𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀.

Have you ever felt the ground shift beneath your professional feet? Andrew, a composite of leaders I've coached, found himself at such a crossroads.

Tasked with leading an additional team, he was also impacted by an increase in office politics following a recent restructuring.

In our second coaching session, Andrew sat with his jaw clenched, fingers drumming against his mug—a stark contrast to the spring colours of the art-café where we met.

"I'm caught in an impossible situation," he said. "I want to shield my team, yet some members are shifting allegiances, impacting productivity. It's hurtful. I'm frustrated by the effectiveness of these underhanded tactics."

"It seems we're circling around something else here?" I asked.

"I could deploy similar tactics—I see how it works. It's not that I couldn't. I don't want to!" Andrew exclaimed.

"Can you explain to me how it works then?" I asked.

Andrew's expression shifted. "Fair call—I couldn't. I've been so focused on surviving that I haven't charted the tactics or challenged the games being played."

"How would you challenge the game itself if you had more space?" I asked.

"I don't know," Andrew answered honestly.

His acknowledgement opened a path to insights that emerged between sessions:

By his fourth session, Andrew realised how reactive he'd become. What upset him most was the disconnect between the organisation's official standards and unofficial practices.

"Where is the strategic high ground here?" I asked.

After a silence, his eyes lit up. "The organisation's stated values offer a lever I haven't pulled yet."

Using these values allowed Andrew to become more transparent in his communication about what was happening . "Underhanded tactics thrive in silence," he noted in our fifth session. As he adapted his communication strategy, his ability to manage the situation improved.

Later, Andrew looked more relaxed. "I'm no longer flailing to fend off everything—I'm picking my battles. Since I started calling out behaviours, colleagues who see the same danger to the organisation have approached me. I feel less alone."

By our final session, Andrew had experienced a significant perspective shift, enabling him to adopt a more effective stance—purposefully navigating organisational politics while pushing back on damaging behaviours with integrity.

What political dynamics are you facing, and how might they be inviting you into a more nuanced expression of your leadership?