Workplace politics influences every organization, especially where resources and opportunities are limited. Instead of avoiding it, focus on how to engage. You can choose manipulation or act with integrity. Four guiding principles—Trust, Integrity, Excellence, and Stewardship—serve as a reliable compass in any setting, from boardrooms to startups.
1. Trust: The Currency of Every Workplace
Trust is an invaluable asset in the workplace. In uncertain environments, personal trust can substitute for formal assurances. People prefer to work with those who honour commitments and protect confidences.
Be selective about whom you trust; a friendly demeanour doesn’t guarantee true friendship. Observe how colleagues speak about others; it reflects how they may talk about you. Stay loyal to the mission and your principles, rather than aligning with specific cliques.
2. Integrity: Your Non-Negotiable
Integrity is revealed by actions under pressure, especially when unobserved. In many African workplaces, this is often challenged: a manager might push for preferential treatment for a supplier, a colleague might encourage data manipulation, a superior may expect silence on irregularities, and favoritism in hiring might be framed as a family obligation.
3. Excellence: Let Your Work Speak, Then Make Sure It Is Heard
Excellence is a key form of political protection. Consistently exceptional work makes you harder to overlook and easier to support. However, it needs visibility and the right context to thrive. Moreover, excellence provides moral authority to advocate for change, allowing those with strong track records to challenge poor decisions more safely than others.
4. Stewardship: Leading as Caretaker, Not Owner
Stewardship is the belief that your position, resources, and influence are entrusted to you, not owned by you. This counter-cultural idea challenges the common view of power as entitlement and can lead to significant change. A true steward asks: How can I strengthen this team? Who am I developing? Are the organization’s resources used effectively?
Conclusion
Workplace politics can benefit the cunning in the short term, but it’s the enduring professionals with strong principles and awareness of people who truly succeed. They build trust, uphold integrity, strive for excellence, and use their power responsibly.
Joshua Agbozo
Politics is unavoidable. Principled leadership is a choice. Talk to us about building it across your organisation.
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