HBR Guide to Office Politics

Every organization has its share of political drama: Personalities clash. Agendas compete. Turf wars erupt. But you need to work productively with your colleagues – even the challenging ones – for the good of your organization and your career. How can you do that without compromising your integrity? By acknowledging that power dynamics and unwritten rules exist and constructively navigating them. Whether you’re a new professional or an experienced one, this guide will teach you how to:

• Build relationships with difficult people
• Gain allies and increase your sphere of influence
• Wrangle resources
• Move up without alienating your colleagues
• Avoid power games and petty rivalries
• Claim credit when it’s due.

Audience includes anyone who complains about politics in their organization and anyone who has been manipulated by a boss or colleague who was trying to get ahead.
Offers guidance on: taking control of a situation; developing better relationships; diffusing drama; being authentic.

• HBR Guides are “smarter than the average guide”.
• Packed with concise, practical tips from leading experts.

Review
“To help people learn how to use office politics to get things done rather than merely suffer as the victim of the machinations of others, Harvard Business Review Press has just published HBR Guide to Office Politics by Karen Dillon.” — Vedomosti

“Office politics might sound a somewhat throwaway knockabout topic for such an esteemed set of guides but as former Harvard Business Review editor Karen Dillon demonstrates, it’s deadly serious. Her guide tackles common quandaries, from an over-controlling manager to a bullying colleague, employing real, practical advice rather than pop psychology, and her guidance on effective conflict management techniques is as sound as you’ll read anywhere.” — People Management (UK)

“The tagline to HBR Guide to Office Politics is “Rise above rivalry, Avoid power games, Build better relationships.” It offers dozens of really useful tips to help us do exactly that.” — MindTools (mindtools.com)

About the Author
Karen Dillon is a coauthor of How Will You Measure Your Life? (With Clayton M. Christensen and James Allworth). She was the editor of Harvard Business Review from 2010 to 2011 and is now a contributing editor. A graduate of Cornell University and Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Dillon began managing people very early in her career, which led to a particular interest in the topics of leadership, developing talent and managing yourself. Ashoka, a global network of social entrepreneurs, named her one of the world’s most influential and inspiring women in 2011.