Agility, handling office politics most imp for career success

Agility in office and surviving the politics at workplace are some of the most important factors for career success and the lack of it can put a brake on the professional career of a person even when his/her performance does not slow down, says a survey says.
According to a snap poll on common career derailing factors, during May-June 2014 conducted by HeadHonchos.Com, a leading job search portal for mid-management and senior professionals, agility is most crucial for career success.
Career-savvy professionals recognise the fact that careers are not just about job performance, says the poll, pointing to agility -- the ability to take on change with a positive attitude and to come up with quick-thinking responses to new realities -- as a crucial career skill.

Over 1/3rd of professionals (34 per cent) who voted in the poll ranked the failure to be 'agile' as the number one factor that can derail a career.
As per Leadership Advisor Lee Colan, agility includes flexibility to stretch your mind to take in new knowledge or information, strength to continue to develop core competencies while absorbing the change around and speed in responding & acting to new developments.
The poll findings further said that 31 per cent of respondents said surviving workplace politics is the top issue and a failure in this regard could bring career growth to a grinding halt.

A further 23 per cent of respondents believe that the inability to grow into an expanding role is a career concern, putting the focus squarely on personal evolution to keep pace with new responsibilities and finally, 12 per cent respondents believe that the presence of ego issues and a lack of ego management can lead to a career slowdown.
Professionals will need to manage ever-growing career complexities, as employees who score high on agility and managing workplace politics become the ones to gain the most.
"The keys to career growth, even more than performance on the job, will be behavioural change, embracing new skills & continuous learning," the report said.