Office politics and creative conflict

I suspect that our chief executive officer (CEO), who will retire in two years, is creating a conflict between and among three sales executives. The executives also suspect they’re being assessed as candidates to replace the CEO, who has remarked that a little office politics helps create healthy and friendly competition. The competition is heating up, and is adversely affecting sales performance. Is there a cure? — Lone Wolf.

You may have evidence to suspect that the CEO is creating conditions to foster creative conflict. Just the same, it should remain a suspicion since creating conflict is not the ideal approach for choosing candidates. Being suspicious could be a personal asset. But to be suspicious all the time, and without facts, is a liability.

Besides, sales performance should not be the only basis for choosing a replacement CEO; there are many other factors to consider. For one, general-manager skills like human resources, finance, operations, and public relations, among others. It is possible to imagine a manager who excels at sales but struggles with people management.

We must also talk about consistent work performance over the past five years if we are to consider promoting an executive to CEO.

And that’s not all. Creating conditions for so-called “creative conflict” could backfire, complicating the relationship among the candidates and poor performance all around. At the extreme, the candidates could sabotage one another to the detriment of the organization.

The most important thing to understand is whether the current CEO has a mandate from the owners or the board to undertake such a process in finding a replacement. In general, the only thing we know for certain is that the CEO is the conduit between the board of directors and the executives and their workers.

We’re not even sure if the CEO has the mandate to choose a replacement from among the leading internal candidates. What if the board decides to hire someone from outside the organization?

OFFICE POLITICS
Workplace conflict is everywhere. Many of them are deliberate rather than accidental creations. Sometimes, workplace conflict happens due to office politics or opposing management styles. If this happens, the result can be disastrous for the organization.

Any person, regardless of rank, can play office politics if he uses his discretionary powers to promote a personal agenda. His motive may include revenge, amassing power and authority, building an empire and beating rivals to key promotions, among others.

However, there’s also a positive side to office politics, which may cause workers to enhance their image or personal brand, making them appear more professional.

Experts have noted that to have successful careers, managers need to be good politicians, but not to the extent of violating the company’s ethical, moral, and legal standards. Just the same, the question remains: should the CEO create conflict to identify a successor, assuming that he’s authorized to do that?

Such an approach is dangerous. Office politics does more harm than good. It’s more of a problem than a solution for any organization. It consumes a lot of energy, disrupts the candidates’ work, and damages their relationships with colleagues in the long term. Because of political infighting, corporate goals and sales targets may fall by the wayside as candidates are diverted from what needs to be done.

Further, office politics reduces trust and diminishes respect. In a tense political environment, it also affects the well-being of non-management workers and undermines active collaboration between and among functional units.

In real terms, how would you assess whether office politics is good or bad?�� Let’s answer this question by raising more questions:

One, does it result in the greatest good for the greatest number of people inside an organization?�� If not, then it’s clearly bad politics.

Two, does it violate any person’s rights, as in when rivals tap each others’ telephones to obtain embarrassing evidence?�� If yes, then it’s bad politics.

Three, does it treat all persons fairly? Do rules and penalties apply to all regardless of their personal circumstances?�� If not, then it’s bad politics.

Playing office politics is inevitable for everyone.�� You cannot ignore it and hope it dies a natural death. There’s only one option for you — manage it well.

Bring Rey Elbo’s leadership program called “Superior Subordinate Supervision” to your management. Chat with him on Facebook, LinkedIn, X (Twitter) or e-mail [email protected] or via