Politics & Players: Survive & Thrive

Intro

When you get to certain levels in your career, there are easy jobs when it comes to the actual work, but that does not mean there is no complexity or nuance, politics, or odd dynamics to navigate. All companies have their shit—sometimes it’s something you have the knack to get through, sometimes you don’t. Your ability to navigate company ways of working, communication, relationships, and pure politics will impact your tenure, performance, happiness, and effectiveness.

There are no cakewalks, only walks with cake along the way, possibly even paved in icing, sometimes they’re slick with grease.

The Story

What I see as one of the tough, yet best learning points in my career was a few roles ago when I was in a role as the outsider. Hired into a leadership team (internally) that had just gone through a major reshuffle prior to my start. Multiple leaders shifting out, and shifting in. Promotions, demotions, terminations, etc. Cleaning house. I was coming into a situation that had already gone through significant change at my peer level. I started in a role with high visibility and strong influence across the territory, with a lot of responsibility beyond the people, process, technology, and market. 

The Landscape

Politics were a serious aspect of this role—and I didn’t know how to play at this level or in this way. Ironically, I was leaving a role with a different kind of politics. Politics changes depending on the the organization and players, it’s not A or B, it’s what specific dynamics are going on, and there can be a lot going on, and if you read it incorrectly, you simply won’t survive in the job.

• I was hired into a role by the main stakeholders

• I aligned with the leadership fundamentals with people leadership, based on what I knew going in

• I thought I had clarity with the expectations

• I loved the delivery team I was leading—one of my most enjoyable roles 

In what I’ll call the 2010’s, I just started a new role leading a territory specific to a delivery model. Here’s what it looked like:

• 6 direct reports

• 55 people total 

• No offshore or near-shore deliver center support initially 

• Business was crumbling in my inherited remit…most “anchor” accounts were sinking, not holding anything, it was a house of cards

• Goals based on prior year were comical given the previous points were all time highs heading downward to a stark and sustained reality

• New business was the expectation, but retaining accounts needed 💯 attention, and new business was harder to get through internal politics than actual real life customers

Looking back, I realize the hill I had to climb was a significant hill. I had no idea—I was excited. I was an outsider to the territory - no talent stepped up into the role from the territory, and I didn’t really know any of the directors or the regional leader yet. I even offered to relocate to move inside the territory to do my part and become more of an “insider”. I didn’t comprehend the level of politics between a well liked incumbent, a centralized delivery and sales function, and territory leadership.  

Reality Hits

I wasn’t his guy. I wasn’t from the territory- I was brought in because the territory didn’t have someone ready for the role. I replaced a well-respected and liked individual who had been promoted within the territory to a peer-level role, but a promotion in local terms. I didn’t have a future in the traditional way. I didn’t have political clout within in this team- no relationships at all. I didn’t execute or communicate in a way he appreciated. I was seen as a blocker to the director closest to the territory leader doing things his own way, contrary to the way my actual leader was guiding. I didn’t fit in the box the territory wanted me in. And my leader wasn’t even involved in the territory, but centrally aligned instead. Sounds complicated just sharing this. To top it off, I also had stuff going on personally that was impacting my clarity, patience, and confidence. 

The odds or challenges didn’t matter, there was a job to do, but it is interesting to look back at it and realize what I was up against. It is also eye-opening to think about the blinders you take on when you’re ultra focused on career growth and new challenges.

Through all of this, what mattered was the impact on the people, clients, and the work. We delivered exceptional results for our clients as a regional delivery team, and it wasn’t by accident. The previous person in the role set a foundation to build on with some cracks, but new leaders coming in find cracks, as we all have them in our business hiding somewhere, and sometimes not hiding at all. Now it was time to go next level with results, but how? We needed a vision of where we were going and a roadmap to get there. I spent time with regional leaders, business development account leaders within the regional division, and other key individuals. It was a fact-finding mission and we had a lot to get to, but we did some great things and elevated the territory in people development, business development process, and learning to build out an offering with more opinions and hands in the pot compared to what’s productive.

What I have learned through this reflection is your current or most recent rough situation feels like the worst, until you are proven wrong. Experience teaches you that these situations make you better, and when you see challenges or what may seem like concrete roadblocks, they’re all just temporary or they’re actually made of marshmallows. You plow through them the next time you see them, which means you learned. Earlier in my career, I got frustrated, hurt, and blamed everyone but myself, and I have learned over time that in this case, for self development, it only helps to look at yourself and how you can be the the best you.  And let go all the shit you cannot control. Let go of what you can’t control—it’s eating you and that stress will impact your health, wealth, relationships, and joy.

After thinking more about this time, I realize how much stronger it made me and helped me get perspective on a few things:

• Do your own reference checks before taking a role - they check on you, why wouldn’t you reach out to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly about them?

• Focus on what you can control, mitigate what you can’t

• What you say, or even prove, means less than what the perception is or what influential people are spinning

• Validate what you think and feel—don’t allow assumptions to create truths in your head

• Politics gets significantly harder as you elevate in the firm, understand and operate as such—we often have a lot more to learn than we think, and your alliances will help carry you through so build them intentionally, don’t allow them to just happen.

• If you don’t share what personal baggage you’re carrying, or that you have some stuff going on, how do you expect people who don’t know you, to know the difference—they won’t give you a pass on some things, some more time, understand your reactions, or get you, if they don’t know you have some shit going on.

• If you have two bosses, you better know who is the real boss—the one holding the power, who uses it, not the one by title and structure, moving internal pieces and losing the power struggle.

• Everything is temporary. Change is a certainty. Some roles will be amazing, others will not—don’t let one role or company break you. Your career trajectory will launch or tank based on what you make of these bumps, forks, twists, turns, and debacles.

• Let it go—never let someone else maintain control over you. This is your show in your own life. No one else’s. Every other person and company is a visitor in your story. Yes, some may feel so significant at times, but they don’t own your future, they cannot hold you back, unless you let them.

Looking back, all the situations or challenges were the opportunities to make an impact, these were the meaningful work. I just didn’t know if yet. So the next time someone, or event the world, seems to be out to get you, playing games, or executives of clients seem extra difficult, remember this is why your role exists and it’s providing you the opportunity to change the trajectory forever. It won’t be easy, but it’ll be worth it. These are the situations and experiences that make you better. 

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Closing

No matter what’s in your way, your power will come from finding your ability to push ahead and move with relentless vigor and conviction.

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Supporting Content - For More to the Story

If you want to hear about another experience—worst year of my career, check this out:

Hopefully, this added a little value to your business or leadership journey. Thank you for reading. If you think this may help someone else, please repost ♻️ or share. Thanks for being here. 🌍🏔️

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"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

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About the Author, Graham Peelle