Striving towards Excellence

-Karthik Gurumurthy

Let me tell you a story about organizational influence and why it matters so much in modern workplaces.

Imagine a manager who tries to stay above office politics, focusing solely on their team's work. Sounds noble, right? But here's what typically happens: problems between their team and others go unresolved, decisions get made against their interests, and their team operates with incomplete information. Worse still, their people get constantly interrupted by outside pressures because no one's there to shield them.

Think of influence like a protective shield. Without it, you're at the mercy of others' demands. As Lord Acton wisely noted, powerlessness can corrupt just as much as power itself. Consider all those throughout history who justified harmful actions by saying, "I had no choice."

Remember that frustrating experience of working under a boss without influence? Even if they were nice, they couldn't get you the resources you needed. Nobody took your team seriously. It's like having a guardian who can't protect you.

But here's the twist - organizational politics isn't inherently bad. It's like a tool that can be used for good or ill. The real challenge isn't avoiding politics but engaging in it ethically and effectively. Think of organizations as complex human systems where influence flows in many directions, not just up and down the hierarchy.