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The University of Southampton
Southampton Education School

Internal politicking elevated from taboo topic to management tool

Published: 5 October 2015

Internal politicking is fundamental to every institution and organisation the world over and, indeed, is often the hidden key to the way an organisation is run, yet it is rarely admitted to and still less studied as a management tool. But new research into leadership politicking in higher education, from the Leadership Foundation in conjunction with the University of Southampton, shines a light on this hidden skill: the art of micropolitics.

Micropolitics is the subtle exercise of power through influence, social skills and informal activity. It is the name for habitual strategies that are little discussed – the choices over what to communicate and to whom, what to reveal or conceal, how structures, information and meetings are managed. It is what happens backstage when nobody's looking.

Now this research study into the subject - Exploring the Micropolitics of Leadership in Higher Education - draws on the views and experience of staff in academic and professional roles, ranging from vice-chancellor to head of department, registrar to faculty administrator and finds that most of those interviewed regard micropolitics as an essential part of leadership. This kind of politicking is even found to be especially prevalent in higher education because staff expect a certain level of autonomy, meaning that overt displays of direct power from authority figures tend to be viewed as inappropriate.

According to the author of the report, Professor Jacky Lumby of the University of Southampton, "Everyone who works in higher education or any organisation is aware of politicking, but it remains largely hidden because we don't discuss it. We know from the banking sector what can happen if leaders choose to ignore questions about what is acceptable and positive in leading. It seems that higher education is ready to grasp the nettle. If it is accepted that micropolitics and power are part of the practice of leadership, it becomes possible to talk in a different way about the day-to-day choices leaders make about how they use information, communication and meetings."

The report is already having an impact on leadership development in higher education. Most of those interviewed for the project felt that they had not been sufficiently prepared for this aspect of leadership. As a result, the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education – whose purpose is to develop and improve the skills of existing and future higher education leaders and which co-funded the report – has already held two workshops with higher education leaders to explore the topic further. Other organisations are also beginning to use the work in their own staff development programmes.

Dr Paul Gentle, director of programmes at the Leadership Foundation, said, "This research is much-anticipated by the senior leaders who take part in our development programmes. There is a tangible sense of people feeling that there is a need for this work, and for there to be more opportunity in institutional life to enable discussion of micropolitics, which is so often 'unspeakable' in universities."

Further work planned around the research includes an all-day seminar for university leaders to be held in October and using the research on an ongoing basis in development programmes for executive leaders.

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