Chief Change Officer Podcast Summary
Episode Title: Jennifer Selby Long on Growing Beyond Office Politics: Breaking Free from Toxic Cultures That Follow You - Part One
Host: Vince Chan
Guest: Jennifer Selby Long
Release Date: November 25, 2024
Introduction
In this insightful episode of Chief Change Officer, host Vince Chan welcomes back a familiar and esteemed guest, Jennifer Selby Long. Jennifer, a seasoned expert with over three decades of experience in guiding tech leaders through organizational change, joins the show for a four-episode series under her own name. With Vince navigating his 18th career transition, Jennifer brings valuable perspectives on managing both personal and organizational transformations.
Vince introduces Jennifer:
"Jennifer, welcome back to Chief Change Officer. You are setting a new record for us for one guest. You are going to have four episodes under your own name."
[00:11]
Understanding Office Politics
The episode delves deep into the pervasive issue of office politics, exploring why they persist in modern workplaces and the factors that contribute to their existence.
Vince poses the opening question:
"In your view, why do office politics exist? What factors contribute to their presence in the modern workplace?"
[04:05]
Jennifer's Insights: Jennifer identifies two primary reasons for the existence of office politics:
- Failure to Build Trust and Cohesion: A personal aspect where lack of trust among team members fosters political maneuvers.
- Failure to Align on Strategy: A business-related factor where misalignment in strategic direction leads to power struggles.
She also highlights a contemporary factor:
"The global and virtual nature of many businesses combined with a certain willful blindness on the part of nearly everyone to accept some of the hard realities and trade-offs."
[04:05]
Real-World Examples and Leadership Dynamics
Jennifer shares a compelling example of a leadership team she worked with, illustrating how budget cuts and shifting team dynamics can lead to increased office politics.
Jennifer recounts:
"Their membership had started to change a little bit. A key team member was leaving to retire... Their performance deteriorated, and power struggles emerged."
[05:55]
She emphasizes the importance of in-person interactions to resolve such issues:
"People who need to make difficult decisions together in a complex business environment actually need to be together in person far more often than most of us realize."
[05:55]
Vince adds a relatable observation:
"Imagine all the real role discussions that could spark these lunch hours and coffee shop conversations... Where colleagues vent their frustrations, share unfiltered truths."
[10:33]
Strategies to Navigate Office Politics
Jennifer outlines a five-step approach to help individuals manage and overcome office politics:
- Stop Fighting and Venting: Cease unproductive venting to allow problem-solving.
- Step Back and Analyze with Curiosity and Empathy: Understand the motivations behind others' actions.
- Align Interests: Identify and collaborate with allies who share common goals.
- Find a Co-Leader: Partner with someone willing to co-lead and share credit in resolving conflicts.
- Stay Focused on Desired Outcomes: Maintain attention on the goals and the needs of all parties involved.
Jennifer advises:
"Stay focused on the outcome that you want and the interests and needs of the people involved. That's really the last ongoing thing in that little approach that I've recommended."
[13:30]
She also discusses the natural resilience some individuals possess against office politics, attributing it to inherent temperament:
"There are some people who are just... naturally built in a way that's not going to worth too much."
[21:23]
Impact of Hybrid and Remote Work on Office Politics
The conversation transitions to the influence of hybrid and remote work models on office politics. Vince raises the question of whether reduced in-person interactions mitigate political tensions or simply transform them.
Vince questions:
"Do you think having a hybrid work model might actually help manage office politics or does it make things worse?"
[21:23]
Jennifer responds: She explains that the impact of hybrid models on office politics is nuanced and depends largely on the specifics of the work environment. If remote work leads to isolation and lack of connection, it can exacerbate political tensions as employees feel disconnected from one another.
"Most of the clients that we work with are distributed not throughout one metropolitan area, but across the globe. People who are lonely at work and don't feel connected, it causes a lot of additional problems and feeds notions of politics."
[22:58]
Jennifer emphasizes the need for ongoing assessment and adaptation as hybrid work remains a relatively new paradigm.
Conclusion and Teaser for Next Episode
Vince wraps up the episode by summarizing the exploration of office politics, their root causes, and the influence of leadership behaviors. He teases the next episode, which promises to delve deeper into why certain talented individuals may struggle amidst political environments and how to ensure that the best ideas and efforts prevail.
"Tomorrow in our next episode, we continue our series on office politics. If you've ever wondered why the smartest or hardest working people aren't always the ones who succeed... tomorrow's episode is for you."
[24:35]
Key Takeaways
- Office politics stem from a lack of trust and strategic misalignment, exacerbated by the challenges of modern, often virtual, workplaces.
- In-person interactions are crucial for resolving complex team dynamics and reducing political maneuvering.
- Jennifer's five-step strategy provides a structured approach to managing and mitigating office politics.
- Hybrid work models have a complex relationship with office politics, potentially both alleviating and transforming traditional political dynamics.
- Leadership's role is pivotal in shaping workplace culture and either curbing or inadvertently encouraging office politics.
Notable Quotes
-
Jennifer Selby Long:
"Politics are part of a human condition and they always have been... But in today's more virtual environment, the need for in-person collaboration is greater than ever."
[04:05] -
Vince Chan:
"Where the true pulse of the office comes alive is where colleagues vent their frustrations, share unfiltered truths about the team, the boss, and all the office politics in play."
[10:33] -
Jennifer Selby Long:
"Most leadership teams probably need to be together at least once a quarter in person, despite the personal hardship and the extra cost associated with this."
[05:55]
Connect with Chief Change Officer:
Make change with us on LinkedIn, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.