Why office politics can be good for you

Office politics is a dirty word for most of us. It’s shorthand for backstabbing, brown-nosing and power games. It’s everything we’re taught to avoid if we want to be decent, honest professionals.

But here’s the thing: office politics isn’t the problem, avoiding it is.  In fact, it could be good for your workplace and good for your career.

Three decades of research, coaching, and career wake-up calls, one thing has become crystal clear — the people who rise in organisations aren’t just smart and capable. They’re usually the most politically savvy. They know how to navigate relationships, influence decisions and stay visible for the right reasons.

And no, that doesn’t make them sell-outs. Done well, office politics isn’t manipulative. It’s a skill — and it might just be the most underrated one in the modern workplace.

Politics isn’t a game. It’s how things get done.

Too many of us buy into the myth that if we keep our heads down and deliver great work, we’ll be rewarded. But as Carla Harris from Morgan Stanley put it: “Work doesn’t speak. People do.”

That was the hard lesson Niven Postma, author of If You Don’t Do Politics, Politics Will Do You, learned after being laid off despite performing well. She’d avoided politics out of principle — only to find out that principle doesn’t protect you when decisions get made behind closed doors.

What she eventually realised — and now teaches to professionals around the world — is that politics is just the informal side of work. The conversations before the meeting. The relationship with the exec who quietly champions your work. The ability to read the room and frame your idea in a way that sticks. 

None of this is unethical. It’s smart, and it’s necessary.

The science backs it

If you’re still sceptical, the data’s got your number. 

Psychologist Dr Rob Yeung points to a body of research showing that political skill is directly linked to higher performance, lower stress and faster career progression. The key isn’t deception or fakery — it’s self-awareness, sincerity, adaptability and strong relationships.

Political skill, Yeung argues, is made up of sub-skills like:

• Networking: Being connected to key people across the business.
• Interpersonal adaptability: Understanding what matters to others and adjusting how you communicate.
• Sincerity: Building trust through honesty and integrity.

None of this requires selling your soul. In fact, the best political operators often look a lot like the best leaders — tuned in, trusted, and good at building bridges. Little wonder then, that they tend to rise to the top. 

But politics isn’t fair — and that’s the real problem

Now for the ugly side of the story. Not everyone gets equal access to the political arena. 

A recent study out of Queen Mary University of London and King’s College London found that office politics is still, in many organisations, a “white man’s game.”

The researchers interviewed 40 mid-career professionals from ethnic minority backgrounds and heard a common thread: exclusion. From being left out of informal conversations to lacking advocates in senior leadership, many participants saw politics as something that worked against them, not for them. 

And so they disengaged — often at the cost of missed opportunities, growth, and visibility.

But here’s the kicker: the issue wasn’t politics itself. It was the way access to political capital was hoarded — not shared.

The study also found something more hopeful. In some organisations, office politics was demystified. Managers proactively coached new hires on how things really worked. Politics was openly acknowledged and taught — not whispered about inside conversations. 

When this happened, politics wasn’t seen as dirty. It was seen as useful, inclusive, even empowering.

So what does good office politics look like?

So if we drop the cynicism for a second, here’s what healthy office politics can involve:

• Pre-selling an idea to decision makers so you’re not pitching cold in the meeting.
• Building alliances across departments so your team gets what it needs and can do a better job.
• Helping a colleague gain visibility, knowing they’ll back you next time.
• Mentoring someone junior, not just on their role but on how to navigate power structures.

None of this is about deception. It’s about understanding that every organisation has both formal and informal systems — and succeeding means knowing how to operate in both.

As Postma puts it, politics is just the range of behind-the-scenes moves people make to get things done. She also notes that if you’re not making those moves, someone else is… And they may not have your best interests in mind.

What can organisations do?

If politics is inescapable, the onus is on leaders to make it accessible and equitable. The Queen Mary/King’s College study outlined five things organisations can do to get the upside of office politics while limiting the downside:

1. Talk about politics openly. Make informal practices visible and legit.
2. Create real access. Give your whole team access to mentorship, sponsorship, and development for underrepresented staff.
3. Reframe politics positively. Teach influence and relationships as professional skills.
4. Leverage senior leaders. Get them to sponsor diverse talent and share their social capital.
5. Share real stories of success. High the role of relationships and support.

This isn’t fluff. It’s how you build cultures where more people can thrive, not just those who already know the game.

Final thought

If you’ve ever thought “I hate office politics,” you’re not alone. But maybe it’s time to update that thinking.

Politics doesn’t have to be toxic. It doesn’t have to mean compromise. Done well, it’s about showing up, being seen and helping others rise with you. It’s about getting smart with how influence flow, and choosing to be part of it rather than sidelined by it.

Because if you don’t do politics… 

Well, you know the rest.

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