Office politics -- even for people who don’t want to play ‘em, they are there, and they can be powerful.

In their book “Make Talent Your Business,” Wendy Axelrod and Jeannie Coyle encourage managers to acknowledge that organizational politics exist. Further, they encourage leaders to develop good employees by showing them the ropes about how to navigate the treacherous waters of office politics. They suggest the following:

• Clarify and adjust assumptions about organization politics. Yes, people often use political skills for unprincipled self-serving. Employees who can read the dynamics, however, can create and sell effective solutions.
• Help map the bumpy political terrain. Make sure employees get a full view of the landscape, so they know where danger points occur.
• Coach employees to build a portfolio of politically smart approaches. Set a strategy, influence others and adapt familiar skills to political solutions.
• Prepare for and sometimes rehearse the handling of complex situations. Employees will do better after having had the opportunity to fine-tune messages, practice handling questions, listen to opposing views, think through their reactions and adapt an appropriate personal presence.

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