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Navigating Office Politics

Get What You Want at Work

Karlyn Borysenko

Office politics. The very phrase typically garners a visceral reaction, everything from a subtle tensing of the shoulders to an eye roll, to an outspoken declaration that they will NEVER engage in political wrangling.

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Office politics. The very phrase typically garners a visceral reaction, everything from a subtle tensing of the shoulders to an eye roll, to an outspoken declaration that they will NEVER engage in political wrangling.

You are in it whether you like it or not. The good news is that if you choose to engage in it, office politics can be navigated in a way that is ethical and above board. Even better, when you learn to play the game, you can become a change agent in your organization.

Learning to thrive in that environment is contingent on building effective working relationships so that you can excerpt influence across your organization, regardless of where you happen to rank on the organizational chart. That's what this course will teach you.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Navigate the office politics of any working environment so that you can get more done and be happier at work.
  • Identify and interact with different types of workplace personalities, so that you can get what you want more often.
  • Identify your organizational allies, enemies and key decision makers to build strong working relationships and avoid unnecessary political battles.
  • Create win-win situations in your organization, and know when to leave the battlefield and live to fight another day.

Syllabus

Learn about your instructor, and get a high level overview of what the course will cover.

This lecture overs a quick overview of why everyone should embrace engaging in office politics.

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Being successful in this course requires a mindset shift with regards to office politics - this lecture explains why engaging in them isn't a bad thing. It's about adapting your behavior, and taking personal responsibility for things that happen to you in the workplace.

In this lecture, I'll tell you about my background and credentials and, more importantly, give you an overview of the five principles we'll cover in the course. Even if you're not interested in hearing about me, please take the time to cover the five principles!

In this section, I'll cover my five principles of navigating office politics.
Principle 1: People are NOT logical and rational

In this lecture, I introduce you to the DiSC Profile and give you a broad overview of the different types of individual workplace preferences. This is a foundational overview for the rest of the DiSC lectures in this course.

This lecture discusses why relationships in the workplace are so important by reviewing the different types of power and influence in an organization.

In the previous lecture, you learned about why relationship power is so important. This lecture adds an asterisk to that one, and explains why your relationships with individuals aren't the only relationships that matters.

This lecture covers how to identify your workplace enemies and allies, focusing specifically on how to handle your workplace enemies.

Picking your battles is essential to winning at office politics. This lecture covers the fine art of knowing when to keep your mouth shut.

Is it time to look for greener pastures? If you're not willing to put the effort into adapting to these five principles to gain influence at work, that might be a good indicator that it's time to move on.

Understanding the DiSC model is the cornerstone of this course - it's what you'll use to build more effective working relationships so that you can get more "wins" at work.

I'm about to throw a lot of information at you in this section. Here's a brief note on how I would recommend using it.

Let's take a minute (or five) to connect the dots from the 5 principles we've previously explored, and explain why a good understanding of DiSC is crucial to winning at office politics.

In the second section of the course, we gave a broad overview of why people make decisions the way they do, and the different types of influence at play at work. In section, we're going to dive into focusing on how to adapt your behavior. This lecture explains why...and gives a tangent note about why you should avoid email at work at all costs.

This lecture gives you a broad overview of each of the four DiSC Styles - D, i, S, C - and discusses their priorities, motivations, fears, things you'll notice about people with those styles, and their limitations in the workplace.

A one page download that you can keep in your office as a reference on all four of the DiSC Styles.

A one page download that you can keep in your office as a reference on the D style.

A one page download that you can keep in your office as a reference on the i style.

A one page download that you can keep in your office as a reference on all four of the S style.

C Style Cheat Sheet
A Note About Gender and Generations

Three quick strategies for how D's can increase their workplace effectiveness and build better relationships with their colleagues.

Three quick strategies for how i's can increase their workplace effectiveness and build better relationships with their colleagues.

Three quick strategies for how S's can increase their workplace effectiveness and build better relationships with their colleagues.

Three quick strategies for how C's can increase their workplace effectiveness and build better relationships with their colleagues.

It's great to be familiar with DiSC, but most of the time you aren't going to have the benefit of having your co-workers DiSC preferences written down and handed to you. Fear not! There is a way to learn to "read" your co-workers and figure out what their DiSC type is without needing them to take the test.

A one page download that you can keep in your office as a reference about how to read your co-workers and figure out what their DiSC type is.

This lecture outlines what to expect when working with a D, what to do when you're trying to connect with them and build that relationship, what to do when you're working on a team with them, and what to do when there's a conflict. It breaks down each section by DiSC type, and gives details about how to approach it if you're a D, i, S, and C.

This lecture outlines what to expect when working with an i, what to do when you're trying to connect with them and build that relationship, what to do when you're working on a team with them, and what to do when there's a conflict. It breaks down each section by DiSC type, and gives details about how to approach it if you're a D, i, S, and C.

This lecture outlines what to expect when working with a S, what to do when you're trying to connect with them and build that relationship, what to do when you're working on a team with them, and what to do when there's a conflict. It breaks down each section by DiSC type, and gives details about how to approach it if you're a D, i, S, and C.

This lecture outlines what to expect when working with a C, what to do when you're trying to connect with them and build that relationship, what to do when you're working on a team with them, and what to do when there's a conflict. It breaks down each section by DiSC type, and gives details about how to approach it if you're a D, i, S, and C.

In this section, we'll review all of the concepts from the course, and give you a final framework to use when you're fighting political battles at work.

In the final lecture of the course, I'll give you a framework that you can apply to any political situation at work and hopefully come out on top.

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Teaches the principles of workplace politics to improve career success
Instructed by Karlyn Borysenko, an experienced strategy and innovation expert
Develops valuable skills for navigating workplace relationships and organizational culture
Provides insights into different workplace personality types using the DiSC Profile
Suitable for individuals seeking to enhance their influence and effectiveness in the workplace

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Navigating Office Politics: Get What You Want at Work with these activities:
Identify a Workplace Mentor
Seek guidance from an experienced professional who can provide valuable insights and support as you navigate the complexities of office politics and advance your career.
Browse courses on Mentorship
Show steps
  • Identify potential mentors within your organization or professional network.
  • Reach out to your chosen mentor and express your interest in mentorship.
Office Politics Discussion Group
Engage in discussions with peers to share experiences, insights, and strategies for navigating office politics, which will broaden your perspective and enhance your ability to adapt.
Show steps
  • Join or form a discussion group with peers who are also taking the course.
  • Prepare topics for discussion based on the course material or real-life experiences.
  • Actively participate in discussions, sharing your insights and listening to the perspectives of others.
Workplace Simulations Exercise
Practice applying the principles of office politics in a low-stakes environment to reinforce your understanding and decision-making skills.
Show steps
  • Read the background materials to understand negotiation and conflict resolution principles.
  • Participate in a scenario-based simulation to practice applying these principles in a realistic work environment.
  • Debrief with your instructor or peers to discuss what went well and identify areas for improvement.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Workplace Personality Assessment and Analysis
Develop a deeper understanding of your own personality style and that of your colleagues, which will enable you to tailor your communication and strategies to build stronger working relationships.
Browse courses on Personality Assessment
Show steps
  • Take a DiSC assessment to determine your personality style.
  • Interview colleagues and observe their behavior to assess their personality styles.
  • Create a report that analyzes the personality dynamics within your team and provides recommendations for effective communication and collaboration.
Effective Communication for Navigating Office Politics
Acquire practical communication skills to navigate office politics effectively, enabling you to build relationships, resolve conflicts, and influence decision-making.
Browse courses on Communication Skills
Show steps
  • Attend a workshop on effective communication for navigating office politics.
  • Practice the communication techniques learned in the workshop through role-playing or case studies.
Power: Why Some People Have It and Others Don't
Gain insights into the dynamics of power and influence in organizational settings, which will enhance your understanding of office politics and how to navigate it effectively.
View 7 Rules of Power on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read the book to understand the different sources and types of power, and how they are used in the workplace.
  • Analyze case studies to identify how power dynamics play out in real-world organizational scenarios.
Workplace Politics Strategy Guide
Develop a personalized strategy guide that outlines your approach to navigating office politics, which will provide a roadmap for your actions and help you achieve your goals.
Show steps
  • Identify your goals and objectives related to office politics.
  • Analyze the political landscape of your workplace.
  • Develop specific strategies and tactics to achieve your goals, based on the DiSC principles and other course content.
  • Write down your strategy guide and refer to it regularly as you navigate office politics.

Career center

Learners who complete Navigating Office Politics: Get What You Want at Work will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

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