Not all groups or organizations are equally political. In some organizations, politicking is overt and rampant, while in others politics plays a small role in influencing outcomes. There are a number of factors that appear to encourage political behavior. At the individual level, researchers have identified certain personality traits, needs, and other factors likely to be related to political behavior.

In terms of traits, we find that employees who are high self-monitors, possess an internal locus of control, and have a high need for power are more likely to engage in political behavior. The more alternate job opportunities an individual has—due to a favorable job market, possession of scarce skills or knowledge, prominent reputation, or influential contacts outside the organization—the more likely the person is to employ politics. An individual with low expectations of success from political means is unlikely to use them. Some individuals engage in more political behavior because they simply are better at it.

Such individuals read interpersonal interactions well, fit their behavior to situational needs, and excel at networking. These people are often indirectly rewarded for their political efforts. Although we acknowledge the role that differences can play, the evidence more strongly suggests that certain situations and cultures promote politics. When resources are reduced, people may engage in political actions to safeguard what they have. Cultures characterized by low trust, role ambiguity, democratic decision making, high pressure for performance, and self-serving senior managers will also create breeding grounds for politicking.

Role ambiguity means that the prescribed employee behaviors are not clear; therefore, there are fewer limits to the scope and functions of the employee’s political actions. The more an organizational culture emphasizes the zero-sum or win–lose approach to reward allocations, the more employees will be motivated to engage in politicking. The zero-sum approach treats rewards as fixed, so any gain for one comes at the expense of another.