Organizational Savvy Helps You "Lean In"

Want your fresh, bright ideas to be noticed?

Want them to have an impact—to help move your organization and your career forward?

Workplaces are filled with intelligent workers who show up every day and get the job done. And for many people this is a perfectly satisfying career. But if your vision of professional success is bigger than a passive role, you might need to up your game.

Organizational savvy is the umbrella term for a set of skills that can help you contribute in a more meaningful way. These are key strategies for becoming more organizationally savvy:

1. Know the motives of your organization. Ask questions. Learn to be curious about the “why” and listen more. The more you know about the company, the industry and the competition, the better able you’ll be to see the big picture and how your work fits into it. “If you’ve got an idea of the beliefs and values of the leader who’s set the tone for the organization, then you’re going to know exactly what you need to do and who you need to influence,” suggests Mona Eckard, a SkillPath trainer and expert in organizational savvy. Read more about big-picture thinking.
2. Be an influencer at any level. Knowing how to cultivate cooperation without force is a powerful skill, even if you’re not in a leadership position. Enthusiasm, likeability and confidence all contribute to this ability. As does the ability to articulate your ideas and beliefs effectively. Communicating—speaking up—well enables you to sway opinions and actions. For more details on how to build this skill, here’s article on building influence.
3. Be a team player. Teamwork is one of the leading workplace trends of the twenty-first century, as businesses strive to react more quickly to unpredictable markets and increasing pressure to be adaptive, innovative, customer-centric and able to get products to market quickly. Developing social sensitivity, conflict resolution and strong communication skills can help build relationships you’ll need to be a valued part of any team. And, “stay away from hidden agendas and assumptions,” said Eckard. “When you assume the best about your organization, that’s when the magic happens because shared values give you energy.” For more details, here’s an article on teamwork skills.

Find out more about building strong relationships with co-workers in: Balancing Power and Politics in the Workplace, a 3-hour live, virtual seminar. Or learn how to Get Results Without Authority, a new, 1-hour Webinar.

If you want to play a bigger role in your organization and move your career forward in the process, try leaning in rather than passively getting the job done. When you understand the unwritten ins and outs of your organization, that’s organizational savvy. And that’s your ticket to making a bigger impact.

This article is part of a discussion Mona Eckard and I had in our Career Strategies for Working Women Podcast. Our conversation also touched on things organizations can do to empower employees. Listen to Episode 8: Organizational Savvy.