The Six Pillars of Political Mastery are intended to get results. Especially useful where is it difficult to work out what is really going on.
Here are two simple examples of how it helped two of my coaching clients recently.
In the first example, Susan had been having difficulty with a senior level stakeholder. This stakeholder had been loud in her criticism of what Susan was doing, demanding reports at short notice and generally creating grief all round, not just for Susan. However, given her position it was difficult to ignore what she was doing.
Susan’s initial inclination was to take steps to defend her work and put this woman in her place, publicly if necessary. Susan is more than capable of doing this.
As she applied the various processes in the Six Pillars, she recognised that her stakeholder:
- Was newly promoted, and the promotion was not welcomed by everyone.
- Adopted a confrontational style to most situations, even those with little importance.
- Was proud to have been promoted and have beaten other competitors to the post.
- Had already alienated quite a few powerful people.
- Had yet to score any significant wins and was coming under increasing pressure from many quarters.
- Was starting to resemble a cat staring into the headlights.
“The process helped me to think things thorough without the emotional dragnet. I still don’t agree with her, but I have a new appreciation for the difficult position she is in, both personally and professionally.”
“Consequently, I have significantly altered my approach. Instead of going in all guns blazing, I opened up the relationship, listened to her, and managed to connect at a personal level.”
“The result? I still don’t agree with her, but have found news ways to influence her and remove the problem. She no longer adversely affects what I am doing, and actually, she is starting to become a friend. And, she certainly needed a friend!”
Having spoken to Susan recently, I can also tell you she is much calmer about the whole situation too.
The second example comes from a more senior level power struggle. My client, Jenni, had been told to acquire control of a major initiative from the natural owner. Why? Because the normal owner was developing a strong track-record for failing to deliver results for the business, and this initiative was too important to risk. So, Jenni had been told by her boss to just do it.
Easier said than done, as the opposition was pretty powerful and quite aggressive on occasion too.
Jenni and I worked through the process and she arrived at a clear strategy for making it happen: Her goal was to get the opposition to advocate that she should take control of the initiative!
Here are the key steps:
- Mobilise a key stakeholder to influence on her behalf in a particular way with her opponent’s boss, and another key member of his clique.
- Enlist the support of other indirect influencers in a very positive benefit-orientated way.
- Reposition the current challenge into the overall strategic direction of the company, and build the case for change.
- Get other senior stakeholders bought into the benefits of wholesale change of approach.
- Become an ally and best friend of her opponent. Demonstrating how new ways of working will help his department, and she is there to help him to do this.
“We have a plan. Not executed yet, but in less than an hour we have got to grips with the situation and have found a way of presenting this as an opportunity for all concerned, and fixed it directly to the wider changes that need to happen. I’ve gone from stumped to crystal clear”
“And with that clarity, has come the confidence. I now know that I don’t need to go in and fight for what I’ve been told to do, I can do it in a positive way with high probability of success. I expect there will be challenges along the way, but I’ve got a clear way to get moving now. Fingers crossed!”
These are just two of the many recent examples of how the objective application of a simple process, the Six Pillars of Political Mastery, has had a profound effect for my coaching clients. Sure, there is more detail that needs to be worked through, analyses done, and information gathered.
The joy of this approach is that it works, and is easy to apply once you get the hang of it.
The Gautrey Influence Blog
Ever felt overlooked, unheard, or stuck in office politics? You’re not alone. The Gautrey Influence Blog breaks down the real-world strategies behind leadership, influence, and power—giving you the tools to be heard, respected, and successful. Join 35,000+ professionals getting ahead the smart way—subscribe now..
💡 Benchmark your Influence: Take the Master of Influence Assessment (Free for Subscribers!)
👉 [Subscribe & Take the Assessment]
