Is this pattern more common in women?

[tailfins]

This is posted under health because it deals with organizational psychology.

My vantage point is from Information Technology. A personal back of the napkin tally would say perhaps 50% of male managers and 95% of female managers run the following type of dysfunctional department:


Office politics aren't pretty. You can recognize the symptoms. Leaders don’t trust each other, departments compete against one another, and people suffer from a toxic working environment.
So what can you do when your organization or department is diagnosed with a nasty case of office politics? How can you survive when your company culture resembles jungle warfare? What will it take to start focusing on external competitors, rather than waging internal battles?
I’m not a management consultant, or an expert in organizational development. I’m a tax accountant by trade. My views come from almost four decades of experience as a leader – and now Global CEO – at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited. And from the perspectives I've gained working with Deloitte member firm clients around the world to solve their most pressing business issues.
Everyone’s a leader, whether you have the official job title or not. And there are practical steps you can take to lead your people out of the political jungle…
1. Be politically savvy, but not political.
If you do nothing else, do this. Be aware of the dynamics driving office politics, but avoid joining in with the games yourself. Rise above it. Stay true to your values and hold yourself to the highest ethical standards.
2. Build trust by admitting your vulnerabilities.
In his book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Patrick Lencioni suggests that dysfunctional teams have an absence of trust, often stemming from an unwillingness to be vulnerable. Based on my own experience, I couldn’t agree more. Teams that lack trust don’t share expertise, or honest feedback. They don’t learn from their mistakes. They hold grudges. And performance suffers. As a leader, you can break the cycle by demonstrating genuine vulnerability first. Create a team environment where it’s OK to talk about mistakes and weaknesses.
3. Bring conflict above ground.
Back-channel whispers and passive aggressive tensions are hallmarks of a political office. Lencioni writes that teams that avoid open debate about ideas and solutions, inevitably descend into much more personal hostilities. I’ve seen this happen in even the most high-performing organizations. Once again, this comes back to your values: such as respect and openness. By fostering an atmosphere within your team which embraces appropriate conflict, you can minimize negative behavior. Perhaps more importantly, teams that engage in open debate are more likely to address critical issues, find solutions to problems, and develop innovative ideas.
4. Change your perspective about what it means to win.
Some degree of internal competition is productive, but can easily go too far. When there are unhealthy levels of internal competition, people don’t share information, or focus enough on enhancing the company’s overall performance. They waste time one-upping each other, rather than focusing their attention on the real competitors in their marketplace. As a leader, try to find the right balance between personal and team performance. Align personal performance objectives with those of the organization. Help your people better understand your organization’s strategy, and how they personally contribute to this.
5. Realize that life’s too short to work for an organization that doesn't share your values.
The hours we spend at work add up to a very significant chunk of our lives. I’m often invited to speak to new graduates, and without fail, I always tell them: find an organization that shares your values, because that’s where you’ll be most successful. It’s a good reminder, even for those of us many years past graduation! You can influence a great deal, simply by being a role model for others. But if the politics in your organization suggest its values are irreconcilable with your own, it’s time to start looking for one that’s a better fit.

I hope you find my insights helpful. I’m very interested to hear your advice for overcoming office politics and internal competition. Please share your thoughts in the comments section.




http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20130809162901-27058877-does-your-company-culture-resemble-jungle-warfare

[WiccanLiberal]

Oh you have hit a nerve big time here. As a nurse, I work in environments that are almost exclusively female so the issues you speak of are magnified. Women are, unfortunately, prone to approaching problems indirectly. I have always preferred to approach things more concretely. Here's a very simple example. Cell phone use is forbidden in patient care areas. Physicians do it all the time but they are outside the chain of command. One afternoon, one of the techs was in a procedure room with me and was using her phone. I walked over to her and very quietly asked her to put it away. She said it was an important call. I told her to go elsewhere if it was an emergency. She put the phone away. I told her later I expected her to observe the policy. The next time she broke it I would go immediately after the procedure to the manager and report it which could result in discipline up to and including dismissal. I know no one had ever addressed this directly with her but it seemed necessary to me to establish that I was in charge in the procedure but also that I would not simply run immediately to a higher up and let them do what I should do with a clear direct communication.

[tailfins]

Oh you have hit a nerve big time here. As a nurse, I work in environments that are almost exclusively female so the issues you speak of are magnified. Women are, unfortunately, prone to approaching problems indirectly. I have always preferred to approach things more concretely. Here's a very simple example. Cell phone use is forbidden in patient care areas. Physicians do it all the time but they are outside the chain of command. One afternoon, one of the techs was in a procedure room with me and was using her phone. I walked over to her and very quietly asked her to put it away. She said it was an important call. I told her to go elsewhere if it was an emergency. She put the phone away. I told her later I expected her to observe the policy. The next time she broke it I would go immediately after the procedure to the manager and report it which could result in discipline up to and including dismissal. I know no one had ever addressed this directly with her but it seemed necessary to me to establish that I was in charge in the procedure but also that I would not simply run immediately to a higher up and let them do what I should do with a clear direct communication.

In the IT consulting arena when someone "pulls you aside" it's not with the intent of telling anybody, it's meant as a help to keep you out of hot water. For example, using hot software from Pirate Bay when the company drags its feet getting you what you want is cause for dismissal. In IT, NOT doing your job IS an option. In your area of nursing, I would imagine that's not the case.

[SassyLady]

I've worked in corporate America for over 40 years and none of the office politics measured up to the politics my ex faced in the military. Not only did he have to navigate the politics, we had to do it as a team. I never knew a spouse could have so much impact on one's career, other than politicians.

[tailfins]

I've worked in corporate America for over 40 years and none of the office politics measured up to the politics my ex faced in the military. Not only did he have to navigate the politics, we had to do it as a team. I never knew a spouse could have so much impact on one's career, other than politicians.

You ma'am are truly battle hardened. Have you considered teaching or blogging about the lessons you have learned in the School of Hard Knocks?

[SassyLady]

You ma'am are truly battle hardened. Have you considered teaching or blogging about the lessons you have learned in the School of Hard Knocks?

No blogging for me but I am a life coach.