Projects are all about change. We work together to bring change to the organisation. The change can be new ways of working or process automation. As a leader, we may aim to do all the right things. For instance, we demonstrate exemplary leadership, get the best talent and provide the team with the best possible working environment. But, still, things can go out of hand!
Remember, doing all the right things is not enough!
We must understand that we are dealing with people. People suffer from envy and many other negative emotions. People like to be in the limelight. They enjoy the glory and hype about how good they are and what they have done. Therefore, we cannot rule out internal politics when undertaking significant work (like leading a major project).
Hence, barely doing all the right things is not enough. We must understand the internal political landscape to protect ourselves, our team and our stakeholders.
As a Project sponsor/leader, closing our eyes to internal politics is one of the worst mistakes we can make!
