III. Winning Office Politics In A Christian’s Way

1
III. Winning Office Politics In A Christians
Way

• GCF Retreat Workshop
• 1 May 2004

2

Outline

• Lessons from real cases II
• The clues for survival
• The key to success
• Lessons from real cases III
• The humility of service
• The road to sanctity
• References

3

• Lessons from real cases III
• Sharpen your saw

4
Case 5

• Imagine youre trapped by somebody who has
  promised to support your proposal in the meeting
  and turns out to do otherwise.
• What would you do ?

5
Case 6

• Imagine youre a HR Manager directly reporting to
  MD of a subsidiary with dotted line to Group HR
  Director in the HQ. In a meeting, youre caught
  in the middle urged to take side.
• What would you do ?

6
Case 7

• Imagine you are charged to cut 1,000 staff.
  Having made a few vain attempts to persuade the
  top dogs otherwise, you are finally asked to do
  what you are told or leave the company.
• What would you do ?

7
Case 8

• When a big shot forces you to endorse an
  investment which you think is a dog,
• what would you do ?

8

Outline

• Lessons from real cases II
• The clues for survival
• The key to success
• Lessons from real cases III
• The humility of service
• The road to sanctity
• References

9

• The humility of service
• Respond to the call

10
The parable of goats and sheep

• And the King will answer and say to them, ,
  Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did
  it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the
  least of them, you did it to me.
• - Matthew 2540, 45 -

11
The call

• Be yourselves
• Do what you are
• Ours for others

12
Be yourselves

• Focus on who you are
• Accept who you are not
• Be honest about your personal strengths
  weaknesses
• Who you want to be gt what you want to do

13
Do what you are

• Dont make false promises
• Dont pretend to be able to deliver what you
  cant
• You cant please all customers and they know
  this
• But you can please some figure out what you are
  good at and do it

14
Ours for others

• Authorship
• Help others to do something they love doing, to
  use their chosen skills, or to express something
  important about their deeper selves
• Unlock the creative freedom of others talent

15
Ours for others

• Power
• Empower others to make a difference and influence
  the world around them
• Look for the workers help them to produce the
  greatest return, but respect their lack of desire
  for the limelight

16
Ours for others

• Love
• Take the risk of showing others genuine
  appreciation, caring and affection
• Take the blame for a subordinate strategically
  (not blindly)
• Lessen the amount of the mob violence
• Gain a powerful ally
• Give others psychic support personal fellowship

17
Ours for others

• Trust
• Build healthy teams and respect their autonomy
• Build trust by being loyal to those absent, then
  you retain trust of those present
• Significance
• Help others feel that they matter their works
  makes the world a richer place

18
The ethics of service

• Work is a blessing, therapy, and service
• What is your call ?
• Who you are and who you are not ?
• What you are good at and what you are not ?
• Possible conflict between meeting the needs of
  our customers and preserving our values
• Who are our customers and who are not ?
• What are their needs ? Can you fulfill ?
• Are you willing to promote others not for return
  ?
• How about mixed motive ?

19

Outline

• Lessons from real cases II
• The clues for survival
• The key to success
• Lessons from real cases III
• The humility of service
• The road to sanctity
• References

20

• The road to sanctity
• Get your hands dirty
• Dirty here means engagement

21
In your context, work is
Co-creation, Actualization ?
Gen 127-29 91
Work As
Gen 28,15
Gen 317-19
Curse, Punishment ?
Blessing, Therapy ?
22
your choice could be
Actualization gtSuccess
Work Context v. Office Politics
Curse gt Survival
Blessing gt Service
23
Insights from Jesus
Did He pursue others goals or His own ?
Actualization gtSuccess
Work Context v. Office Politics
Did He seek to serve or to be served ?
Did He once hide His Messianic secret ?
Curse gt Survival
Blessing gt Service
24
and other biblical figures as well
Actualization gtSuccess
Nehemiah
Work Context v. Office Politics
Joseph
Daniel
Abraham
Paul
Ezekiel
Curse gt Survival
Blessing gt Service
Moses
John
25
After all, well grow w/ life struggles
Success
Rationalization ? Mixed motives ?
Contradictory ? Exclusive ?
Office Politics
Sequential ?
Survival
Service
26

• We are not human beings struggling to be holy,
  but holy people struggling to be human
• - Source unknown -

27
Will you see it differently ?

• A sister in your company has been designated to
  succeed a top dog, but she worries about your
  ability to survive the power play.
• Shes seeking your counsel,
  what would you advise her ?

28

• Theres some good in this world and it is worth
  fighting for, said Sam to Frodo.
• - The Lord of the Rings The Two Towers -

29

Surviving office politics in a Christians way
30
Winning
Surviving office politics in a Christians
way

31
Your feedback / questions, please
32
References

• Books
• Clever as serpents Business ethics office
  politics
• By Jim Grote and John McGreeney
• A Michael Glacier book published by The
  Liturgical Press _at_ 1997
• Comment A must-read classic for Christians to
  lead a corporate life cynical though, its
  repeated wake-up calls for ascetic detachment
  may echo in veterans hearts
• Rating
• Escape from cluelessness A guide for the
  organisationally challenged
• By Lee G. Bolman and Terrence E. Deal
• New York, NY AMACOM Books, 2000
• Comment A simple, easy-to-read handbook for the
  rookies
• Rating

33
References

• Books
• The 48 laws of power
• By Robert Greene and Joost Elffers
• Viking Penguin _at_ 1998
• Comment A must-read classic for power games
• Rating
• Cubicle warfare Self-defense strategies for
  todays hyper-competitive workplace
• By Blaine L. Pardoe
• Prima Publishing _at_ 1997
• Comment A practical guide to craft strategies
  for different cases already translated into
  Chinese
• Rating

34
References

• Books
• Winning Office Politics Dubrins Guide For The
  90s
• By Andrew J. Dubrin
• Prentice Hall _at_ 1990
• Comment With this information, youll be able
  toget the boss on your side...
• Rating
• Clever as Serpents Business Ethics and Office
  Politics
• By Jim Grote and John McGeeney
• The Liturgical Press _at_ 1997
• Comment This is an original, thought-provoking
  contribution to the field of management and
  investment theory.
• Rating

35
References

• Movies
• Disclosure
• Comment A must-watch classic for the boss to
  trap the subordinate the latter to fight back
• Rating
• Wall Street
• Comment A classic for the boss to manipulate
  the mob / the market
• Rating
• Journals (www.gcf.org.hk)
• Office politics, GCF Journal 2002, Vol. 44 45
• Office politics, GCF Journal 2001, Vol. 8