Workplace politics and their toll on a team's emotional wellbeing

Team Indiarsquos recent win at the 2025 Asia Cup was not without its looming clouds of controversy The tournament which was unfortunately cast against a turbulent political backdrop saw Indian players lock horns with their Pakistani counterparts both on and off the pitch in a multitude of ways mdash from skipped handshakes to questionable gestures to the Men in Blue being compelled to forsake their trophy and medals the playersrsquo hardfought performance felt tainted for more reasons than one But such turbulence isnrsquot limited to the playing fields aloneBoardroom battlesDistrust and stress can taint the culture at a workplaceThe corporate sphere too is witness to its fair share of politics egoistical leaders and hidden agendas which can demotivate and demoralise employees says Dr Brajesh Bajpai a professional mentor and professor of leadership and personal transformation at Punersquos Nayanta University ldquoThe classical model of management operates on the belief that organisations and the people within organisations have control over input effort and resources which proportionately affects output However managers are increasingly finding that the obstacles they face in delivering results are no longer singledimensional This creates a large amount of stress because despite putting in the right efforts allocating the right resources and having the right amount of talent the results are still elusiverdquo he explainsLeaders must play a proactive role in stabilising the environment and to restore employee morale REPRESENTATION PICSISTOCKOjas Mehta a life and career coach says that when these external pressures hold a workplace hostage they create what is called a lsquotoxic environmentrsquo ldquoThe culture of the organisation becomes tainted with distrust The matter of conflicting interests also arises because employees find themselves forced to choose between serving the organisation and creating a favourable image for the powers that be In addition to impeding employee performance and loyalty it can also increase the incidence of burnoutrdquo he saysRising aboveHaris Rauf locks horns with Abhishek Sharma during the recently concluded match of the Asia Cup in Dubai PICAFPMehta likens such scenarios to a litmus test for effective leadership ldquoLeaders can play an essential role in stabilising the environment and restoring employeesrsquo trust and morale The first and most important task is to redirect their attention to the task at hand away from noise and controversy Clear and effective communication with the team can help reassure them of the vitality of their contributions At the same time leaders should take special care to uphold the core values of their organisation through their words actions and decisionmakingrdquo he says adding that demonstrating and communicating faith in your team will be wellreceived and reciprocated in kindOjas MehtaDr Bajpai reiterates the criticality of strong communication ldquoIf there is bad news it needs to travel up the ladder very quickly While you might not be in a position to do something about it somebody else with a different vantage point might be able to have a more holistic and effective view on thingsrdquo Further organisations should regularly undertake detailed risk assessment planning exercises which prepare them to anticipate several variables and react in an agile mannerrdquo he adds Focus on preservationDr Brajesh BajpaiIf your team or workplace is mired in politics and power tussles Mehtarsquos simple advice is to not indulge ldquoOver time these games will die down Be tactful and aware but donrsquot perpetuate unhealthy patterns Stay true to your values and your ethical moral compass and maintain a clean recordrdquo he elaborates Dr Bajpai offers a more elaborate action plan find someone who is not in the loop of the situation so that they can objectively assess what you are going through mdash is it really bad behaviour corporate culture or a massive misunderstanding Secondly assess if this is a oneoff scenario or a repetitive patternAnd finally if the scenario is leading to your values being compromised it may be time to move on He adds that an objective friendly voice can also point out when you as a leader are going astray ldquoA culture of sycophancy and yesmen can hamper your own potential and amplify blind spots All it takes is for someone to point out unhealthy patterns or the early beginnings of what can eventually become boorish behaviour At the same time leaders should try to move away from a functional to a more holistic view as modern problems are always multifaceted and require creative problemsolvingrdquo he signs off