Digging Your Well Before You Are Thirsty: Building relationships with key departments within an organization

There probably isn’t another word in any language more vilified than the word “politics.” Simply saying the word evokes such a visceral response that one might be inclined to request excusal to recover! Churning of stomachs, gnashing of teeth, and rolling of eyes quickly communicate a united position on the matter.

While that ubiquitous response isn’t always unfounded given the slights (and stabs) commonly associated with it, politics deserves another look, a fresher definition that reveals its usefulness in accomplishing objectives. It’s time for a little re-branding that permits politics to cast off its antagonist image and realize asset status in creating VALUE in project work.

One definition that repositions politics as a protagonist says it’s about getting people with different interests moving in a common direction. When thinking about the effort behind actualizing project objectives, it’s clear formal and informal networks must be used to get work done. It’s no easy feat to get individuals and groups with disparate goals working collectively. It requires patience, organizational awareness, and a broad, deep network of relationships.

Although a project is defined by the Project Management Institute as “a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or service,” the net effect is somewhere someone is going to have to do something different, which results in needing an army standing in the ready to help make the change happen.

For project-driven change to occur it needs cultivated, fertile ground and a deep well of resources, but creating that doesn’t happen overnight. While building relationships cross-functionally is a great lateral first step to cultivation, it’s the caring and feeding of those relationships that sustain and maximize the effort and provide a deep well of resources when needed. There is no single method available to do this because people are involved and people have different values and needs.

Digging that deep well of resources is an operational activity, which should not occur only in conjunction with when something is needed from someone. It’s this first person, “I” position that triggers the churning of stomachs, gnashing of teeth, and rolling of eyes and leaves the area littered with pardons begged and excuses made. This is just one example of the behavior that destined “politics” to be cast as the villain in organizations.

And this prompts the following question: how does one dig that well and then care and maintain it so the invaluable resources it contains are available when needed? Well, it starts with creating a little VALUE, which acronym that means the following:

Visibility – Ask questions; be curious about people. Adapt your style to the style of others.
Availability – Stop multi-tasking and be present for others. Put the “crackberry” down!
Lead by Example – Do what you say you’re going to do. Treat others how you like to be treated.
Understanding – Show empathy for constraints. Lend a helping hand.
Embracement – Create ownership by hearing and incorporating their ideas.

It’s through VALUE that politics can assume a position of asset instead of liability. Now, go create some VALUE!