Question

Give examples of how politics in an organization can result in both positive and negative outcomes.

Answer 1

Politics in an organization can be viewed as both positive and negative in both terms it all depend upon how the employees of the company are recognised.

First we will get an idea what is organizational politics it is behaviour that others recognised as self-serving plays for personal growth at the cost of other employees.This can be vied by the example of Steve jobs when he sold 1.5 million share of company aiming for goodwill of company and on other side he showed a negative side in organizational politics when Steve jobs replaces the seat of Apple's CEO.

The structure of organization we know can be set up in vertical or horizontal among groups.The groups are interdependent to each other and make competitive environment and the situation makes the organization political one.You might take steps to make you boss happy by letting down other groups or make some play to make your team at first this is one factor organization politics.

We will take the example of Steve jobs as we know the Steve jobs was a special adviser of the apple to motivate the apple employees and its customers but he spent most of time to advise the CEO of company about various issues like re plan the organizational chart , cost cutting and whom to hire and he sold 1.5 million shares of apple sock which came into eye of apple board of directors and they decided to make Steve jobs as new CEO of the company.The CEO claimed that Steve Jobs was a backstabber to him and Steve jobs played tactics to get what he wanted and many reports say if Steve jobs Didn't become the CEO of company the apple would rule out of the market.This shows organizational politics in the company.

So there are both groups in the company as positive part is if Steve job not take the rule as CEO the company would definitely rule out if market and the negative part is to do all this he applied political strategies in the company and did back stabbed the CEO of the company to Become CEO.

From this example we can learn how organizational politics is Positive and as well as negative for any organization.