Briefly explain how political behavior in organizations can be managed effectively.

Answers will vary. Politics cannot and should not be eliminated from organizations. Managers should, however, take a proactive stance and manage the political behavior that inevitably occurs. The first step in managing political behavior is to recognize it. Some behaviors to watch for include networking, finding key players to support initiatives, making friends with powerful people, bending the rules, and self-promoting. Lesser-used tactics include misinformation, spreading rumors, and blackmailing. To diffuse these behaviors, open communication is an important tool. Uncertainty tends to increase political behavior, and communication that reduces uncertainty is important. One way to open communication is to clarify the sanctioned and nonsanctioned political behaviors in the organization. Another key is to clarify expectations regarding performance. Participative management is yet another key. Managing scarce resources well is also important. Please see the section "Managing Political Behavior in Organizations" for more information.