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Businessman:
Nobody ever woke up and said, “Today I want to dress up in an
uncomfortable suit and tie, go sit in a noisy cubicle in a crowded
workspace next to people I can’t stand, push papers around my desk
for hours upon hours on end, and be held accountable for things
over which I have absolutely no control,” yet this sort of work
environment is so commonplace that it has been immortalized in
Dilbert cartoons. Most of us in the business world have worked for a
“pointy-haired boss” or two at some point in our careers, likely more
than once, and while it’s funny in the comic pages it’s frustrating as
hell in real life. We all need to earn a paycheck but most of us want
to do it while interacting with congenial colleagues and working on
something meaningful. In other words, we want to enjoy or at least
not dislike what we do, use our time wisely, make a difference, and
(hopefully) leave a legacy behind. Sadly the environment we find
ourselves in rarely meets that description.
Let’s face facts; unless we are fortunate enough to be the guy or gal
in charge of a company, say the owner, president, or CEO, it is very
difficult to affect meaningful change, especially in large corporations,
government agencies, or educational institutions. This is not to say
that progress is impossible for folks at the lower rungs of the group
but rather that bureaucracy, once set in place, tends to be self-
perpetuating. As organizations mature layers upon layers of process
controls, policies, and middle management are put in place to assure
that everything stays on the rails, that no one does anything illegal,
unethical, or overly risky. In some ways this is goodness, of course,
but in others it tends to forestall progress, velocity, and innovation to
the detriment of both the organization and the individuals who work
there.
While this can be extraordinarily frustrating for those un-empowered
by lack of authority or influence, it honestly is the way of things. We
may not like it, but we must accept it. Nevertheless, if we pick our
battles wisely and work within the system we can often make a real
difference despite all these challenges. But, we can only do it after
learning how things truly work, how things really get done regardless
of what policies or procedures dictate. It’s not the organization
charts, titles, RACI
[5]
diagrams or process flows that matter, its
spheres of influence, the ability to understand how decisions are
made, build relationships with the right people, and work the system
to our mutual benefit. Here’s an example:
I work with a network engineer named Doug, a guy you won’t find
anywhere near the top of any organization chart but who wields
extraordinary influence nonetheless. In large part this is because
he’s the smartest guy in the room at virtually any meeting he attends.
More importantly, however, it’s because our current CIO and vice
president both used to manage the network organization before
being promoted to the point where they reached their current
positions. When Doug reported to people who reported to those two
guys way back in day they both quickly realized his expertise and
came to heavily lean upon him to make prudent business decisions.
Since a significant network failure could grind factory production to a
halt and get everyone in charge of IT fired in the process, we all take
such things very seriously. As they moved on to new positions both
the VP and CIO kept in touch with their favorite subject matter
expert. Consequently if anyone suggests a change to the network
that might introduce business or technology risk the first phone call
goes to Doug. If he’s not on board, nothing gets implemented.
Knowing this, I was able to grease the skids to enable a significant
strategic change that improved quality and reduced cost, a decision
that never would have been approved if I had approached the guys
at the top directly without first developing a good relationship with
and tacit approval from Doug.
In just about every company, large or small, there’s a “Doug,”
someone with vital subject matter expertise who wields significant
influence beyond his or her official standing or station. This is but
one example, of course, but it demonstrates that information rarely
flows solely along lines defined by the organization chart. “Water
cooler” conversations and other back-channel communications can
be far more important than formal memos or meetings. Good ideas
alone may not be enough without a champion to sponsor or promote
them. Frankly, working both harder and smarter is oftentimes not
enough either. Some of the hardest working people get nothing done
because they do not know how to manipulate the system. This is
why we all need to understand the way things are where we work,
teach, or volunteer. And, we need to accept it even if we don’t like
it…
We need to know the players, understand the game, work within the
constraints we are handed, and be able to succeed in spite of them.
This means playing politics. If you’re anything like me you hate that
word, politics, but if you’re anything like me that’s because you don’t
really understand it. I certainly didn’t. Through long experience,
however, I have come to realize that who you know really is far more
important than what you know… and that’s not necessarily a bad
thing. In fact, working the system for a good purpose is a good thing.
For example, I once got an employee a well-deserved promotion
during a companywide freeze on promotions. I took a lot of heat for
it, but it was the right thing to do. And, it kept us from losing one of
our top-performers to another company.
Politics are only bad when they’re self-serving.
In order to win the office politics game it is vital to take the long view,
always keeping in mind what we’re trying to achieve. We must be
certain to respond rather than react if interactions begin to get
heated or our feelings get hurt. By leaving our egos at the door,
keeping conversations professional, being willing to compromise,
and giving others a face-saving way out we can get along with
everyone better, which in turn means that they are more likely to
respond to us in kind. We can then build alliances, work our spheres
of influence, and advance our cause without generating any lasting
ill-will.
That’s the way it is in most businesses today. As Musashi sagely
states, we need to accept it.
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