Project Politics

A Systematic Approach to Managing Complex Relationships

The ability of individuals to work together to facilitate the delivery of a project can be a major factor in determining its success. By misinterpreting or even missing the signs of underlying political issues a project manager will struggle to deliver projects successfully. Project Politics provides a framework for solving political concerns through the effective management of complex relationships. Nita Martin's structured approach will raise awareness and improve your ability to manage issues in the workplace. She shows that once you recognize the problems, and take politics in your stride, you can successfully manage such environments. The first part of Project Politics presents theoretical concepts of human behaviour as a basis for structuring observations and understanding why people behave the way they do. The second follows the familiar project life cycle. Each project stage is considered in turn, and numerous case studies are presented with analyses that draw upon the concepts presented in Part I. Nita Martin uses psychology, influence, behaviour and communication models, gives guidance on putting theory into practice and points out typical political situations throughout. For all management professionals who recognize the importance of politics in the workplace and wish to be armed with the tools to make a difference, Project Politics will provide the foundation.