Robina Chatham

Making aMaking adifferencedifference

Corporate politics for IT Managers

Dr Robina Chatham


© Robina Chatham Ltd

At a meeting …What percentage of the dialogue is objective?



How decisions are made

2 2 -- 3%3%based on Facts!

97 97 -- 98%98%based on Opinions

Perceptions

Interpretations

Beliefs

Aspirations

Assumptions

Research into 10 major organizations including IBM



Corporate politics

What do the wordsWhat do the wordsmean to you?mean to you?



Corporate politics

Doing deals

Getting one over

Scoring points

Secrecy and subterfuge

Mafiosi tactics

Win – lose

Doing dealsDoing deals

Getting one overGetting one over

Scoring pointsScoring points

Secrecy and subterfugeSecrecy and subterfuge

Mafiosi tacticsMafiosi tactics

Win Win –– loselose

What politics are often construed as:What politics are often construed as:



Corporate politics

Influence

Collaboration

Building relationships

Openness and honesty

Streetwise

Win – win

InfluenceInfluence

CollaborationCollaboration

Building relationshipsBuilding relationships

Openness and honestyOpenness and honesty

StreetwiseStreetwise

Win Win –– winwin

What politics are really about?What politics are really about?



‘‘ReadingReading’’: understanding the external world:: understanding the external world:

• Decision-making processes• Overt and covert agendas• Bases of power• Own locus of influence• Culture, style• ‘Politics’

‘‘CarryingCarrying’’: managing the external world:: managing the external world:

• Acting with integrity• Avoiding psychological game-playing• Accepting self and others for what they are• Win-win strategies for conflict management

From political unawareness to political awarenessFrom political unawareness to political awareness

From psychological gameFrom psychological game--playing to acting with integrityplaying to acting with integrity

Leaders who have attained long term success



The concept of ‘dolphinism’

Psychological game playingPsychological game playing Acting with integrityActing with integrity

Polit

ical

ly a

war

ePo

litic

ally

aw

are

Polit

ical

ly u

naw

are

Polit

ical

ly u

naw

are



Recognizes and exploits weaknesses inothersSelf-centred behaviourCharming veneerInsecure but well defendedLikes games involving winners and losersManipulative

Takes account of other people personallyExcellent listener and aware of others’viewpointsNon-defensive: open and shares informationCreative and imaginativeLikes and engineers win-win situations Ethical

Not tuned into grapevine: blocked antennaeConspiring with the powerlessEmotionally illiterateSees things in black and whiteNot recognizing when fighting a losing battleUnprincipled

Wide eyed simplicityBelieves you are right if you are in authorityBelieves in sticking to the rules, “there is a right answer”Too busy to networkDoesn’t know how to build coalitions/alliancesPrincipled

CLEVERCLEVER

INEPTINEPT

WISEWISE

INNOCENTINNOCENT

The four behaviour sets



Creating trust

If you say you’re going to do somethingfor someone…

Do it

Actions speak louder than wordsActions speak louder than words



Trust/integrity is like virginity

Once youOnce you’’ve lost itve lost it……

And remember…



Objective: to look for opportunities to competeand to win at any cost

Objective: to collaborate to achieve win-win outcomes

Objective: ideally to win; but at least understand why I keep loosing

Objective: to keep my head down and not get involved; something played by other people

SPORTSPORT

GAMEGAME

FACT OT LIFEFACT OT LIFE

TO BE AVOIDEDTO BE AVOIDED

How would the animals perceive corporatepolitics?



How do IT leaders measure up?

How important do you believe IT is to the future of your businesHow important do you believe IT is to the future of your business?s?94% said EXCEEDINGLY94% said EXCEEDINGLY

How highly do you rate your own IT function?How highly do you rate your own IT function?46% said NOT VERY HIGHLY46% said NOT VERY HIGHLY32% said THEY ARE OK AT THE TECHNICAL STUFF32% said THEY ARE OK AT THE TECHNICAL STUFF

Is your most senior IT person considered to be a member of the Is your most senior IT person considered to be a member of the ““inner sanctuminner sanctum””??

98% said NO98% said NO



ReputationsReputations

What is the problem?



Words and phrases which come to mind…

Estate agentEstate agent

Accountant Accountant

PoliticianPolitician

Social workerSocial worker

Traffic wardenTraffic warden

AcademicAcademic



Stereotyping

Something we do automatically and subconsciouslySomething we do automatically and subconsciously

Results from our primitive survival instinctsResults from our primitive survival instincts

Our brains are programmed or hardwired to do itOur brains are programmed or hardwired to do it

Takes the form of classifying people based on Takes the form of classifying people based on minimal evidenceminimal evidence

Works mainly on looks and a few readily apparent Works mainly on looks and a few readily apparent behavioursbehaviours

We We ““pigeon holepigeon hole”” people into inpeople into in--groups and outgroups and out--groupsgroups

It is not It is not ““realityreality”” but it does affect our perception of but it does affect our perception of people and their reputationpeople and their reputation



NeocortexConsciousness

Visual Cortex

Pre-frontal lobes

Limbic System

Amygdala

Brain architecture



The IT stereotype

Comfortable with logic, facts and dataComfortable with logic, facts and data

Uncomfortable with ambiguity and Uncomfortable with ambiguity and unpredictabilityunpredictability

Black and white : no shades of greyBlack and white : no shades of grey

Politically naPolitically naïïveve

Lacking in business awarenessLacking in business awareness

Loyalty to IT professionLoyalty to IT profession

UnimaginativeUnimaginative

Poor at accepting criticism Poor at accepting criticism -- quick to quick to rationaliserationalise

Risk adverseRisk adverse

Lacking in interpersonal skillsLacking in interpersonal skills

CanCan’’t win, so doesnt win, so doesn’’t fightt fight



Working inpartnership with

the business

Working inpartnership with

the business

IS strategicplanning

IS strategicplanning

Aligning IS andbusiness goals

Aligning IS andbusiness goals

FOCUS

ISSUES

Doing the same things cheaper

Getting the technology to

work

IS measurement & performance

metrics

Demonstrating the business value of

IS/IT

1970’s

Technical Focus

Business Focus

Organisationaltransformation& the people

factor

Organisationaltransformation& the people

factor

2010’s

Relationships – probably the no. 1 issue of the day



Personalcredibility

Exceptionalpeopleskills

Business credibility

Technical credibility

InfluenceInfluence

Thrive Thrive

Survive Survive

What it takes to become a dolphin in ICT

Lead Lead Difficult to learn

Easy to learn



…delight your customers and your leadership

Succeed and…



Thank – you and any questions?

Dr Robina [email protected]

+44 (0)1234 765103

mailto:[email protected]

Robina Chatham

Technology

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