Pressure to perform well above others, high competition for the rewards and promotions, and a thirst for power or the sheer pleasure that one gets out of manipulating others, lead people to engage in organizational politics. People are said to be engaged in politics when they try to protect or advance self-interest at the cost of others' as well as organization's goals. Presence of politics in an organization drains away people's motivation to learn, creates mistrust and gives little incentive to cooperate with one another.

Top managers should make efforts to nurture an atmosphere free of politics by laying strong emphasis on professionalism, trust and cooperation among the employees. Politics has become an indispensable phenomenon in all our lives. We find politics in every sphere of our activities_be it in family relations, or among our friends' circle, or in our social life. Workplace is no exception to this. Nowadays, it is not uncommon to hear the following comments in many of the organizations