Top tips on…managing with political awareness

We have a coalition government and, of course, we all need to have the ability to form alliances at work, which is why political (with a small p) skills are so important.

Now, thanks to the introduction of a new online profiling tool, senior and aspiring senior managers across all sectors can better understand how their own political awareness skills contribute to delivering performance for their organisation.

The unique Political Awareness Skills 360-Degree Tool is based on extensive research* published in June 2007 by CMI and Warwick Business School. The tool has been tested through work with the Home Office, NHS, Institute for Innovation and Improvement, and the Department for Work and Pensions.

The questionnaire within the tools focuses on the behaviours and skills involved in demonstrating political awareness in leading others, focusing on the ability to:

• Establish credibility with different groups and individuals, and where necessary reconcile differences to build coalitions to achieve outcomes
• Work with stakeholders to broker political and strategic relationships and alliances
• See and communicate the big picture and to make connections.

All those who have used the tool so far say that it reflects the growing realisation that effectively managing relationships inside and outside their organisation was increasingly important for success and that the feedback they received from undertaking the 360-degree appraisal had helped them to focus more on external stakeholders.

For further information about the CMI/Warwick Business School Political Awareness Skills 360-Degree Tool contact David House – email david.house@managers.org.uk

* A free executive summary of Leading with political awareness (2007) is available at www.managers.org.uk/researchreports

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