Egos. Silos. Conflicts. These three words are the most oft-repeated in companies. The head of marketing and finance are head on head. The purchasing head is having a snarling match with the manufacturing head.

The Finance people are sick of the Audit department’s constant interference. The Sales people are at loggerhead with HR’s compensation policies. This is commonplace. This is a story most told. If it is frequent, is it normal? That is the danger.

When you feel this is how it is going to be, that very feeling is the real danger. Conflicts at top are conflicts all the way down. The senior leaders signal the culture in the organization. If they are not able to project a picture of harmony with other departments the employees in turn will become embroiled in day-to-day clashes. These clashes take away the focus on the real goals and are productivity and profitability drainers.

‘C-suite’ leadership has power and with power comes politics. Some politics is natural, too much of it will make the company dysfunctional. In a team of ten to twelve-member leadership team, you will find the dynamics of lobbies and behind-the-scene alliances.

They join forces to push their own agendas and in meetings their invisible partners support them through deft postures that tilt decisions in their favour. Then of course there will be some smart PR wizards who with targeted reputation management through social media create influence and power. Holding on information, letting disinformation flourish, being neutral even when they know the company may suffer through a bad decision is typical of the powerplay........

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