Why do organisations reward politics instead of performance?

When leaders question why high performers feel overlooked while politically savvy colleagues advance, the answer often lies in deeper cultural and structural issues. Many organisations unintentionally reward political behaviour because performance is not consistently or objectively measured. When expectations are vague, feedback is inconsistent, or reward criteria shift from one leader to another, people quickly learn that visibility, alliances, and impression-management provide a more predictable route to progression than competence or contribution.

This dynamic does not arise from bad people. It comes from human behaviour in unclear systems. In environments where certainty is low, individuals rely on self-protection, influence, or affiliation to remain safe. Over time, this creates cultures where the ability to “play the game” feels more valuable than the ability to create meaningful results.