“I can’t stand politics. This makes me want to stop trying.”
Said a client.
Look, I get it. There’s nothing worse than: Backstabbing and manipulation. Gamesmanship and withholding information. Retaliation and bullying power plays.
But that wasn't actually what was going on.
Which points to the truth: most office politics aren't about those things.
Even though the above does exist (that’s what we’d call a toxic environment), most “office politics” is just humans being distinctly…
Human.
When you're a member of any organization, you must learn how to effectively navigate through the "politics" of that organization (if you want to be successful there).
And your starting point is getting to at least a neutral place (about how you feel). Because your mindset will impact how you show up. Which will impact how others perceive you.
Once you stop resisting politics, you can become better at reading people, understanding motivations, anticipating reactions, and tailoring your communication to those things.
This isn’t about manipulation, Friend; it’s about emotional intelligence.
For more about why office politics isn’t necessarily a bad thing (and how to start shifting your mindset around it), listen to this week’s Life & Law episode: Stop Hating Law Firm Politics (It's Part of Leadership).
XO, Heather | 
