5. Develop your political acumen

Develop your political acumen

The higher you climb in the organizational hierarchy, the more critical is your Political Acumen.

The sooner you start building your Political Navigation Skills, the more ready you’ll be when you get there.

Navigating the political landscape means maneuvering yourself through the web of individual and group power players to a position of influence within the organization, in ways that will help you achieve your goals.

Some organizations are highly political, while others are striving to be pure meritocracies.

Similarly, some individuals are naturally aware of their political landscape and are adept at playing the political game, while others are completely oblivious to the political “power plays” within their organization. But like all other career skills, this one can also be learned.

Your ability to navigate the political landscape of your company will help you:

1.  Survive in turbulent times, such as organization restructuring and lay-offs

2.  Be promoted in competitive situations

3.  Successfully negotiate whatever you need to achieve your goals

Building your political acumen

Building your position of influence does not just happen. To be a master political navigator you have to practice these skills throughout your entire career. Some of the techniques we recommend include:

1. Map out the political landscape of your organization

2. Identify the key influencers and “political alliances”

3. Develop professional relationships with those in positions of influence

4. Join important groups and alliances

5. Respect everyone around you

6. Develop your knowledge base and credibility

7. Exercise your power wisely and choose your battles carefully

The political landscape of an organization is typically very fluid and will change with time. It is therefore incumbent on you to continuously assess the landscape, determine your position within it, and make adjustments if necessary.

 In this module you will learn how to:

a. Assess and map out the political landscape of your organization

b. Identify the key influencers and gain their support

c. Develop alliances with those who matter

d. Become a trusted and respected leader

e. Develop and maintain your position of influence

To register click on the image above