Conflict Resolution Ideas – Dealing With Politics in Resistance to Alter Management
Perspectives on politics vary. There is the negative view, which sees politics as the exercise of individual power utilized for individual acquire and at the other end of the spectrum the positive view, that sees politics as a social power utilized to generate motivation or to accomplish group objectives.
Nevertheless no matter whether you are conscious of it or not, and regardless of whether you realize it or not, in corporate life (and specially in the UK – where I live and work) the political dimension is all-essential.
The greater your contacts are up the ladder, inside an organisation, the higher the extent to which the political dimension is important.
At director level, in all big organisations, the political dimension can shape the decision making process extremely considerably and will typically be the main determining factor.
Personal power in an organisational context can be described as the capability to influence another individual to do what you want, when and how you want them to do it without having having to alter your own behaviour in ways you do not want to.
Symbols of political power and influence incorporate items such as: early access to vital and “insider” information becoming sought out for an opinion by senior folks finding favoured individuals into jobs exercising control of key resources and influencing an agenda.
Sources of power cover a wide spectrum: legitimate power – based on position, appointment and contract coercive power – the means to force a person to do something referent power – based on charisma and the power of personality professional power – based on understanding and specialist expertise and info power – as the source of critical info.
Influence can be described as the method of changing in some way the thoughts, perspective, behaviour and feelings of one more individual.
Politics in an organisational context is the use of power and influence. It has been stated that politics is simply how power gets worked out on a practical day-to-day basis.
Comprehend the political self-interest of the individuals and groups you are dealing with is for that reason vital in implementing alter, as at its most fundamental level effective alter management involves trade-offs in order to be lasting.
How to deal with resistance produced or exacerbated by political factors
(1) Get ahead of the game by undertaking some form of early political assessment as portion of your cultural analysis and mapping of informal individual networks
(2) Do not wait until a political issue becomes essential, as this point it will have gained momentum, and it is most likely going to be too late.
(3) Do not take action to quash resistance but only to accomplish a positive objective. This may of course mean sidelining, removing or replacing deeply resistant individuals. This is a significant and essential point, as there will always be individuals who will resist change to the death. The tendency is to expend a lot of energy attempting to get them on side. John Kotter says: “Forget it, get rid of them, no matter who they are in terms of power or relationship to you simply because if you let them inside the tent they will do so significantly harm they will undermine the alter.”
Here are some practical “hands on” strategies for dealing with politics in resistance to change management
(a) Focus on the specifics and details of the transactional aspects of the work. When men and women are focused on actually doing the work, they have far much less time and energy for engaging in politics.
(b) Focus your attention on the “bread and butter” basic, regular transactional aspects that do not involve “specials” and “exceptions”. This will mean that you do not want to involve the “expert” assistance or information of the “queen bee” political movers and shakers.
(c) Isolate and group together all your “specials”, “exceptions”, function-arounds and non-standard transactions for the attention of “special ones” those you have identified as political movers and shakers – or as they like to see themselves – the “queen bees”.
(d) Take advantage of the increased opportunities to build relationships and communicate with individuals as you engage with them on the specifics and details of the transactional aspects of in fact doing the work.
(e) As a guiding principle, often don’t forget that politics is a practice – it is all about reaching mature compromises, creating relationships and obtaining outcomes often draw a distinction in between the individuals and the dilemma focus on interests, not positions usually seek possibilities for mutual acquire and often apply objective criteria.
To find out how, please see: Conflict Resolution Suggestions.
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Stephen Warrilow, based in Bristol, works with businesses across the UK providing specialist support to directors delivery substantial change initiatives. Stephen has 25 years cross sector expertise with 100+ firms in mid range corporate, bigger SME and corporate environments. Practical techniques for leading and managing change
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