"Maybe politics isn’t a dirty word after all"
A couple of days ago, I shared this line from Stacey: “The effective leader is a skilled participant in the ongoing ordinary politics of daily life.” At the time, we focused on how leadership lives in real-time interaction. But I’ve been coming back to that word: politics. I haven’t finished the book yet, but I’m guessing Stacey isn’t just talking about manipulation or backchannel drama. It’s a word I’ve often heard said with an eye roll. It carries a kind of moral judgement, something to rise above, to avoid, to strip out of our team culture. But Stacey seems to be saying the opposite: that politics isn’t a flaw in the system, it is the system. Or at least, it’s the social fabric we’re operating within. Politics, in this sense, is how we negotiate power, meaning, and priorities through interaction. It’s how we influence, protect values, seek alignment, make trade-offs, and challenge ideas. Not from a distance, but through relationships. And in that way, politics isn’t something that gets in the way of leadership. Where might you be avoiding politics this week… and what would it mean to step into it with care? Until next time, ✉️ Enjoying The Messy Middle? If someone sent this email your way and you’d like to get it direct, you can sign up here. |