Peer Political Styles

It's important to be able to identify individual political styles in your workplace. Becoming aware of the political environment and using office politics appropriately can help you do your job better and achieve your work-related goals.

The three political styles are

• Bystander: They are the least political of all. They believe, somewhat naively, that one can get ahead by doing well and working hard. They tend to survive and thrive best in non-political organizations, and very rarely make it to the top of the organization.
• Team Player: Moderately political, the team player's approach is to get ahead by working well with others and not putting personal needs above the needs of the group. They work within the rules, but will often use politics to advance the interests of the group.
• Individualist: Individualists are highly political and have no problem playing "the game" to advance their personal interests. They thrive in a highly politicized work environment where they can compete with others and push their own agenda. Purists and team players often find it difficult to tolerate someone with an individualist approach.

Overview/Description

Office politics invariably affects work relationships. If you want to build productive peer relationships, then it makes sense to figure out how political your potential peers are. This Business Impact explores the three different political styles – bystander, team player, and individualist.

Target Audience

Professionals in non-managerial roles.