Tell me about a time when workplace politics affected your job. How did you handle the situation and what was the outcome? Give an example of a time when you used your knowledge of workplace politics to your advantage. Describe a time when you unknowingly made a political misstep.
What is Political Savvy and Why is it Important in your Career?
Through this HR interview question on being political savvy, the interviewer often asks this question to see whether or not you have an under-standing of the politics in your organization. Remember that politics needn’t al-ways be negative. When answering this HR interview question on being political savvy, tell the interviewer how you keep your eyes and ears open to be adept with the political scenario in your office.
Tell me about a time you had to use your understanding of the politics of the business/organization to push a program through, that you really believed in.
Hence, if you want to ensure the succession of a project that is stuck or not moving forth, you need to know where the leverage lies. Mention an occasion where you faced a similar situation and thus, had to connect with people who can influence (formal or informal). Tell them that being politically savvy helped you to understand the leverage equation and recognize when it may be changing.
You can say that you try to listen at the coffee maker and be aware of what’s happening around the workplace. Gossiping is not always a bad thing. It is something that we all do, to be aware for our survival and success in the workplace. Then, mention how you gathered tidbits of information so that it would lead you to the right person.
While answering this HR interview question on being political savvy, do state that you tried to get all the facts that were needed for your next career move. You can mention that, now that you had all the correct information, you tried to connect with the required people to suggest a new or innovative idea and platform. This helped you to get through the channel — and directly to the people who mattered. Even if you have read the rule book by heart, tell the interviewer that going by intuition is also important here.
Executives lead larger groups of individuals than lower-level employees. Larger numbers of reports indicate larger responsibilities, which the executive cannot hope to handle all on her own. Its therefore imperative that you gauge the candidates effectiveness in leading and developing teams to meet company goals. Excellent questions you can use to gauge this behavior include “explain a scenario in which youve defined a target goal and used your team to achieve it,” or “provide an example of when you were successful in eliminating a significant roadblock in achieving a goal.” Answers indicate personal drive plus the ability to lead others to a common objective.
Senior-level executive positions require different interview questions than entry-level or middle management roles. These questions pertain to higher-level viewpoints that affect entire organizations, rather than one department or branch. You can ask virtually anything you deem will provide insight into the executives ability to provide the necessary leadership for the role. However, you cannot ask illegal questions that can be interpreted as discrimination.
Asking illegal questions in an executive-level interview can get you and your organization in serious trouble. Omission of questions pertaining to family, religion, sexual orientation and race are federally mandated. Use caution, since innocuous questions like “are there any days you deem yourself unavailable” imply a day of worship or observance that falls under these protections. Medical issues that prevent execution of day-to-day execution of the candidates role are revealed after the offer, as are any concerning issues on a background check. Therefore, theres no excuse not to keep the questions strictly professional.
David Lipscomb is a professional writer and public relations practitioner. Lipscomb brings more than a decade of experience in the consumer electronics and advertising industries. Lipscomb holds a degree in public relations from Webster University.
Corporate politics engage and disengage certain people, influence the decisions that are made and in general direct the state of the companys culture. Executives must know how to navigate through these issues — as well as leveraging their own influences — to achieve the goals of the organization. Good questions used to gauge the political acumen of the executive include “provide a situation where you successfully inserted yourself into a new organization culture” or “tell me about a time when you were forced to bring employees with varying concerns together to achieve a common goal.”
Tip #5—For those that are difficult to get along with, kill them with sarcasm! FunnySarcasm.com is a great place to get some answers to relationship questions. Here are my top five from their website that I use to nurture relationships and leave them in awe of my political savvy.
Tip #1—Remember, there is no such thing as problems, only opportunities. Put these words into your vocabulary and use them often to replace other words.
In today’s work environment, where emotion overtakes logic, it is more important than ever to work on a soft skill we call political savvy.
Example: When someone says something in a meeting and a “That’s what she said” is in order, do not be impulsive. Take a few seconds, think about it, and then say, “That’s what she said.”
Tip #4—Conflict management is key when developing relationships of influence. When two people are having a disagreement and you must intervene, here are some things to say to help them overcome the issue.
Being politically savvy in the workplace isn’t about playing games or taking advantage — it’s about maximizing and leveraging relationships to achieve shared goals.
FAQ
How do you demonstrate political savvy?
How can a supervisor demonstrate political savvy?
- Hone your powers of perception. Socially astute managers are good at reading people’s non-verbal behaviors and can intuitively sense the motivations of others. …
- Practice influence. …
- Learn to network effectively. …
- Think before you speak. …
- Manage up – to a point. …
- Be sincere.
Can you ask political questions in an interview?
What kind of questions are asked in a government interview?
- Why do you want to work for the government? …
- Why do you want to work at this agency? …
- Tell us about yourself. …
- Why did you leave your last job? …
- What do you think of your previous boss? …
- This position is less senior than your last one.
