DECEMBER 15, 2025

1.    Construct Tactical/Strategic Networks.  Building tactical/strategic networks doesn’t mean that you are doing a “search and destroy operation, or getting to know more people than everyone else, it is in knowing the right people, and the quality and value of those people to your objectives.  It is also about having diversity in your network.  Consider your connections. What people, functions or groups are your strongest connections?  Why?  Which are weak or distant connections? Are your close links limited by location or function?  If you change positions, will you need to make new connections?  Who should be in your network but isn’t? Who knows the people you want to know? With this insight, you can strategically ask for introductions, seek opportunities to get to know and work with key people.  When everything is going bad, who are the three people you need to know to get through the situation?

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2.    Interpret the Situation.  Being a perceptive observer and astute to the social aspects of what is happening also helps the informed leader/follower prepare for and tailor their behavior based on the people and the conditions present or anticipated.  Being aware of the non-verbal behaviors is a great way to become more aware of what is happening.  Using the “Active listening skills” allows you to better understand what is happening as well as what is being said.  Paying attention to what is NOT being said can be even more important (Remember only 7% of communication is words that are used). By noting what is happening it is easier to get a feel for the situation.  This allows us to step to #3.

 

3.    Decide the Right Behavior Before Acting.  Now that you know what is happening, control those impulses.  Don’t let yourself become “emotionally hijacked” when someone else knows how to push your emotional buttons. Do we always need to say what we are thinking? (No)  Do we always have to solve everyone else’s problems for them? (No) If you are composed (especially when things go differently than you want) people are more likely to be at ease around you if you remain composed and calm.  They are more likely to engage in those “critical conversations.”  This will help you gain support and build “referent power” (which is based on respect) or influence with them.  This is where emotional intelligence comes in.  Self-awareness and self-management become important and are essential in determining the correct approach to take.

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Remember, emotional intelligence does not mean: Not holding someone accountable for their behavior.  Amy Edmondson’s (2019) research on psychological safety shows that innovation and error-learning thrive in environments where people can speak up without punishment. Working cooperatively builds this condition naturally because co-regulation and shared purpose reduce threat responses. When people trust that mistakes will be addressed constructively, their prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain responsible for creativity and problem-solving, stays active rather than shutting down under stress (McEwen, 2007). 

 

4.    Leave a Good Mental Imprint.  Politically perceptive leaders/followers find that by being honest and sincere in their relationships and requests, along with being vulnerable and congruent in their words and actions, they inspire others to trust and have confidence in them.  In contrast, a lack of integrity, incongruence and lack of vulnerability, will weaken relationships, bring your credibility into question and undermine your influence.
 
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER… Remember, we all work in an elected official’s office and everything we do individually, and as a team, reflects back on the elected official.  So, politics are here to stay, and you will never be able to work in any organization without some form of politics.  But you, as a leader, follower or someone who leads and follows at the same time, can choose how to navigate and influence within the politics of your organization.  You can take part in some of the deceitful, negative, manipulative, favoritism and unethical behaviors…or, you can become the politically savvy professional who develops a good, healthy, diverse network; who takes in and correctly interprets situations, then chooses an appropriate response.  The latter will lead you to leaving people in a better place politically than you found them, which ultimately creates a more open, honest, trusting, and transparent relationship…and if you ask me, that is way more powerful in the long run than the “game playing.”