1. POLITICAL SAVVY 101 with Pat Hughes Trillium Leadership Consulting
Typically the term “being political” conjures images of manipulative or oily individuals smarming through the work day. It’s time to redeem that term because being politically savvy is an important set of skills for navigating the "culture you swim in" and getting better results at work. This session will explore the four key political savvy skills that can help you get along better, get promoted or work smarter. And, participant will have the opportunity to assess strengths and learning opportunities in this often overlooked leadership capacity.
with Pat Hughes
Trillium Leadership Consulting
Seattle, WA

2. Learning Objectives Learn four competencies of political savvy
Identify personal strengths and weaknesses in political savvy
Identify skills and activities to increase your personal political savvy competence

3. Discuss with a partner
What comes to mind when you hear the term “political”?
What are examples of positive and negative political behaviors you have experienced?

4. What is Political Savvy (PQ)?
Political Savvy is using skills, behaviors and qualities to be effective in organizational and social dynamics.
Key skills:
Self and Social Awareness
Interpersonal Influence
Have a Strong Network
Be Authentic and Sincere in Your Actions

5. Political Savvy
Bill Gentry from Center for Creative Leadership
with Portia Mount, Boss Mom Blog and CCL

6. Finding the right balance
Unskilled (too little)
Overused Skill (too much)
Skilled (just right)

7. Unskilled Dismisses politics; sees self as apolitical
Says and does things that cause political/relational problems
May not deal with upper management effectively
May be impatient with political process
May be too direct and not consider impact on others
May not predict consequences of actions
Don’t navigate smoothly through political waters
Unwilling to use the work of others (“not invented here” syndrome)

8. Overused Skill May be viewed as excessively political
May not be trusted
May tell others what they want to hear rather than what is true
May overstate what they know
May be seen as manipulative or scheming
May read motivations into situations (“It’s just my face” syndrome)

9. Causes of under/over skilled
Don’t read others or their interests well
Excessively direct or blunt
Misunderstands what political savvy is
No patience with process
Poor interpersonal skills
Poor negotiator
Seen as too biased (not neutral) or too action oriented
Egocentric / ethnocentric

10. Skilled Self and Other Awareness Interpersonal Influence
Build a Strong Network
Be Authentic and Sincere

11. Political Skill Survey

12. Increase Your PQ
Identify 1-2 specific skills of Political Savvy which can help you leverage your position more strategically
Do the activities
Build new habits

13. Build Unlikely Alliances

14. Practice Reading the Environment

15. Political Savvy Summary
“I could get my job done if there just were no politics in my workplace…”
Recognize political complexity is a fact
Monitor self and social awareness – read people and the environment
Build interpersonal influence & relationships
Network and mingle strategically
Be sincere and authentic

16. Let’s Hear it for PQ Thank you!
Pat Hughes
Trillium Leadership Consulting
Seattle, WA