Published: February 01, 2009
With companies of all types now feeling the effects of the economic downturn, following a period of rapid global and technological development, the pressures on employees, as well as organisations, have changed dramatically. The employment market in all disciplines is highly competitive and with many firms downsizing, and fewer companies hiring, competition is likely to become even more aggressive. Treasurers are not immune from this trend, but even those whose jobs would seem secure need to continue to demonstrate value - both personally and as a department. With this in mind, we are delighted to present the first in a two-part series by Dr Linda Taylor. In this first article, she outlines the importance of political skills. In the second, which will appear in the next edition of TMI, she looks at social skills and offers advice on effective networking.
So, you’ve worked hard, met your deadlines, done extra work, and regularly put in extra time at the office. But you still haven’t achieved the career success you believe you deserve. Have you seen other colleagues get promoted and not understood why them and not you? The possible problem - you are still relying exclusively on traditional business skills to achieve career success.
The solution: Develop and use non-traditional business skills.
“I believe that my lack of development in this area [non-traditional business skills] has impacted my career.... It is an area that I am currently trying to develop.”[1]
Individuals frustrated with their career success may be relying exclusively on the use of traditional business skills such as education, training, and work experience. The business environment, however, has changed, and what was once required to be successful is no longer enough. Recent research shows that the traditional skill set used in the past will no longer suffice on its own to guarantee career success. For individuals, this means taking control of their career management and adding to their skill set, using non-traditional skills in addition to traditional ones.[2]
The business environment, however, has changed, and what was once required to be successful is no longer enough.
The new business environment of increased competition, global markets and continuous communication and technology improvements has impacted both organisations and individuals. Organisations have downsized, restructured, and outsourced their work. Individuals have felt the changes with job losses throughout the entire organisation, there is no longer a “psychological contract” or a womb-to-tomb mentality which guarantees employment, and managers have become so concerned about their own jobs they have little time or energy to help their staffs.
Bottom line, career success is more difficult to achieve then ever before. The successful use of non-traditional business skills can provide the competitive edge between you and your competition.
Think of it this way: Traditional business skills are those that you usually list on your resume. A good resume will get you the interview. However, good non-traditional business skills will get you the job.
While the use of non-traditional skills is not a substitute for the use of traditional business skills, research does prove that they are a requirement for achieving career success. Non-traditional skills are varied, including such skills and tactics as gender management, impression management, and proactive behaviour. Four of the most widely accepted and extensively used are reviewed here - political skills, social skills, mentoring, and networking. Although the latter two skills are, perhaps, the most known of the non-traditional skill set, the first two are equally important. What they really encompass, and their skilful use, however, are not as well known or discussed.
Non-traditional skills and tactics, such as networking and mentoring, have proven to be very effective towards the realisation of career success. Influence tactics using political and social skills have proven to be very successful in organisational interfaces. In recent research conducted by the Centre of Creative Leadership, a significant contributor to executive derailment has been the lack of these non-traditional skills.[2]
Here’s a quick definition of the skills. We will look at each one in more detail, take the mystery away, and break them down in a very analytical manner.
“Too late in my career I have learned that these [non-traditional business skills] are far more important than quality and quantity of work. My career has been dramatically disappointing. I always thought work spoke for itself, but it does not, at least in a large corporation with ‘cloned” management styles.’”[1]
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Political skills - they are not dirty words! And despite one Latin translation which defined politics as “poli” meaning “many” and “tics” as “blood sucking creatures,” strong political skills are vital to one’s career success.
Research has found that the use of political skills has become increasingly important to an individual’s career. They are absolutely critical to job and career success in organisations today. And while, perhaps not explicitly recognising and labelling it as such, organisations have been selecting and promoting people based upon these political skills.[2]
Research has found that the use of political skills has become increasingly important to an individual's career.
Although recognised as an important factor in an individual’s career success, political skills have often eluded clear definition, so let’s take a more detailed look at what is meant when we say “political skills” and the important role they play in career success.
Political skills, or influence, are generally separated into two categories, or motives - Ingratiation and Self-Promotion
Ingratiation
Ingratiation is the ability to influence behaviour attempting to increase liking by, or to, a targeted individual. Ingratiation behaviour is effective due to Heider’s balance theory that predicts that liking is reciprocated. This theory simplistically states that if Individual A believes that Individual B likes him or her, and then Individual A will be motivated to reciprocate this feeling, and like Individual B right back.
Considerable research in social psychology supports this theory. This research indicates that people who are skilled at ingratiation are better liked, receive more favourable performance appraisals, and receive more pay raises than their co-workers.[3]
Research conducted in 2007 with a group of successful business people showed that two of the top abilities valued by executive management, were the ability to get along with difficult people, and the ability to work within all levels of the organisation.1 Ingratiating behaviour is one of the key skills utilised to accomplish this.
Self-Promotion
Self-promotion is the ability to highlight to others one’s personal accomplishments, characteristics, or qualities in order to present oneself in the most favourable manner.4 This behaviour also extends to making excuses for negative events, and blaming them on external factors.
The two main forms of self-promotion materialise as entitlements and enhancements.
By taking or enhancing credit for positive events and making excuses for negative ones, individuals are actively promoting the assessment of their qualifications, worth, or performance.
For many, political skills can be very difficult to use especially if you were brought up to be modest and taught that it was rude to brag about your accomplishments. This can be especially true for women (I’ve told my mother I blame her for this!). But You Have To Change!
Political skills, along with social skills, are fundamental to performing well in dynamic organisational environments.
At first, it may be very uncomfortable using ingratiation and self-promotion to promote yourself, but watch for opportunities and practice these skills in a disarming and engaging manner. If your group goes to lunch together, this is a perfect opportunity to practice these skills. Watch how some of your successful colleagues or managers do this and learn from them. Remember, your management is focused on their jobs, not yours, and they often need to be reminded of your accomplishments. Just keep in mind, if your management doesn’t know about the great things you have done for the company (or them!), they won’t know it is in their own best interests to keep you happy and achieving.
Research has shown that both self-promotion and ingratiation behaviours can have positive as well as negative results depending upon how and upon whom they are practiced. Due to this sensitivity, it is important to note that individuals successfully utilising political skills do not necessarily use the same tactic in every situation. Different individuals may choose different influence strategies when faced with similar situations. Whereas one employee may use self-promotion to obtain a job offer, that same person may use ingratiation to obtain a promotion or salary increase. Another employee, however, in the same situation may use just the opposite tactic; he or she may use ingratiation to obtain a job offer and self-promotion to gain a pay increase.
Political skills, along with social skills, are fundamental to performing well in dynamic organisational environments as they allow individuals to effectively navigate through the corporate world by providing the flexibility and adaptability necessary to be successful. As organisations are inherently political, successful individuals have the political savvy to know when, what, and how to say the right thing and to do so in a disarmingly, charming, and engaging manner that inspires confidence and trust.2 Even though most managers, when asked, respond that “they don’t play those games”, in reality, they had to in order to reach their current position.
One additional point on political skills for women and minorities. Several research studies have argued that political skill deficiency is responsible for the failure of women and racial minorities to move forward in organisations and for their difficulty in obtaining executive management positions.2 Back to that argument of how we were brought up....
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