity to others • Cold, aloof, arrogant • Betrayed trust • Over managed – didn’t delegate • Overly ambitious – focused on next job • Failed to staff effectively • Unable to think strategically • Unable to adapt to new boss • Overly dependent on an advocate or mentor • McCall, M., Lombardo, M., Off Track…… • An interesting derailment studies: http://cobhomepages.cob.isu.edu/lundkath/MGT_441/ClassFiles/derailment_Power_AME.pdf

16. What Separates* • Sustainers of influence vs. short term power: • Greater diversity in work experience • Composed under stress • Handled mistakes with poise & grace • Focused on problems & solved them • Got along with all kinds of people – outspoken but not offensive. • McCall & Lombardo

17. Rule 4 - Build Respect & Trust* Respect is high or special regard for: • Expertise • Insight • Experience • Character Trust is synonymous with: • Dependability • Predictability • Consistency • Reliability (*Based on the work of the Vanguard Consulting Group)

18. Rule 4 - Build Respect & Trust Depends on: • Openness • Accessibility • Maintenance of Confidences • Delivering on Promises • Remaining Objective Erodes with: • Subversion • Contradictory Messages • Dishonesty • Lack of Support • Pursuing Agendas

19. Rule 5 – Work on Sustainability • Apply what we know about sustainability: • Always push for the critical mass – the number that can overcome resistance • Go for quick successes • Insist on line oversight • Frequently communicate gains, adoption, wins • Recognize or share the glory with others

20. Rule 6 • When change is afoot – old relationships will prevail over data/facts and logic

21. Core Concept • Political Savvy • Calculating probable changes in influence and the influential under changing conditions • Recognize quickly the changing landscape • May require you to adjust so you remain a leader not an outcast or a has been

22. References • Silber K., Kearny, L., Organizational Intelligence : A guide to Understanding the Business of Your Organization for HR , Training and Performance Consulting (CA: San Francisco, Wiley. 2010) • Byrd, R., A Guide to Personal Risk Taking, (NY: New York, AMACOM, 1974) • Lasswell, H., Psychopathology and Politics. (IL, Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 1977); Politics,Who Gets What, When and How. (NY: McGraw-Hill, 1950) • McCall M. & Lombardo, M. Off the Track: Why and How Successful Executives Get Derailed, Technical Report No. 21. (NC: Greensboro, Center for Creative Leadership 1983)

23. Closing Thanks for Not Throwing Things... Write me at jms8101@illinois.edu Call me at 303 -671- 6658 (Mountain Time)