The Four Components of Office Politics

Everyone at work has their own priorities, concerns, and agendas, and knowing what those are allows us to navigate projects and meetings more deliberately and successfully. But how do you get the intel you need to achieve the results you want, especially if you’re the odd woman out in a male-dominated company and industry? What exactly does “political capital” mean? And how does one begin to change exclusionary and toxic politics so that they’re inclusive and healthy?

Organizational psychologist Madeleine Wyatt answers those questions and offers advice on how to become more politically savvy, in conversation with a transportation planner who’s determined to find a less tiring, more authentic approach to winning over clients and influencing others.

Guest expert:

Madeleine Wyatt is a professor at King’s Business School. Her research examines diversity at work and the role informal and political processes play in people’s rise into leadership.

Resources:

• “Office Politics Don’t Have to Be Toxic,” by Madeleine Wyatt and Elena Doldor
• “3 Simple Ways for Women to Rethink Office Politics and Wield More Influence at Work,” by Kathryn Heath
• “Navigating Office Politics When There Is No Office,” by Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic and Dorie Clark
• HBR Guide to Office Politics, by Karen Dillon
• “Networking Doesn’t Have to Be a Drag,” by Women at Work

Sign up for the Women at Work newsletter.

Email us: womenatwork@hbr.org