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Office Politics - Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

Office Politics - Christians’ Friend or Foe ?. Sherman Lam Dec 2002. Outline. What is office politics ? Lessons from real cases The clues for survival The key to success The humility of service The road to sanctity Appendices The clues for the clueless The 48 laws of power

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Office Politics - Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

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

  2. Outline • What is office politics ? • Lessons from real cases • The clues for survival • The key to success • The humility of service • The road to sanctity • Appendices • The clues for the clueless • The 48 laws of power • References Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  3. Purpose • To explore some Christian ways to survive, succeed and serve in the marketplace / workplace • To learn from each other’s experience, struggles & insights • To stimulate practitioners to further explore faith-work integration Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  4. Your active participation, please • Pls suspend judgment • Pls share your experience & insights • Pls provide some real cases for discussion • Pls ask questions & help answer as well • Pls give feedback Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  5. What is office politics ? Your views, please… Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  6. “ I wish it (The Ring) need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. - The Lord of the Rings : The Fellowship of the Rings - Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  7. Myths about office politics Myth 1 : There is no politics in my office or company. Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  8. Myth 2 : Politics is game playing. It is an undignified, self-serving waste of productive work time. Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  9. Myth 3 : If I play fair, others will play by the same rules and be fair to me. Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  10. Myth 4 : If you are a good employee, you don’t need to worry about office politics. Your performance will speak for itself. Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  11. 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. Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  12. Myth 6 : Chinese and non-Chinese play the same. Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  13. Myth 7 : Good Christians should not play politics. Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  14. When you talk about office politics, you mean… • Corporate culture / sub-culture • Organizational ambiguity • Management fads • Tribal strife, role conflicts • Relationship problems • Performance vs reward • Ethical issues Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  15. Politics is… • From the Greek word, politikos, which means • Of a citizen • Primary meaning is having practical wisdom, being prudent, shrewd, diplomatic • Secondary meaning is being crafty or unscrupulous - Webster’s New Word Dictionary - Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  16. 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, & privileges • Because our success is defined by those things, getting them will determine whether or not we are doing a good job • Building relationship, being diplomatic, collaborating with others & being an effective team player Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  17. Politics could be… Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  18. “ 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 - Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  19. Outline • What is office politics ? • Lessons from real cases • The clues for survival • The key to success • The humility of service • The road to sanctity • Appendices • The clues for the clueless • The 48 laws of power • References Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  20. Lessons from real cases Source of wisdom Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  21. The tension of being clever vs being simple Remember, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves; so be clever as serpents and yet as simple as doves. - Matthew 10:16 - Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  22. Case 1 Imagine 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 ? Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  23. 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 ? Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  24. 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 ? Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  25. Case 4 When an important project fails, everybody is passing the buck and making you a scapegoat. What would you do ? Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  26. 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 ? Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  27. 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 ? Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  28. Case 7 Imagine you’re planning to emigrate. Your boss tapped the grapevine and checked with you. What would you do ? Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  29. Case 8 When a big shot forces you to endorse an investment which you think is a dog, what would you do ? Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  30. Case 9 When you’re muscled by an office shark, what would you do ? Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  31. 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 ? Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  32. To fight or not to fight, you may calculate… What are the biblical & ethical norms ? Standard After all, be accountable for your decision ! Do you get the power you need ? Are your guts up ? What’s on stage ? What’s behind the scene ? Self Situation Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  33. Outline • What is office politics ? • Lessons from real cases • The clues for survival • The key to success • The humility of service • The road to sanctity • Appendices • The clues for the clueless • The 48 laws of power • References Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  34. The clues for survival : Master the art of invisibility Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  35. Strategies for survival • Be in the crowd, but not of the crowd • Make your boss look good • Detach from blame & credit • Keep your P/E low Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  36. Strategy I :Be in the crowd but not of the crowd Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  37. The mob 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 - Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  38. The idol, the victim and 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 - Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  39. Strategy I :Be in the crowd but not of the crowd • Be corporate chameleon – blend into the mob but closely observe its movement • Dwell in the shadow of others • Beware of insult by omission • Avoid attaching to celebrity or becoming a group’s idol / a scapegoat • Remember, all scapegoats start by being different Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  40. Strategy II :Make your boss look good Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  41. The boss 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 - Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  42. The golden rules Rule # 1 : The boss is always right. Rule # 2 : If the boss is wrong, please refer to rule # 1. Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  43. Strategy II :Make your boss look good • Never go around your boss • Tell him what he wants to hear, even when he claims that he wants dissenting views • If he wants something dropped, drop it • Be sensitive to his wishes so that you anticipate what he wants • Don’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- Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  44. Strategy III : Detach from blame & credit Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  45. The blame 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 - Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  46. The credit "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 - Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  47. The blame and the credit The seven phases of a project • Enthusiasm • Illusion of progress • Panic • Disillusionment • Search for the guilty • Punishment of the innocent • Praise / honors for the non-participants Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  48. Strategy III : Detach from blame & credit • Accept blame (for others) in small ways; it tends to inspire loyalty • Practice creative incompetence • Avoid winning battles but losing the war • Don’t get caught in the clash of Titans • Share credit & win yourselves friends • Remember, blame follows credit Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  49. Strategy IV :Keep your P/E low Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

  50. Political price-earnings ratio Low Utility High High Visibility Low Office Politics – Christians’ Friend or Foe ?

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