Imagine that youveworked your butt off to position yourself for a promotion.

But despite your hard work, there may be one more hurdle standing in your way: office politics.

This post originally appeared onThe Muse.

If youre like most people, you probably avoid office politics whenever possible.

But if you tend to ignore office politics, consider the consequences.

As careers author Erin Burt states, Avoiding (office) politics altogether can be deadly for your career.

Every workplace has an intricate system of power, and you canand shouldwork it ethically to your best advantage.

Nina Simosko, who leads the worldwide execution of technology strategy and operations at Nike, Inc., agrees.

When it comes to office politics, Simosko warns, There is no way around it.

Once you start working with a team you are going to experience it.

I am not a fan of politics, but I have learned that ignoring them can have negative consequences.

She insists that learning to deal with office politics is vital forleaders at any stage of their career.

It can determine whether you are successful in your career or not, she said.

But to do so is to put their very career at risk.

So, what can be done to make office politics more palatable and easier to navigate?

The answer: Build the skill of being positively politically savvy.

They identified four competencies of individuals who are positively politically savvy:

1.

Social Astuteness

How aware are you of your organizations social and political climate?

For example, who has formed strong informal social networks, and who has been marginalized?

How were those relationships built, and whats the glue that maintains them?

Or, if a relationship is brokenwhat went wrong?

Interpersonal Influence

Every organization has people whose influence extends beyond their pay grade.

Do you know who they are?

Or, that the cafeteria line 10 minutes before a meeting is where the real decision-making takes place.

And pay attention to which leaders are known for being talent developers.

Consider your most important career and leadership goals.

Does your web connection consist of influencers, connectors, and advocates who can help?

You must connect with sincerity and build trust before it’s possible for you to lead.

Developing these four traits will help you resist recoiling from politically charged situations.

Photo byBenjamin Childvia Unsplash.