coaching for high integrity organisational politics and ...€¦ · “it’s a dirty game i...

1-3 March 2017Edinburgh, Scotland

23rd Annual European Mentoring and Coaching ConferenceProfessionalising your Practice


23rd Annual European Mentoring and Coaching Conference

Professionalising your Practice

Coaching for high integrity organisational politics and networking

Tim Bright



“One of the penalties of refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.”

Plato



Why should coaches think about politics & networking?

Failure in these areas are important derailers for our clients

We can make a real difference – challenging mindsets and offering tools

Networking is increasingly important for success

Challenge our own beliefs as coaches – what do we really think of the corporate world?



Common attitudes to organisational politics & networking

“It’s how weak people make progress in the company.”

“It’s a dirty game I don’t want to get involved in.”

“Networking is all political BS.”

“We should all be judged just on our own performance, and the best people should be rewarded. We don’t need to network or worry about politics.”



What is corporate politics?

The “essence of politics is competition for a prized and scarce commodity or resource.” Egan

Egan (1994) also talks of the ‘hidden organisation’ which deals with what is not found in company documents and organisation charts.

We can think of politics as ‘informal use of power’

‘Politics’ is most usefully conceived neutrally as the informal procedures for how power is managed, decisions are made and how things happen or don’t happen in organisations.



Observations from coaching

Cases – coachees who joined large corporations early in career, trust them to manage their careers. Often from expert or technical backgrounds, e.g. technically expert marketing executives.

Coachees often either want to not engage politically at all, or engage reluctantly. We need to engage positively and optimistically.

Coachees need to promote themselves and their ideas, even more so in today’s world. Limited time, overload of information, companies less able to manage their careers.



Managing with Power, Jeffrey Pfeffer (1992)

Managing with Power means -

Recognize that in every organization there are varying interests - diagnose the landscape and the relevant interests

Figure out what points of view these various individuals and groups have on issues of concern to us.

Understand that to get things done, you need power, and have to understand where power comes from and how these sources of power can be developed. We must be willing to do things to build our sources of power or we won’t be as effective as we could be.

Understand the strategies and tactics through with which power is developed and used in organisations, including – timing, structure, social psychology, influence.



Survival of the Savvy: High-Integrity Political Tactics for Career & Company Success

2004 book by Rick Brandon and Marty Seldman – rethinking of the field

Authors define organizational politics as the "informal, unofficial and sometimes behind-the-scenes efforts to sell ideas, influence an organization, increase power, or achieve other targeted objectives"

These can be constructive or destructive depending on the goals.

People are hurt by their political blind spots, not understanding others.

You need to understand your own reputation – ‘corporate buzz’

Importance of self-talk



Political styles – two extremes (Brandon & Seldman)

Power of Ideas Power of Person

Substance Power Position Power

Focus on feedback & learning Focus on image and perception

Do the right thing Do what works

More open agenda More private agenda

Meritocracy-based decisions Relationship-based decisions

Results & ideas speak for themselves Self-promotion



“The organisational savvy continuum”

Under political

Appropriately

Political

Over-political



Political astuteness – Jean Hartley and others

Framework for political astuteness –

1. Personal skills: Self-awareness, self-control, pro-active disposition.

2. Interpersonal skills: Listening, encouraging openness, curious with people.

3. Reading people and situations: See others’ perspectives, understand power structures, recognize the threat you cause others.

4. Building alignment and alliances.

5. Strategic direction and scanning: strategic thinking and action regarding organisational purpose; thinking and sensing weak signals about longer-term issues



Developing your political astuteness – Jean Hartley & co

1. Reflect on experience, talk to a boss, colleague or mentor.

2. Maximise your learning from mistakes and crises – and from the example of other managers – by honing your skills of observation, reflection and questioning.

3. Check if your political awareness skills are as good as you think they are. Encourage feedback from all sides.

4. Seek the chance to observe, or play a part, in situations demanding political sensitivity; and then think analytically about how well you read people and situations.

5. Improve your strategic scanning skills – keep abreast with current thinking in the trade press and draw useful lessons from outside your usual network of contacts.



Summary for coaches - 1

Challenge your coachee’s beliefs, if appropriate. Politics isn’t good or bad, it just is.

See politics as ‘informal use of power’. We and our clients need to engage.

If they resist the term ‘political’, talk about ‘influence and impact’ instead.

We all do it. Intention is key – hiring example.

High integrity politics is in line with your values and the good of the organisation.

With integrity - you promote yourself, but you don’t’ harm others. If you are going to make good decisions for the organisation, it’s your duty to get and use power.

High integrity politics can also include a sense of stewardship - using your power and influence for the organisation’s long term interests. (Egan)

If necessary ask coachee how they make decisions. (We all use informal methods.)



Summary for coaches - 2

Use the political continuum, are they under political or over political?

The concept of ‘political capital’ can be helpful for coachees – how do they spend it, how do they earn it?

Also analyse positional power versus personal power in themselves and others.

Work with coachees to think through the power and influence landscape they are in.

Work with the coachee to plan positive political activities – who to help, how to build alliances, work before and after key meetings.

Encourage coachees to use their competencies – social skills, EQ, influencing, intuition.

Encourage them to pay attention to and develop political intuition. (See Blink, Gladwell)

Also challenge coachee’s views on human nature, if overly negative – ‘nice guys finish last’



Do nice guys finish last?



Robert Axelrod – The Evolution of Cooperation

1984 study of how cooperation can emerge and persist, using game theory

Computer tournament, different programmes playing 200 rounds of a Prisoner’s Dilemma game. Best strategy was to trust first, and then copy the other player. Lessons -

Be nice: cooperate, never be the first to defect.

Be provocable: return defection for defection, cooperation for cooperation.

Don't be envious: focus on maximizing your own 'score', as opposed to ensuring your score is higher than your 'partner's'.

Don't be too clever: or, don't try to be tricky.



Adam Grant – Give and Take (2013)

People are Takers, Givers or Matchers. Learn your style on http://www.giveandtake.com/

Most people are matchers. Matchers and Takers rank in the middle in most professions. Top and bottom performers are Givers.

Organisations are most effective when people are more generous. “Building a giver culture pays.”



Adam Grant – Give and Take

Successful Givers distinguish giving from being timid, available and empathetic.

Observe others, if they are selfish switch from giving to matching.

Givers are more successful because they build bigger and deeper networks. They collaborate more effectively.

To become more of a Giver, look for ‘5 minute favours’ you can do for others.



People have similar beliefs about corporate politics and networking.



Why is networking so important?We can’t do everything ourselves, we need to work with others.

Trust is a key factor for business success – limited time & resources so quick judgements.

We are all involved in a variety of different networks. Companies using matrix structures and networks.

The world is becoming more transparent, disintermediated. News travels instantly, reputations are shared online. (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc.)

A strong network ‘social capital’ increases our chances of success. (Robert Putnam)



High Integrity Networking

Being honest and true to your own values.

Doing things for the good of your organisation, not just to promote yourself.

Intentions are key.

Promoting yourself, but not doing anything to damage anyone else.



Networking Resources

A Leader’s Network, CCL, Phil Willburn and Kristin Cullen, 2013

Networks should be open, diverse and deep

“How Leaders Create and Use Networks”, Herminia Ibarra and Mark Hunter, Harvard Business Review, 2006

You need 3 types of network – Operational, Personal and Strategic.



Operational Network Personal Network Strategic Network

Network’s Purpose

Getting work done efficiently

Develop professional skills through coaching and mentoring; exchange important referrals and needed outside information.

Figure out future priorities and challenges; get stakeholder support for them.

How to find network members

Identify individuals who can support or block a project.

Participate in professional associations, alumni groups, clubs, and personal-interest communities.

Identify lateral and vertical relationships with other functional and business-unit managers – people outside your control – who can help you determine how your role and contribution fit into the overall picture.



Ibarra & Hunter recommend

Leaders must create a “fabric of personal contacts who will provide support, feedback, insight, resources, and information.”

Manage your mindset and attitude. Learn from role models.

Manage your time, delegate and be efficient to make time for networking.

Establish connections, create reasons to interact outside your own area.

Give and take continually. Don’t just take, and don’t just network when you need something.



Keith Ferrazzi – Never Eat Alone (2005)

Build it before you need it.

Make it a habit to purposefully connect with people all the time.

Don’t be a networking jerk.

Be genuine.

Don’t gossip.

Don’t keep score. Don’t be too efficient.

Truly connect.

Build intimacy quickly. Talk about important things.

Share your passions, combine them with networking.



Keith Ferrazzi – Never Eat Alone

Be clear, ask for what you want.

Develop conversational currency, have something to say.

Be interesting.

Be a better listener.

Follow up or fail.

Connect with connectors.

Get to know the gatekeeper.

Build a personal advisory board.



Coaching for High Integrity Networking

Review and challenge the beliefs that clients have about networking.

Encourage them to replace limiting beliefs with more empowering beliefs.

Look together at what actions they can take to network more effectively.

Note The Strength of Weak Ties (Mark Grannovetter)People who are different from you (more job offers via weak ties)Weak ties lead to more business lead referrals.Our weak ties link us into different networksIncrease exposure to diverse ideas and behaviours



The benefits of Network Oscillation“Network Oscillation” (Ronald S Burt, Jennifer L Merluzzi, 2016, research on bankers) Characteristics of most successful networkers. Research initiated to identify why top women were leaving. It also identified characteristics of top performers -

Large networks

Deep engagement with a small network – closure

Bridging between different networks – brokerage

Network Oscillation - a period of deep engagement in a group, followed by a period of connecting across groups, followed by deep engagement in a group, etc.

Robert Putnam – balance ‘bonding capital’ and ‘bridging capital’



Coaching activities for NetworkingAsk the coachee to map out their network

Consider operational, personal and strategic networks.

Also think about information, influence and support networks

Coachee can rate people in their network, set their own scales such as –how well I know themhow much I trust themhow well do they know/like/trust mehow much influence do they have on mehow much can I help them, etc.

Review their current networks together.

Tools to review LinkedIn network - www.socilab.com & www.mywebcareer.com


23rd Annual European Mentoring and Coaching ConferenceProfessionalising your Practicewww.socilab.com



www.mywebcareer.com



Activities to build networks

Past, Present, Future exercise

Past - Who used to be in your network, but you have lost contact with?

Present - Who is in your network, but you should strengthen the relationship?

Future - Who is not in your network, that you would like to build a relationship with?



Coaching questions for building networks

Information Networks

Where is the important information you need?

How can you design and develop a network to access this information?

Which key groups and individuals will have interests related to your work?

How can you use your network to monitor attitudes and reactions over time?

Who is in your information network and how can you improve it?




Influence Networks

What influence do you need?

Who are the key people who have influence? What makes them influential in the system?

How can you mobilize their energy to help you, neutralize their potential opposition or overcome their apathy/resistance?

How can you influence key external stakeholders to promote and support you?

If you cannot influence them directly, who do you know who can?

How can you find common points of interest?

Who is in your influence network and how can you improve it?




Support Networks

Who in the system is prepared to support you?

Are there people with whom you can discuss your role?

Do you have objective and informed listeners to keep you and your reactions in perspective?

Who can provide you with emotional support when things get tough?

Who is in your support network, and how adequate is it?

When do you use it?

How could you improve it?




Total Network Analysis

What are the strengths of your networks?

What weakness in your networks have you become aware of through this analysis?

What elements of your network do you need to develop to be more effective?

What skills do you need to develop to be able to network more effectively?

What steps can you take to develop these skills?

Some material from -https://library.cgiar.org/bitstream/handle/10947/2748/44A_Guidelines%20and%20Workbook%20for%20Mentees_WP.pdf?sequence=1



Ways to build new networks and contacts

Balance quantity and quality. Don’t use ‘quality’ as an excuse. Think 2nd & 3rd

level.

Do something every day. Little and often, not a blitz.

Be bold, go direct. What’s the worst that can happen?

Don’t look for favours, build real relationships

Give more than you get. Ask for and offer help.

Listen more than you talk.

Smile and have a positive attitude, don’t take yourself too seriously.

Acknowledge favours and help.

Follow up, keep your word.



Summary

Corporate Politics and Networking are related and important, we should talk about them more.

We need to work on two levels – challenging beliefs and replacing them with more useful ones, and looking at our clients’ tactics and behaviours.

These are both long term activities which we need to follow up on over the course of a coaching engagement, and discuss lots of real cases.

Cultural issues are involved, often more and clearer communication brings huge benefits for our clients.

To keep in contact:

http://www.oneworldconsulting.com

https://twitter.com/oneworldconsult

https://www.facebook.com/OneWorldConsulting

https://www.linkedin.com/company/oneworld-consulting

coaching for high integrity organisational politics and ...€¦ · “it’s a dirty game i...

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