You Don’t Have to Play Politics. But You Do Need to Understand It.
“I don’t play politics.”
It’s something I hear surprisingly often from talented leaders.
And usually, I understand exactly what they mean.
They don’t want to flatter people to get ahead. They don’t want to build relationships purely for personal advantage. They don’t want to say one thing in a meeting and something completely different afterwards.
They want their work to speak for itself.
They want to be authentic.
They want to lead with integrity.
All admirable qualities.
But there is a distinction worth making:
Not playing politics is not the same as ignoring organisational dynamics.
Because every organisation has them.
There are formal structures: reporting lines, responsibilities, decision-making processes.
And then there is the human system underneath.
Who trusts whom?
Who influences the CEO?
Who has credibility?
Who is worried about the proposed change?
Who needs to be consulted?
Who can quietly block an idea?
Who needs to feel heard before they will support it?
Pretending these things don’t exist doesn’t make you more authentic.
It can make you less effective.
This is particularly important as you become more senior.
At junior levels, being technically excellent can take you a long way.
At senior levels, your ability to influence becomes increasingly important.
You may have an excellent strategy.
But if the people who need to support it don’t understand it, trust it or feel part of it, the strategy may go nowhere.
This is where I encourage leaders to make an important mindset shift.
Influence is not manipulation.
Manipulation is about controlling people for your own advantage.
Strategic influence is different.
It is about understanding people well enough to communicate in a way that creates movement.
It might mean having a conversation with someone before the big meeting.
It might mean asking questions rather than immediately presenting your solution.
It might mean understanding why someone is resisting your proposal.
It might mean adapting your communication without compromising your message.
It might mean building relationships long before you need something from someone.
None of that requires you to become fake.
In fact, the most powerful influence often comes from being completely authentic while becoming much more intentional.
One question I often ask leaders is:
“Are you trying to be understood, or are you trying to create understanding?”
They sound similar.
They aren’t.
The first is about getting your message across.
The second requires you to understand the person receiving it.
That’s leadership.
And sometimes the most influential person in the room isn’t the loudest, most senior or most charismatic.
It’s the person who understands what matters to everyone involved and can connect those interests around something bigger.
So if you’ve ever thought:
“I don’t want to play politics.”
Good.
Don’t.
Don’t manipulate.
Don’t flatter people you don’t respect.
Don’t compromise your values.
Don’t become someone you’re not.
But don’t confuse strategic awareness with political games.
Understand the landscape.
Build relationships before you need them.
Listen for what isn’t being said.
Know who needs to be involved.
Have the conversation before the meeting.
Adapt your message to your audience.
And most importantly, remain anchored in your values.
Because the goal isn’t to become better at playing the game.
The goal is to become better at creating movement without losing yourself.
And that is a very different kind of leadership.
To your success,
Isabel
Isabel Valle is a Global Leadership Strategist and ICF Master Certified Coach (MCC) who helps senior leaders and organisations achieve high performance without losing their humanity.
With 25+ years of international leadership experience across Europe, Australia and Asia, Isabel combines strategic thinking, executive coaching and real-world leadership experience to help leaders build stronger leadership, high-performing teams and cultures where people can thrive.
She is the creator of LeadWise™ – Radically Human Leadership, a leadership philosophy grounded in the belief that sustainable performance starts with how we lead ourselves, develop others and shape the environments around us.
A keynote speaker, author and award-winning leadership expert, Isabel works with leaders who don’t simply want to perform better — they want to lead better, and make a lasting impact.