Luzenne S.

Jones BS-PSYC III HBO MW 12:00-1:30 PM April 24, 2019

Power Politics Interview

Topic: Power, Politics, and Organizational Justice

Name: Jason Monteclarb
Age: 37
Company: DYCM Cebu City Radio Station
Position/Rank: Radio Station Manager/ Anchor/ Political Analyst
No. of Years in the Company: 5
Salary Range: 420,000 P per year

1. What is your perspective regarding organizational politics or “politics at work”?

“In every organization there is politics at work and a specific line of hierarchy and the purpose of
hierarchy is that the things needed to be accomplished must be accomplished and done by specific people.
Now, in every organization there is what we call as a “power play”. Power play is somehow related to
power politics where in the boss has his or her secretary and a secretary has his or her undersecretary and
so on and so forth. So, it’s a vicious cycle. It’s a cycle and particularly it’s a prey and predator
relationship instead of employer employee relationship. Now when you say politics at work, politics in a
sense that the boss needs to understand human behavior and when you talk about politics, it is the art of
governance and it’s the art of understanding basic human behavior of the govern. So, in order to have
things done and set right, you need to understand people around you so if you want to get things done,
you need to have a will, you need to have a command, and you need to have a moral authority over your
subordinates. So that is practically politics, the profound understanding of the people who is comprising
the organization.”

2. Say for instance you are requesting a budget for department activity. Or an approval of any
program proposal. How do you influence the boss to agree with the proposal?
“With my line of duty when I was still working in the government, if ever I need to have something done
or there is certain things that needs to be accomplished, first I will have to present it to my boss as
something that is necessary. It should be necessary as a matter of life and death because if you have to
present things to your boss and later on, he will know that it is not one of those things that he considers to
be his priority, then it means to say that it is not necessary. So, it would be hard on my part to ask for any
budget, for any support with regards to the project or program, if it is not very important or in line with
the priorities of my boss so it has to be necessary. So how do I make it appear necessary? First, I will have
to make him understand the scenario that without this particular project agenda then there is a potential
break down with respect to the mission or vision of the company or the government because I use to work
in the government and I used to ask for projects with the governor then I will have to make him
understand that if you will not do this then disaster is eminent. So, anything that is less prioritized to my
program agenda should be abandoned. Mine should come first, since it should come first then you should
be prepared to give me the necessary budget.”

3. What are the characteristics of an “ideal” boss for you?

“An ideal boss for me, in the context of organizational politics, must be someone who has the will power,
someone who can really take command, and someone who can really stand for all the decisions being
made within the hierarchy and someone credible enough to stand accountable to whatever decisions are
being made.”

4. What do you think is an “acceptable” political behavior in an organization?

“Well, there are countless behaviors in any organization deemed acceptable as long as it is within the
bounds of ethical conduct, as long as it is lawful, and of course as long as it is moral. Anything that falls
beyond these guidelines and limits would be deemed already as unacceptable.”

5. Have you observed some people displaying political behavior which are to some extent
“unacceptable” based on what is regarded as proper? If YES, what is your opinion about this
issue?
“Well with respect to this question, I cannot just easily divulge people’s names because for me it is
confidential but if you are asking me whether I have observed certain people displaying political behavior
which you said is unacceptable, YES I have seen people performing badly about their job but anyway its
more of a general rule rather than an exception because people that are really considered as leaders in
these days or modern times are the exception to the rule and you seldom see those people working in both
public and private organizational places or entities.”

6. Describe organizational politics in the following sectors: (based on your knowledge or stories
learned from various sources)

A. Private Companies
B. Public Companies
“I’ve been working in a Makati broadcasting company and it’s a private sector. Well, there are a set of
rules that really defines our job specification. Now you cannot really just play politics where an
organization is practically and apparently divided into sub sectors. You cannot just but in or interject
some of your proposals or propositions to any other department without having a prior approval from the
boss or from what we call the above. Now in private companies, of course there are politics but as I have
said, it is less excruciating on the people working within the organization. Unlike, when you are working
in a public corporation or public company where there are rules that are needed to be followed, rules in
accordance to their law that has to be observed strictly. It has to be observed strictly because the
government, knowing that its nature, it operates using people’s money or public funds then the concept of
accountability is really high. You cannot just play around, you cannot just do things when you are in a
private organization because when you are in a public company or public corporation, there is what we
call as accountability to the people’s money. Your salary is coming from the taxpayer, whatever income
that you gain is presumed to be from the taxpayer and you need to account all of those things. So, if not,
then you can be held liable and to some extent, you can be sent to prison if convicted.”

7. Which of the sector is prevalent in playing “dirty politics”?

“Obviously the public sector. The public sector is very much vulnerable to dirty politics knowing that the
position being held by people occupying different offices are never considered as permanent unlike when
you are working in a private sector there is a law, there is a labor code that protects the stature of each and
every employee. While when you are in a public sector, it is an open secret that most of the workers are
either casual or job order and there is just a few of them who are considered to be permanent but most of
them are casuals. Again, the public sector is very much vulnerable to dirty politics. Why? Because of the
positions being held by each employee since they are not permanent then they are always at the mercy of
the department head or of their boss. So, they are at the mercy and caprice or prejudices of the people
above them. If they cannot satisfy the necessary standards being required by their job specification then
out they go.”
8. What can you advise to students like us who will soon become part of the work force? How are
we going to approach “politics” in the organization?
“My best advice first, you can never please everyone. Second, avoid “shoe licking” within the
organization. Third, always measure every action that you do based on principles. You must know the
power ethics of right and wrong. You must be able to understand that not all people who are around you
are potential friends because they are the most potential enemies. They can backstab you anytime,
especially when you are in a public sector, for whatever reasons. But, never trust people around you,
always trust yourself. Lastly, never rely on the wisdom of your boss. When the boss is wrong or when the
boss is in the wrong, you should always be ready to show to him or her the correctness of things.
Although, it may be arbitrary to your work or somehow be obnoxious to your position as an employee but
what can a better employee do except to show everyone that things should be done in this particular and
right way instead of acceding to things that are wrong. So, again if you see something wrong in things,
then you better stand and you better express or rectify that one particular mistake and do it right.”