A pitcher plant. Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants that lure their prey into the opening shown, using a variety of strategies. Depending upon the species, they might use attractive coloration, nectars, shapes, or scents. Once the prey enters the mouth of the pitcher, extrication is almost impossible. The pitchers are variously lined with sticky substances and sharp, inward pointing bristles that prevent prey escaping. At the bottom of the pitcher is a pool of liquid containing juices that digest the prey. Most pitchers prey on insects, but very large pitchers have been observed preying on small rodents.
Political predators, like pitcher plabts, use a variety of strategies to prey on unsuspecting colleagues and subordinates. Typically, they use enticements to ensnare their prey, holding them until they can extract from them whatever it is they seek.
Photo by kevin_smia courtesy .
In workplace politics, as in much of Life, it's easier to stay out of trouble than to get out of trouble. In that spirit, last time we examined attributes of organizational cultures that indicate elevated political risk. But whether or not a group's culture tolerates willfully damaging political conflict, intentionally harming someone, directly or not, is a choice available to anyone.
That's why observations of personal behavior are useful for assessing political risk. Here are several behavior patterns worth noticing.
- Repeated, covert behavioral norm violations
- Most of us abide by behavioral norms — no cussing, courtesy to all, and the like. There are deviations, though, and penalties usually follow. Those who violate norms repeatedly and covertly have found ways to harm or offend others while evading penalties. To manage the risk of harm, you can try avoiding these people, which might work for a while. Better: leverage your organization's norm enforcement infrastructure by finding ways to expose the offenders.
- Manipulation and deception
- People who repeatedly manipulate or deceive others usually do so not for the benefit of their targets, but for their own personal advantage. Avoidance is a common defensive response. Another is explaining to the deceiver how hurtful his or her behavior is. Rarely is either strategy effective. Reconciling yourself to the person's dishonesty, while guarding against being tricked again, is probably the best course.
- Substance abuse
- People engaged in abuse of addictive substances aren't in control of their own behavior. Their need to meet the requirements of their addiction limits their ability to choose to avoid harming others. Indeed, the substance abuse can even expose them to the risk of control by their substance supply chain. Relying on people in such predicaments to behave respectfully toward others is risky.
- Quarrelsomeness
- Some behaviors can be as addictive as substances. One especially addictive behavior is quarreling. The thrill of prevailing in disputes can be so enticing that the quarrel itself becomes more important than the matter in dispute. Close collaborations with the quarrel-addicted are unlikely to come to good ends.
- Gambling
- Gambling is another well-established addictive behavior. We usually think of gambling as gaming, but we gamble in the workplace when we undertake high-risk projects or when we seek to dislodge powerful political foes. Although assuming reasonable risk is a necessity of modern work life, there are those who seek unreasonable When people are ensnared by addiction,
their need to meet the requirements
of their addiction limits their ability
to choose to avoid harming othersrisk so they can experience the thrill of defying the odds. Collaborations and alliances with such people are unwise. - Rumormongering
- Rumormongering is another addictive behavior. The thrill of telling someone something they haven't yet heard can be so rewarding that the rumormongerer yields to the temptation to embellish — essentially, to lie — because seeming to be "in the know" becomes more important than Truth. Telling such people anything at all can risk its incorporation into the next rumor, possibly damaging even to you.
This is just a sampler. Add your own observations to this list, and send them along. And be careful out there. First in this series 
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Related articles
More articles on Workplace Politics:
I've Got Your Number, Pal- Recent research has uncovered a human tendency — possibly universal — to believe that we
know others better than others know them, and that we know ourselves better than others know themselves.
These beliefs, rarely acknowledged and often wrong, are at the root of many a toxic conflict of long standing.
How Pet Projects Get Resources: Cleverness- When pet projects thrive in an organization, they sometimes depend on the clever tactics of those who
nurture them to secure resources despite conflict with organizational priorities. How does this happen?
The Perils of Limited Agreement- When a group member agrees to a proposal, even with conditions, the group can move forward. Such agreement
is constructive, but there are risks. What are those risks and what can we do about them?
On Reporting Workplace Malpractice- Reporting workplace malpractice can be the right thing to do. And it's often career-dangerous. Here
are some risks to ponder before reporting what you know.
Multi-Expert Consensus- Some working groups consist of experts from many fields. When they must reach a decision by consensus,
members have several options. Defining those options in advance can help the group reach a decision
with all its relationships intact.
See also Workplace Politics and Devious Political Tactics for more related articles.
Forthcoming issues of Point Lookout
Coming December 6: Off-Putting and Conversational Narcissism at Work: III- Having off-putting interactions is one of four themes of conversational narcissism. Here are seven behavioral patterns that relate to off-putting interactions and how abusers use them to control conversations. Available here and by RSS on December 6.
And on December 13: Contrary Indicators of Psychological Safety: I- To take the risks that learning and practicing new ways requires, we all need a sense that trial-and-error approaches are safe. Organizations seeking to improve processes would do well to begin by assessing their level of psychological safety. Available here and by RSS on December 13.
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My blog, Technical Debt for Policymakers, offers
resources, insights, and conversations of interest to policymakers who are concerned with managing
technical debt within their organizations. Get the millstone of technical debt off the neck of your
organization!Beware any resource that speaks of "winning" at workplace politics or "defeating" it. You can benefit or not, but there is no score-keeping, and it isn't a game.
- Wikipedia has a nice article with a list of additional resources
- Some public libraries offer collections. Here's an example from Saskatoon.
- Check my own links collection
- LinkedIn's Office Politics discussion group
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