A report , ‘Leading with Political Awareness’, published by the Chartered Management Institute shows UK business leaders are increasingly rejecting ‘turf wars’ and the pursuit of petty personal advantage, in favour of partnership and alliance building.   The report also provides the first national picture of levels of ‘political skill’ across the UK and highlights what senior executives will need to succeed in the future.

The report, published with Warwick Business School, shows that only 31 per cent of the 1,495 respondents view politics as ‘protecting their turf’.  Fewer, still, believe that it is about ‘pursuing personal advantage’ (21 per cent).  More common is the belief that good political skills are about ‘alliance building’ (59 per cent), followed by ‘interaction with government’ (40 per cent) and ‘reconciling differences’ (39 per cent).

Asked why they give high ratings to the political skills that help build partnerships, senior managers focused on the value external relationships bring to business.  92 per cent identified ‘the impact of public opinion’ as a key factor behind relationship building.  88 per cent suggested it was a way to ‘scan the competition’ and 73 per cent claimed partnerships can ‘influence trade agreements’.

Mary Chapman, chief executive of the Chartered Management Institute, says: “In a dynamic business environment, where globalisation is opening new doors on a daily basis, the shift to external partnership-building is good news for UK business.

“It shows leaders accept that success can be achieved by the way they work with individuals.  They recognise the need to talk, and relate to, people on a personal level.  Of course, internal relationships will continue to be important, but there is now a clear understanding that results will be achieved through wider collaboration.  Increasingly, how good an individual is at using their political skills, with employees and external audiences, will determine personal, and business, success.”

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