| As this article is being written, it's another election year | | | | placed: from rational to political. This continuum |
| and politicians are busy touting their ideas, wisdom, and | | | | describes the decision-making processes of an |
| qualifications. Well, we're all politicians-- especially in | | | | organization. Those closer to the political pole of the |
| management. Organizations are political as well as | | | | continuum tend to make decisions based on power |
| economic entities, and you better hone your political | | | | and influence, the primary ingredients of politics. |
| skills to thrive in the business environment. | | | | Organizations which enjoy a more rational |
| THE ENVIRONMENT | | | | decision-making paradigm base their decisions primarily |
| Organizations are political minefields for the naïve | | | | on logic and reason. Of course, in the real-world the |
| and uninitiated. Many careers have been abruptly or | | | | completely rational organization does not exist, and |
| permanently derailed due to the political ineptness of | | | | neither does the 100% political organization. |
| the incumbent. It requires savvy, skillful human relations | | | | Where does your organization fall on this continuum? Is |
| to move up the corporate ladder, and recognition of, | | | | it highly political, with most decisions based principally on |
| and appreciation for, the political landscape. | | | | power and influence? Or is it highly rational, where |
| Some organizations are more political than others, but | | | | decisions are made using logic and reason, facts and |
| they're all political. Government managers are often so | | | | data? |
| close to the body politic (formal political structure) that | | | | THE "BOTTOM-LINE" |
| they frequently cannot avoid becoming enmeshed in | | | | Recognize that all organizations are political, although to |
| politics. Marketing firms, corporate law firms, media | | | | varying degrees. And, all managers must have political |
| conglomerates, and public relations firms typically are | | | | skills and knowledge to survive and advance. Analyze |
| also highly politicized, whereas highly technical and | | | | your organization and become aware of, and |
| manufacturing firms may be lesser so. Of course, all of | | | | sensitized to, the political environment in which you |
| this can change in an instant. An SEC investigation, | | | | operate. Whatever the circumstance, try to develop |
| FDA ruling, auditor's opinion, union disagreement, | | | | your political awareness and skills. |
| newspaper article, or corporate scandal can politically | | | | Copyright ©, 2008, Dr. Ben A. Carlsen, MBA. All |
| charge the most stable, and ostensibly non-political, | | | | Rights Reserved Worldwide for all Media. You may |
| organization. And, much of what is described so far, | | | | reprint this article in your ezine, newsletter, newspaper, |
| can be considered external influences. Internal politics, | | | | magazine, website, etc. as long as you leave all of the |
| and jockeying for positions, advantage, and favor is | | | | links active, do not edit the article in any way, leave my |
| the norm in most enterprises. | | | | name and bio box intact, and you follow all of the |
| POLITICAL vs RATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS | | | | EzineArticles Terms of Service for Publishers. |
| There is a continuum on which organizations can be | | | | |