What is organizational political behavior?
Michael Henderson
Published Feb 19, 2026
What is organizational political behavior?
Political behaviour consists of influence attempts that are informal in nature. Formal influence attempts that are part of one’s role in the organization arc excluded from such behaviour. This means that the organization neither explicitly demands nor forbids such behaviour.
What are the four types of organizational politics?
The 4 Types of Organizational Politics
- Defining politics.
- Mapping the political terrain.
- The Weeds.
- The Rocks.
- The High Ground.
- The Woods.
How do organizations manage political behavior?
How to Manage Organizational Politics
- Get the lay of the land. Do you know if your employees feel like they have to engage in some political jockeying in order to get ahead — or at least not fall behind?
- Keep close tabs on undercurrents.
- Step in when necessary.
- Don’t play favorites.
- Be a good role model.
What are the factors that influence political behavior in the organization?
Reasons for Political Behavior
- Ambiguous goals. When the goals of a department or organization are ambiguous, more room is available for politics.
- Limited resources.
- Changing technology and environment.
- Nonprogrammed decisions.
- Organizational change.
What are the causes of political behavior?
Why is it important to understand political behavior in organizations?
Key Takeaway. Organizational politics is a natural part of organizational life. Organizations that are driven by unhealthy levels of political behavior suffer from lowered employee organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and performance as well as higher levels of job anxiety and depression.
What is the consequence of political Behaviour?
Politics lowers the output of an individual and eventually affects the productivity of the organization. Common observation says that individuals who play politics at the workplace pay less attention to their work. They are more interested in leg pulling and back biting.
What are the causes and consequences of political Behaviour?
Negative Impacts of Political Behaviors Flattery to Achieve Individual Goals & Calumniating Others for Individual Benefits Less Loyalty of Employees & Not Sharing Information and Abilities Employee Withdrawals & Absenteeism & Loss of Workforce Less Organizational Efficiency & Less Organizational Performance More …
What are the key elements of Organisational Behaviour?
The four elements of organizational behavior are people, structure, technology, and the external environment. By understanding how these elements interact with one another, improvements can be made.
Why does political behavior occur within Organisations?
Political behavior is more likely to occur when (1) there are ambiguous goals, (2) there is a scarcity of resources, (3) nonroutine technology and a complex external environment are involved, (4) nonprogrammed decisions are being considered, and (5) organizational change is occurring.
How do employees respond to organizational politics?
When people perceive politics as a threat rather than as an opportunity, they often respond with defensive behaviors reactive and protective behaviors to avoid action, blame, or charge. And defensive behaviors are often associated with negative feelings toward the job and work environment.
How do organizations minimize the effects of organizational politics?
Political behavior can be reduced or minimized in organizations through four techniques: (1) reducing organization uncertainty, (2) reducing interunit competition, (3) breaking up political fiefdoms, and (4) preventing the development of future fiefdoms.
What is political behavior in an organization?
For our purposes, we shall define political behavior in organizations as activities that are not required as part of one’s formal role in the organization, but that influence, or attempt to influence, the distribution of advantages and disadvantages within the organization (Farrell &Peterson,1988).
Is organizational change political or rational?
Periods of organizational change also present opportunities for political rather than rational behavior. Efforts to restructure a particular department, open a new division, introduce a new product line, and so forth, are invitations to all to join the political process as different factions and coalitions fight over territory.
What are organisational politics?
Organizational politics are informal, unofficial, and sometimes behind-the-scenes efforts to sell ideas, influence an organization, increase power, or achieve other targeted objectives. Politics has been around for millennia.
What is the intensity of political behavior in the workplace?
However, the intensity of political behavior varies, depending upon many factors. For example, in one study, managers were asked to rank several organizational decisions on the basis of the extent to which politics were involved. J. Gandz and V. Murray, “The Experience of Workplace Politics,” Academy of Management Journal, 1980, 23, pp. 237–251.