This isn't about playing 'office games'; it’s about making good things happen. A high PQ is what turns a solid plan into a successful rollout, bridging the gap between great ideas and their real-world execution. Leaders who ignore the political realities—the “power webs” of an organisation—risk having their initiatives fail, regardless of their intelligence (IQ) or emotional awareness (EQ).
In any large organisation, internal politics are a natural and neutral part of work life. Leaders must learn to accept and use this reality constructively. Without strong PQ, you struggle to navigate the complex dynamics between departments, stakeholders, and competing agendas.
For senior leaders, this intelligence is a core competency that directly impacts success.
Traditionally, great leadership was measured by two factors:
But in the work environment, the equation is incomplete. Political Quotient (PQ) is the third element that makes a leader truly astute. It’s the difference between a smart leader with a great idea and a smart leader who can actually rally the resources and people to see that idea through.
A high PQ allows leaders to:
While political skill is often viewed as purely behavioural, its effectiveness is deeply tied to psychological and even neurological mechanisms. Growing your PQ is essentially strengthening your capacity for advanced social cognition and self-regulation.
At a psychological level, developing PQ provides a leader with self-regulation and perspective. Politically skilled leaders display a high degree of impulse control—they think before they speak, choosing their organisational battles wisely and timing their message for maximum impact. This ability to remain calm under pressure and adapt to unexpected situations is crucial in turbulent times.
Furthermore, political psychology has long challenged the idea that leaders make decisions through purely rational calculations. Instead, decisions are filtered through belief systems, emotions, and cognitive biases. Leaders with high PQ are better equipped to recognise these non-rational factors in themselves and others, leading to more grounded, predictable outcomes.
The emerging field of political neuroscience (or neuropolitics) suggests that the brain regions involved in social and emotional processing are key to political cognition and decision-making.
Growing your PQ, particularly the skill of social astuteness, involves improving your ability to read people’s non-verbal behaviour and intuitively sense their motivations. This social cognition is linked to areas of the brain involved in:
By intentionally practicing political skills, you are effectively strengthening the neural pathways that help you process social information and make nuanced judgments about the complex system around you. It moves you from motivated reasoning—where you only see what confirms your bias—to a more controlled, objective assessment of the political landscape.
Political skill is not an innate trait; it’s a set of six characteristics that can be learned, developed, and practiced. Leaders can focus on these six areas to lift their PQ.
This is the "reading the room" skill. It’s about being keenly perceptive of the motivations, emotional currents, and power dynamics at play. You actively listen and observe to gauge employee sentiment, rather than assuming you know their priorities.
Influence is often more effective than power-wielding, especially with younger workers who seek a dynamic, egalitarian environment. This is about knowing the four strategies for political engagement: Domination, Influence, Negotiation, and Cooperation, and choosing the right one based on the balance of power and goal alignment. A high PQ leader chooses influence and cooperation far more often than domination.
A politically savvy leader is skilled at building and maintaining relationships with people at all levels of the organisation—from the executive suite down to the front line. This network is your coalition, giving you the necessary social capital to build alliances and advocate for your goals.
High PQ means having impulse control. It involves choosing your organisational battles wisely, sizing up the situation, and being thoughtful about the timing and presentation of your ideas. This is critical for preventing missteps that could derail your career or harm your integrity.
You need to be able to communicate skilfully with your bosses and other higher-ups. This involves not only managing expectations but also maintaining excellent relationships with colleagues and peers (managing sideways) to ensure smooth collaboration. This helps you to establish common ground, find areas of mutual advantage, and build a coalition for your projects.
The most politically skilled individuals are or, at least, appear to be, authentic, sincere, and forthright. This sincerity inspires trust and confidence in others. It is important to remember that this skill needs to be used sincerely—not to manipulate—to lead to positive and lasting outcomes for both yourself and your organisation.
Building political quotient requires intentional practice, focused on increasing awareness and improving your behaviour in political situations.
You need to know your political blind spots. Ask yourself:
Core State's PQ Materials include diagnostic tools to help you identify your political animal type and your current proficiency across the six pillars. You can also seek honest feedback from a trusted colleague or a mentor on your ability to navigate the power webs in your organisation.
A key part of the leader’s job is to manage the flow of politics bleeding in from the outside world. To do this, you must lead by example, ensuring your own behaviour demonstrates respect, objectivity, and open-mindedness.
Political intelligence is about choosing the right strategy for the situation. Before engaging, always clarify your ultimate goal and ask: What will happen if I don't get involved? If non-engagement won't hurt your goal, save your political capital for a battle that truly matters.
If you do engage, be flexible:
Core State's PQ Materials provide frameworks for rapidly assessing power and alignment, allowing you to choose the most effective, least disruptive strategy every time.
Political Quotient is not a dark art; it's a crucial ingredient for leaders who deliver meaningful, sustainable change. By moving beyond simply being smart and empathetic, you gain the skills to navigate resistance, build powerful coalitions, and turn your most strategic visions into a tangible reality.
Don't let your best ideas falter due to a lack of political savvy. Transform your delivery by transforming your understanding of the invisible architecture of power and influence.