Building strategic associations with people you know and like is a great place to start navigating the organizational scene. Get to know others on a personal basis and offer to collaborate for the purpose of building professional relationships. When seeking promotions, managing highly politically charged issues, or just plain staying out of hot water, a relationship well developed ahead of time will build a basis for effectual communication. Handling challenging situations effectively will deepen trust, allowing the ability to navigate these sticky issues with grace. Your focus is to ruffle the least number of feathers while achieving your goals.

Face Conflicts Head-On

When confronted by a potentially volatile situation, identify and speak to the problem immediately. As a colleague of mine often remarked, “communicate early and often.” Determine your role in relation to the other stakeholders. Strive to understand each person’s hidden agenda and level of understanding.
• Are they being difficult, or do they have a true grievance?
• What can you do to ensure their wishes are met, while keeping in mind the bottom line?
• In what ways is your intervention beneficial or a detriment?

As you focus on the facts of the issue, you can plan a course of action. You can strengthen your leadership skills and look for win-win possibilities. When you understand the motivations behind behaviors, you can step into roles that can influence more harmony.

Lead with Style and Grace

As a leader, you have key responsibilities including setting a good example by avoiding game playing as part of your management style. Treat staff and their opinions as important contributions and reward great work ethics and behaviors according to the rewards system put in place. Keep communication channels open and consider establishing an open-door policy so team members can feel free to let you know when counterproductive work politics that you might not be aware of appear destructive.

However possible, be sure to address politically charged situations before they escalate to a point of becoming unmanageable. Have a plan and execute it appropriately and consistently. When in doubt, seek the support from your trusted advisors.

A Smoother Road to the Top

As someone that is working their way up the corporate ladder, conduct yourself in a manner that promotes your abilities, while acting with integrity. While it’s tempting to discredit others, tout your accomplishments to excess, or “kiss up” to the boss, these behaviors do not endear you to others on the team and will not serve you well as you ascend the corporate ladder.

Memories tend to be short on many issues. Yet they can remain strong and sometimes become distorted on others. Even manic in other cases, thus creating more headaches than you might have imagined possible and yet, they need to be relieved. So be a team player who empathizes with others and be sure to build and deepen those relationships as you go.