9.
Political Skill Inventory
Strongly Disagree Slightly Neutral Slightly Agree Strongly
Disagree Disagree Agree Agree
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1 I spend a lot of time and effort at work networking with others. 5
2 I have developed a large network of colleagues and associates at work who I can
call on for support when I really need to get things done. 3
3 I am good at building relationships with influential people at work. 6
4 At work, I know a lot of important people and am well connected. 6
5 I spend a lot of time at work developing connections with others. 5
6 I am good at using my connections and network to make things happen at work. 4
7 I am able to make most people feel comfortable and at ease around me. 6
8 I am able to communicate easily and effectively with others. 6
9 It is easy for me to develop good rapport with most people. 6
10 I am good at getting people to like me. 6
11 I understand people very well. 4
12 I am particularly good at sensing the motivations and hidden agendas of others. 5
13 I have good intuition or savvy about how to present myself to others. 5
14 I always seem to instinctively know the right things to say or do to
influence others. 3
15 I pay close attention to people’s facial expressions. 7
16 When communicating with others, I try to be genuine in what I say and do. 4
17 It is important that people believe I am sincere in what I say and do. 4
18 I try to show a genuine interest in other people. 6
Political Skill = Add up and divide by
18 SCORE =
Networking Ability Interpersonal Social Apparent
(1+2+3+4+5+6) / 6 Influence Astuteness Sincerity
(7+8+9+10) / 4 (11+12+13+14+15) / 5 (16+17+18) / 3
SCORE = 5.9
SCORE = 6 SCORE = 4.9 SCORE =4.6
Networking Ability: Individuals with strong political skill are adept at
developing and using diverse networks of people. People in these networks tend to
hold assets seen as valuable and necessary for successful personal and
organizational functioning. By the sheer force of their typically subtle style, such
individuals easily develop friendships and build strong, beneficial alliances and
coalitions. Furthermore, because social networks are deliberately constructed
structures, individuals high in networking ability ensure they are well positioned in
order to both create and take advantage of opportunities. Masters of the quid pro
quo, they are often highly skilled negotiators and deal makers, and adept at conflict
management.
Interpersonal Influence: Politically skilled individuals have a subtle and
convincing personal style that exerts a powerful influence on those around
them. Individuals high on interpersonal influence are capable of appropriately
adapting and calibrating their behaviour to each situation in order to elicit particular
responses from others. Aspects of the interpersonal influence dimension capture
“flexibility,” which involves adapting one’s behaviour situationally to different targets of
influence in different contextual conditions in order to achieve one’s goals.
Social Astuteness: Individuals possessing political skill are astute
observers of others and are keenly attuned to diverse social situations. They
comprehend social interactions and accurately interpret their behaviour, as well as
that of others, in social settings. They have strong powers of discernment and high
self-awareness. Socially astute individuals often are ingenious, even clever, in
dealing with others; they have an accurate understanding of social situations as
well as the interpersonal interactions that take place in these settings.
Apparent Sincerity: Politically skilled individuals appear to others as
possessing high levels of integrity, authenticity, sincerity, and genuineness. They are,
or appear to be, honest, open, and forthright. This dimension of political skill strikes at
the very heart of whether influence attempts will be successful because it focuses on
the perceived intentions (i.e., as assessed by the target of influence) of the behavior
exhibited (i.e., by the actor). Influence attempts will be successful only when actors
are perceived as possessing no ulterior motives. Because their actions are not
interpreted as manipulative or coercive, individuals high in apparent sincerity inspire
trust and confidence in and from those around them.
Source: Ferris et al. “Development and Validation of the Political Skill Inventory,”
Journal of Management, Vol. 31 No. 1, February 2005 126-152.
