Organisational Politics

Leadership Nuggets: Organisational Politics

Let’s Talk About Politics (The Kind You Can’t Avoid)

In many organisations, the word politics provokes eye-rolls, discomfort, or even contempt. It’s often seen as the dark art of the workplace—manipulative, divisive, and best avoided. I’ve heard people say they want to “escape the politics” or even change careers to be free of it altogether.

Politicians, too, are regularly distrusted, disliked, and dismissed. But here’s the question I’ve been turning over in my mind:
Is the problem with politics itself, or with the way power is used—and abused—by people within political systems?

Please make no mistake: politics is happening all around us, all the time.

What Is Politics, Really?

Politics isn’t just about governments and elections. At its core, politics is about power; how it’s acquired, used, contested, and legitimised. It’s the process by which individuals and groups influence decisions, resolve conflicts, and allocate resources.

Here are some of the key dimensions of politics:

1. Power and Authority
   Who has power, how they exercise it, and whether others accept it as legitimate (Weber, 1947).

2. Decision-Making
   How choices are made that affect groups, organisations, or societies.

3. Conflict and Negotiation
   Politics is often the arena where competing values, needs, and goals are negotiated—or fought over.

4. Institutions and Structures
   Politics happens within formal systems (governments, companies, teams) and informal ones (social networks, alliances, norms).

5. Ideologies and Beliefs
   Politics is driven by the ideas we hold about what is right, just, or necessary.

6. Public and Private Spheres
   While traditionally seen as a public phenomenon, politics also plays out in our personal and professional lives.

In academia, definitions vary by discipline:

• Political science focuses on formal governance, legislation, and policy.

• Sociology and psychology examine how power plays out in social interactions, identities, and group dynamics.

• Organisational studies talk of office politics—the informal strategies used to gain influence and navigate hierarchies.

A Working Definition

Politics is the dynamic process through which individuals and groups negotiate, contest, and exercise power and influence within formal and informal systems, with the aim of making decisions, shaping values, and allocating resources.

Politics Is Not Optional

Seen this way, politics is inherent in the life of every organisation—whether it’s a multinational corporation, a school, a local charity, or a grassroots campaign. It exists wherever people interact around shared goals, limited resources, or conflicting interests.

So, trying to “get away from politics” is unrealistic; it can leave you disempowered, unaware of how decisions are made, and less able to act effectively.

Instead, we need a more constructive approach:
Engage with the political dynamics, understand them, and use them to lead with integrity.

But What About ‘Bad Politics’?

A big challenge here is that terms like fair, reasonable, or appropriate are subjective. One person’s “toxic politics” may be another’s “savvy leadership”. And perspectives shift depending on who’s involved, what’s at stake, and how outcomes are experienced.

In my experience, people often describe behaviour as “playing politics” when they feel disadvantaged, excluded, or threatened. But that doesn’t mean the behaviour is inherently wrong—it may just be misunderstood, mishandled, or poorly aligned with shared values.

A Better Way Forward

Rather than ignoring politics, resenting it, or using it destructively, we can choose to develop political awareness and skill:

• Understand how power flows in your organisation

• Recognise informal influence as well as formal authority

• Use your voice to advocate for others, not just yourself

• Align your actions with values that create trust and impact

• Learn to navigate complexity with humility and purpose

Politics isn’t something other people do. We’re all part of it, whether we acknowledge it or not. The question is not whether we engage in politics, but how.

What Do You Think?

Do you see politics as a necessary skill, a malignant force, or something else?

I’d love to hear how you navigate political dynamics in your own professional context. Let’s keep the conversation going.