Here to Stay

Whatever the quality of the CEO, whatever the calibre of the CIO, organizational politics will not be eradicated. Monash University expert in organizational politics Dr Simon Albrecht says CEOs, CFOs and CIOs all play politics as a natural part of organizational life. And although there are positive and negative effects from politicking, he says CIOs are well able to learn how to effectively avoid negative politicking while benefiting from positive politics.

Nudge most CIOs and they will grudgingly admit to playing politics, yet few claim to be good at it, and almost none say they enjoy the political cut and thrust. Even so, some confirm that they view politics with a negative connotation but there are good things to be achieved by lobbying and politics, adding that the key is effective communication.

"You can have a vision and a strategy communicated and endorsed but if you can't communicate to the business they will see through the bullshit," one says. Rather than be brought down at the end of the process by sniping from the business, which rattles the board or executive management team, this CIO always gets business buy-in before taking any projects to executive management for approval. "You have to make the decision as easy as you can for the board. If the business managers endorse it then the board would be much less likely to knock it back."

Another CIO, who admits to playing politics "but just barely", says he is far too direct and will usually speak his mind, when being sensitive to the political situation would have yielded more results. "Although I have always surrounded myself with trusted politically savvy support staff."

Nevertheless, however politically savvy an executive, there is little opportunity for crash-through politicking from CIOs. "I am not sure we are in a position to play hardball as it is like trying to play political hardball with a customer. We would only do that if we are being litigious," notes one. "Remember, the CIO's role in an organization is one of customer support and when it becomes more of a team member situation then political hardball won't be necessary anyway."

That is if there is a team in the first place. Some organizations, particularly professional services companies where there is a partnership rather than strict hierarchical structure, endure particularly interesting politics — especially in very large partnerships where there are literally hundreds of business owners each wanting their say.

"The challenge for the CIO is to work to the strategy set by the corporate management team and be successful at that while managing the expectation of the partners; keeping that at bay." This CIO says that it is important to listen to partners' requests, discuss them and if it is not possible to accommodate them, at least explain rationally why not and back that up with detailed facts and figures. "I think that's what they want: to feel they are engaged in the management, although at the end of the day they don't have time for it. This way lets them psychologically get on with their job.

"My style is very consultative by nature. You're up against partners who always want to be right. Well, technologists are like that too, they all want to do it their way."

When it comes to internal team politics, CIOs generally do all they can to starve them of oxygen. One says simply: "I won't allow it", although he was less clear about exactly how he stamped it out.