When office politics are a good thing.

PositionThe Workplace - Brief article

Leaders skilled at influencing others may be happier at work, suggests Andrew Wefald, associate professor in the School of Leadership Studies at Kansas State University, Manhattan. Political skill--the ability to build connections, foster trust, and influence other people--is a fundamental quality of a transformational leader and being good at it can increase job satisfaction and engagement.

"Most people think of political skills as manipulative and negative but, basically, it is building connections with other people. In a positive sense, politically skilled people foster supportive and trusting environments to benefit organizations and are going to be more transformational leaders, which will lead to higher job satisfaction."

Wefald tested three types of interpersonal skills: emotional control, defined as control of one's own emotions; emotional sensitivity, defined as understanding emotions of others; and political skills, defined as understanding people and being able to influence them in ways that contribute to...

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