The fourth part of this quadrant is the adversaries. Those that you have low trust with and low agreement. I spent my life railing against them. It's hard to let go. Give it up. There's nothing you can do about reaching agreement or influencing certain people. The most powerful thing you can do is to say, God bless them.
Peter Block: The Empowered Manager
Peter Block is an author, consultant, and citizen of Cincinnati, Ohio. His work is about empowerment, stewardship, chosen accountability, and the reconciliation of community. He is the author of several best-selling books, including Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used*, Stewardship: Choosing Service Over Self-Interest*, and The Empowered Manager: Positive Political Skills at Work*.
Key Points
We become “political” at the moment we attempt to translate our vision into action.
Leadership is the capacity to initiate an alternative future.
Most organizations are conflict-averse.
Being “political” wasn’t always a bad thing. The meaning has been distorted.
Pursue your interests but in a way that honors the interests of others.
Power comes from a willingness to be vulnerable.
When you’re vulnerable, all you’re doing is acknowledging what the world already knows.
As soon as people start complaining, they’ve chosen helplessness.
When we have strong negative reactions to people, it’s our projection.
Types of people in the workplace:
Allies = high agreement / high trust
Opponents = high trust / low agreement
Bedfellows = low trust / high agreement
Adversaries = low trust / low agreement
Fence Sitters = low trust / unknown agreement
Resources Mentioned
The Empowered Manager: Positive Political Skills at Work* by Peter Block
Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used* by Peter Block
The Empowered Manager: Positive Political Skills at Work* by Peter Block
Book Notes
Download my highlights from The Empowered Manager in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
How to Handle a Boss Who’s a Jerk, with Tom Henschel (episode 164)
How to Tame Workplace Incivility, with Sharone Bar-David (episode 210)
Find Courage to Speak When It Matters Most, with Allan McDonald (episode 229)
How to Increase Your Conversational Intelligence, with Judith Glaser (episode 271)
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