Devoted to how insight is developed, shared and acted on

Share this article :

Other articles you may be interested in:

Are You Politically Correct?

In an Insight team, as in many other walks of life, it pays to be politically aware. Ultimately, your success may depend more upon not what you know, but who you know. This could make the difference between being just a backroom department or being an influential team.
 
If you want insight to be taken seriously so that it underpins decision-making in your organisation, you need to influence the right people. However impressive your work is, if you haven’t got the key decision makers on board, your recommendations probably won’t be implemented. There are three key rules to achieving this:
 
Know your organisation – you need to:
  • Understand your company’s internal politics and the key power relationships
  • Identify any pockets of energy, and build upon them
  • Identify any role models – who has influence, and how do they achieve it?
Know your friends – you need to:
  • Identify key people who could champion your cause. Find out their goals and how you can help them: share any relevant information with them.
  • Publicise your successes to the right people, so that they know your team is making a difference.
  • Lobby key people before a large meeting and make sure that you get some allies on board.
Know your enemies – you need to:
  • Identify specific people who could create barriers – forewarned is forearmed.
  • Work out a strategy for dealing with them.
  • Consider whether you should try and gain their support, or just find a way around them.
Ultimately, effective political intelligence comes down to building strong networks and relationships across different functions and at all levels. This will take time but it’s a highly worthwhile investment. You need to plan well before any important meetings and make sure that you choose the right time (otherwise wait until it is the right time). The right time, the right people and the right recommendations – it’s definitely a winning combination!
Leave a comment on this article Your Name:
Your Email:
Your Message: