Why should Millennials care about workplace politics?
When we say "workplace politics", many of us bristle. The term has become nearly completely overtaken by negative, sometimes abusive, selfish, corrupt, and harmful power moves. But politics come in many forms, with the self-serving type being only one. There are also positive, honest politics that can actually help you become a better leader when used appropriately. In fact, politics are part of everyday work life and talented managers and leaders who do not engage in work politics often get left out of the important decision-making process and fail to progress or thrive in their career.
The good news is you don't have to sacrifice your values and morals to be successful at work politics! In fact, some of the most successful managers and leaders use positive, honest politics to both further their career and successfully support their organization in meeting its goals, while still holding on to their values.
If you are not happy with the current politics at work, engaging in office politics is a critical aspect of creating positive culture change. With Millennials becoming 60% of the workforce in the next decade, they are in a great position to make a critical impact.
Clinical Psychologists Mira Brancu and Jennifer P. Wisdom join forces in this third Millennials Guide to Work series to help Millennials become successful, respected, and effective managers and leaders, this time by conquering the nebulous world of workplace politics.
This practical guide includes:
- Advice on navigating both informal and formal politics within the context of any group of people
- Descriptions to help you identify a variety of harmful political behaviors
- Strategies for both proactive and reactive methods and knowing when to use each
- Examples for how to implement complex strategies
- How to know when to let go and leave the organization due to an untenable situation
