Politics, Politics, Politics!

I received some feedback on the Manager Workshop I developed. One of the comments had to do with teaching politics. I didn't really include politics... well, not directly. The focus of the Workshop is for first-line managers/supervisors. Although I feel politics are important, I don't feel like you can teach politics in a class-like setting. Politics are something you learn much better from experience. Since I cannot put people in every experience, I can only give a few questions for people to answer when they get into a political situation. (That includes spotting those moments)

Politics is the highest level of business. It starts with functional workers, the people that are the "hands-on" workers. The next level is interpersonal, those people that work with people that are more "hands-on". (This is where most managers/supervisors start) The highest level is political level. When you start learning about politics it is important to spot the situations; increase awareness. If you increase your awareness, you'll learn that everything that is said and done in a political relationship may have multiple levels to the meaning. But, you know, not everything means something.

In fact, that is why you can only really experience politics, not just learn it from some lecture. The importance to know what to do is experience as much as possible. Another good way to learn politics is to learn from someone else's experience. Talk to people that have been in business for a while. It's much easier on your ego to hear how to not act from someone else, than experience it. I can suggest a few ways to become a little more aware. At the risk of sounding too touchy-feely... Try meditating.