To be involved in politics is not to manipulate and exploit, it is to collaborate and enrich. From the Commander-in-Chief to the infantry unit, from the Chairman of the Board to the hourly staff, private or public, every organization has structure. Not all organizations are bureaucratic, but they all have chains of command, procedures and hierarchies. To navigate their structures, maneuverability. To apply their procedures, finesse. To respect their hierarchies, diplomacy.

This unique trait speaks to the elements of navigation and hierarchy. Business politics, office politics, governmental politics – politics are involved in everything we do. The ability to navigate these situations, and respect the hierarchies involved, forms the foundation of this trait. Having the solution in mind is part of solving a problem, implementing that solution is just as invaluable. It is in the implementation where one’s political prowess, one’s ability to read the situation and respond accordingly and to anticipate concerns and challenges comes into play. Those that are politically astute excel in this regard.