I Wish I'd Known That Earlier in My Career: The Power of Positive Workplace Politics

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John Wiley & Sons, Nov 4, 2011 - Business & Economics - 220 pages
The must-read guide to understanding corporate politics in order to get ahead

Designed to provide the reader with an understanding of corporate politics from a positive perspective, I Wish I'd Known That Earlier in My Career uses case studies to teach the essentials of organizational dynamics, power networks, and the decision-making processes and dilemmas involved in business. Examining corporate politics and the barriers many managers face in their efforts to reach the top, the book works to build awareness and strategies for business and career success.

Taking a refreshing new approach to workplace politics, the book presents new ways to think about embracing opportunities in order to achieve personal and organization-wide career satisfaction. Rather than encouraging employees to move on and start their own businesses, it instead details how to move up within their current companies by learning to understand power bases and conversation more thoroughly.

  • Combines individual case studies and real life situations with helpful tips and techniques designed to help overcome corporate challenges
  • Each chapter tells a story that illustrates a constructive concept that can be easily learned and applied in the real world
  • Covers topics including: political savvy, the benefits of self-promotion, performance management, sexual harassment, and other organizational challenges

Essential reading for anyone looking to move forward in their professional life, I Wish I'd Known That Earlier in My Career provides genuinely helpful advice in a highly accessible, easily applicable way.

 

Contents

The How and Why of Positive Politics
1
Becoming Savvy
11
Surviving the Ebbs and Flows of Power
35
Trust But Verify
49
Whos In and Whos Out
71
Managing Perceptions
85
Whats Your Story?
97
Gender and Culture Issues
107
The Politics of Performance Management
121
Power Politics and Sex
135
Conclusion
147
Bibliography
157
Index
165
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About the author (2011)

Jane Horan is the founder of the Horan Group, a strategic consultancy that shapes savvy cross-cultural work environments. Jane works with Fortune 500 companies, NGO's and academic institutions in Asia, North America and Europe as an executive coach and facilitator in cross-cultural leadership, bias awareness and political savvy. She is a frequent speaker on Transformational Women Leaders, Organizational Politics, Innovation and presented at leadership conferences globally, including the Women's International Networking (WIN) Conference in Prague and Rome. Jane has lived in Asia for over two decades, and previously worked for Kraft, The Walt Disney Company and CNBC in Organizational, Leadership and Talent Development roles. She is an EdD candidate with Bristol University on Asian Women Leaders, holds a Masters Degree in Organization Design and Effectiveness from The Fielding Institute, California, and studied International Business Management and Chinese Language at the Monterey Institute, California/Hunan Technical University in Changsha, China. Jane has published articles in Business Week, 20-first, The Organisational Development Journal and interviewed by The Straits Times and The South China Morning Post. She has appeared on radio for the Booth Business School at the University of Chicago, HeadHunter Radio, and 938 Live Singapore. Jane holds board positions on PrimeTime, The Singapore Council of Women's Organization and The International Alliance for Women. She can be contacted at www.thehorangroup.com.

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