Final Thoughts on Management-Level Office Politics

We know that our careers will probably change several times during our adult lives (unlike our parents, whose careers were typically a one-stop event). We also know that in order to be valuable to our current and future employers, we need to keep up with what is going on both inside and outside of our current employment situation, operationally and politically.

I have read that between the years 1800 and 1900, it took 100 years for the world’s body of knowledge to double. By 1940, the world’s body of knowledge was doubling every 20 years. By 1970, it was doubling every 7 years. Today, the world’s body of knowledge doubles every 2 years. It is estimated that by 2015, the world’s body of knowledge will double every 35 days. Think about that: all of the knowledge of all of humanity doubling every 35 days.

I have found the best way to handle office politics is to focus on values and on becoming a “knowledge broker,” and this is my recommendation to my clients. As you climb the ladder of corporate success and wade through the myriad political styles, one of the key assets you can trade is your knowledge.

Once you have decided to be a knowledge broker, you have made a commitment to being a lifelong learner. Then, it is a matter of being aware of (and researching) opportunities to learn, both inside and outside of your office. The payoff is obvious: You will have all of the knowledge of all of humanity available to you. You will also experience a universal truth: Learning is much more fun than knowing.

In a never-ending chase for success, some people choose the low road (I tried it myself), while others honor their standards, boundaries, and values—the high road (much more attractive). This is a choice you can make, and if you find yourself in an organization that does not respect your style of ethical leadership, it may be time to look for another assignment. I did just that, and I have developed incredible professional success and personal fulfillment beyond my wildest vision—working in a job I love, with people I love, without any inkling of office politics. And you can, too.