Being politically savvy

- Gore Vidal said, politics is made up…of two words, poly, which is Greek for many,…and ticks, which are blood sucking insects.…That's not the word's real derivation.…But for many of us, it captures the reality…of politics and organizations.…Just like in sports, some people…play fair, some don't.…Sometimes they get away with it for awhile,…and sometimes not...…Organizational politics is here to stay,…and can either work for you, or against you.…The real question is not whether…to be political or non political,…it's how to be politically aware.…

And I'm not saying politics is always unhealthy,…but there are three fundamentals…you can use to navigate politics…in a healthy, positive way,…even if others sometimes don't.…First fundamental, learn what's not on the org chart.…Everyone knows about the formal org chart,…with lines connecting boxes…to show who reports to whom.…That's a map about how things supposedly get done.…But in addition to the org chart,…you need to learn how things actually get done.…Learn the culture, customs, systems,…