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RALPH KENYON
EXTRAPOLATOR
SEP 9, 1977
POLITICS
In a recent article in The Research Institute Personal Report for
the Executive, The Four Keys to
Political Success a theory of (organizational) "political
success" was amorally depicted without regard for the nature of the
context organization in which the theoretical scenario occurs. In order to
reflect a proper value and to illustrate the relation to the organization
context of "politics", a few ideas need be added. To present the
various elements in their proper perspective and proportion, in
(organizational) politics, an informal system of interactions among
individuals overlays a formal organization delineating relationships,
responsibility, and authority among positions.
The individuals jockey more or less competitively for position and
power. Whenever an individual advances a project or an idea, one must
marshal allies (to support one or one's cause) - (fractional scheming for
power and status). Each individual is engaged in the furtherance of one's
own interests. Where "altruism" is a "good", the
individual interests and purposes are covert while only
"altruistic" purposes are advanced as justification for courses of
action.
In conflict, the two levels (overt and covert aspects), relate as
Ambrose Bierce delineated: "Politics - A strife of interests
Masquerading as a contest of principles". When the setting for this
scenario is a public organization, Ambrose Bierce's alternate definition is
immediately significant: "Politics - The conduct of public affairs for
private advantage."
As Jean Piaget depicts, individuals must achieve certain levels of
epistemological complexity or ethical sophistication before the
public-private dichotomy can be transcended. Those who are able to transcend
the dichotomy and develop the aperspective synthesis are those who exhibit a
self-control in proportion to their degree of attainment of the aperspective.
Those who are "politically" most successful, on the other hand, do
not demonstrate such self-control.
Several identification features characterize the individuals who are
adherents to the "political" thesis. Some of the less successful
will overtly assert their beliefs; however, the more successful remain
covert and must be inferred. Four activities are considered important for
"political success"; the activities are: the "playing of the
game", collecting information, improving the timing of efforts, and
developing an "intuitive" feel for the political scenario.
"Playing the game" is devoting proportionally more time
and effort to the informal system of interactions, as compared to the formal
position requirements - (visiting, gossiping, socializing, etc.) Collecting
information provides the political player knowledge about his chosen
environment. Ostensibly, any information about the relation of one's
position to others and about the current, past, and projected or planned
activities of the organization comprise knowledge of the "public
affairs" of the organization which enables one to "perform one's
duties". Covertly, any information depicting the informal system of
interactions, the players, their purposes (ostensible and covert) and
values, etc., enable one to assess and plan one's activities. Ideally, one
uses others covert ends as means to one's own covert ends while, ostensibly,
everyone "conducts the business of the organization".
Improving one's "timing" essentially means learning when
activities are conducted with the end of improving the proportion of
successful achievement of one's covert ends. Much activity of this nature
involves "swapping tales" about "cases" involving a
political scenario. The more politically successful participants exchange
"case" information without reference to any covert ends.
Developing an "intuitive feel" for the developing scenario is
simply cultivating the abduction function as applied in the informal
interpersonal system. The four keys, time (to play), information, timing, and
intuition are more generally applicable than the limited application herein,
however in conjunction with the covert-overt purpose and dominance, provide an
adequate instrument for the identification by inference of "major
players".