Politics = people advancing their careers or agendas by means other than merit and contribution. It's this specific form — not disagreement or lobbying in general — that actually corrodes organizations.

Andy Grove's test for ambition: the right kind is ambition for the company's success, with personal success only as a by-product. The wrong kind is ambition for personal success regardless of the company's outcome. Hire accordingly or your company becomes the US Senate.

When an ambitious executive asks to expand their scope (e.g., CFO wanting to become COO), say as little as possible — at most ask 'why?' without reacting. Anything you say leaks, becomes political cannon fodder, and spawns rumors. Decide on your own timeline, then execute the re-org immediately so there's no window for lobbying.

Granting an off-cycle raise to the executive who asks teaches the entire company that squeaky wheels get grease. The aggressive-but-mediocre get paid, the quiet-but-competent get skipped, and you spend your time on comp politics instead of performance. Airtight, board-involved comp cycles are the antidote.

Handle behavioral complaints only with both executives in the room together — never one-on-one, which invites manipulation. Just having the joint meeting usually resolves it.

If an executive complains about a peer's competence and you already agree, you've waited too long — fire the peer now. 'I've seen executives improve their performance and skill sets, but I've never seen one lose the support of the organization then regain it.'

Merely listening to a complaint about an executive without defending them signals agreement. That signal spreads, unqualified, and quietly ends the accused executive's effectiveness — a self-fulfilling prophecy you created by being 'open-minded.'

Every promotion is judged by peers as either merit-based or political. If it looks political, they sulk, undermine the promoted person, or copy the political behavior — so promotions require a formal, visible, defensible process, not a CEO's gut call.