Turf Wars: Two powerful people are fighting to win control of your function -- and you are caught in the middle
In any organisation there are powerful people. Most seek to acquire more power and influence. As their power grows, someone else loses power. People compete to acquire more resources, more control -- and anything else they can get their hands on -- to become more influential. Their motive may be authentic and have integrity – but it is natural to seek more territory. The arrival of the matrix structure means we see Turf Wars more often. Many of us now have two -– or more – bosses which makes this dilemma more likely. If our bosses are competing with each other, we are Read MoreUnderstanding the Politics
Assuming you are working in a complex leadership arena, you will also be working in a highly political one. The politics may be negative or positive, and this is largely dependent on the amount of damage that is being done and the degree to which people are driving personal agendas. Regardless, it’s a political system you are working in and need to succeed in.
Your attitude towards politics will be based on your prior experience. If you have been harmed by the politicking that others do, the chances are high that you will have a negative attitude, and also, little tolerance of game playing. On the other hand, you Read More
Exercise: How Power Works in Your Organisation
It is not sufficient to just read about power, you need to think about it too. How does what you are reading relate to the environment where you work, or you wish to be successful? That is the purpose of this exercise.
Naturally, we are assuming that you have already read the references below which provide the background concepts and ideas.
Take around 30 minutes and consider the following questions... Read More
Evidence, Intrigue and Fantasy
The corporate lawyer laid out the evidence to me that his boss was planning to fire him. The replacement had been hired already. He'd been pushing into a corner, isolated and sidelined. Despite a long relationship with the boss — the sense of betrayal was taking its toll in many ways. The more he thought about it, the more evidence appeared. Read More