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Powerful leadership is political



1. Introduction


Political sharpness is critical in senior management. Organisations by nature and design are political entities. Power is the currency in politics. Politically astute executives build and leverage power relationships to attain organisational, team and individual goals. Politically naive leaders and leadership aspirants avoid or ignore political realities and miss connections, opportunities and the legitimate directing resource that is power. Political behaviour is neither inherently positive nor negative. It is selfish intentions and means that give organisational.


2. Proposition


Most people can be coached and need to attain impactful social influence skills in political intelligence. Here is the deal, three things: commit to a cause, see things in the power context and, relate effectively to others.


a) Commit to a cause.


The wider the lens of what keeps you awake at night, the better. Great leaders seek to make the world a better place. Some seek improvements in the socio-economic realities of our existence. Some strive to generate organisational value in society and wholesome success.




b) See things in the power context.


Understand the power map and power shifts. Who, for instance, are the key influencers and how; what roles and responsibilities do those that matter hold; what are the power leverage equations and how they are changing? Understand how the external power dynamics are impacting the organisation.


Understand organisational priorities, cultural norms, formal and informal rules for success at all levels of the organisation. Recognise governing political sensitivities and acts accordingly. Appreciate the varying attitudes about power and politics in the organisation and adapt your approaches correspondingly for optimal influence. Know the context, situation and moment and act accordingly in interactions and conversations. Escalate issues to higher authorities and appropriate officials appropriately.


c) Relate effectively to others.


Seek to understand others and use that insight to persuade others' thoughts and actions. Consciously and persistently seek to get others to buy into your ideas and objectives. Build a vibrant personal brand through conscious impression management. For example, be sincere, apparently and actually; think before speaking. Engage in tactful selfpromotion. Network, build partnerships and alliances, connect with the mighty and support your allies. Maintain regular contact and healthy linkages with key stakeholders. Effectively manage conflict directed at you and occurring within the team and organisation and aimed at the organisation from outside stakeholders.




3. Conjectures


In essence, influential leadership deriving from political astuteness is about exhibiting confidence and professional delicacy while effectively relating to people at all organisational levels internally and externally. It is about deploying cognitive, emotional and social logic effectively and acting accordingly. Acquire and utilise political judgement for leadership and organisational effectiveness in the hyperactive and hyper-competitive all-inclusive context we live in or perish.


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