![]() While you may find politics occasionally frustrating, the good news is that managers develop political skill with time and experience. Political tensions can arise, for example, when you need to pass down or filter difficult messages coming from the top, while keeping your team motivated. This is not unprincipled scheming, but a way of doing your homework.Īs a first-time manager, you will probably need to manage both downwards (with your team) and upwards (with more senior managers). For instance, most managers understand that before formally announcing a big decision, it is important to have informal conversations with those who are affected or can influence the decision. Office politics might get a bad rap, but in my research I found that the ability to network, build relationships and influence others is critical when it comes to managing people. Effective managers are good at navigating the informal aspects of power that make up “office politics” – the conflicting interests and agendas in the workplace, and how people defend those interests. But having a new hierarchical position or job title will not automatically make it easier to get others on board. ![]() Having cordial working relationships is possible, even when managing others – but you still have to set priorities, tackle conflict and have difficult conversations.Ī typical mistake among early career managers is trying to influence others by relying on formal authority. It may feel particularly challenging to manage team members who are your friends, or who are much older than you. These interpersonal skills are misleadingly labelled “soft” skills – they are rather hard to develop. Joy can help us be better at work – here’s how to find it Lucky girl syndrome: the potential dark side of TikTok’s extreme positive thinking trend Why young people in every sphere – not just business and politics – should learn to lead
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