--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Typically, we use the term “playing…" description: "\"“Typically, we use the term “playing politics” only to describe our colleagues’ behavior—never our own. They are sucking up, scheming, and manipulating..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18a/marie-g-mcintyre-79145_building-relationshi_typically-we-use-the-term-playing-politi_255106.jpg" --- # Typically, we use the term “playing politics” only to… ![“Typically, we use the term “playing politics” only to describe our colleagues’ behavior—never our own. They are sucking up, scheming, and manipulating, but we are building relationships, developing strategies, and opening communication channels.” quote by Marie G. McIntyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18a/marie-g-mcintyre-79145_building-relationshi_typically-we-use-the-term-playing-politi_255106.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18a/marie-g-mcintyre-79145_building-relationshi_typically-we-use-the-term-playing-politi_255106.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18a/marie-g-mcintyre-79145_building-relationshi_typically-we-use-the-term-playing-politi_255106.jpg) > ““Typically, we use the term “playing politics” only to describe our colleagues’ behavior—never our own. They are sucking up, scheming, and manipulating, but we are building relationships, developing strategies, and opening communication channels.”” Marie G. McIntyre ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People label negative tactics as “politics” when done by others, but view their own similar actions as relationship‑building, revealing bias in self‑perception. **In simple terms:** We call others “politics” but see ourselves as collaborative. Key Takeaway Recognize own political behavior. Themes bias self‑deception workplace dynamics ethics Mood critical introspective Type professional analytical When to use this quote - team meetings - leadership decisions - networking events Key Concepts cognitive bias organizational behavior Questions to Reflect On - In what ways do you practice “playing politics”? - How can you align perception with reality? A Different Perspective Self‑assessment may be uncomfortable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Building relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building-relationships/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Scheming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scheming/) ## Related quotes > [“Low-leverage people tend to waste a lot of energy on complaining, worrying, blaming, gossiping, scheming, and whining. High-leverage people focus their energy on producing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-g-mcintyre/low-leverage-people-tend-to-waste-a-lot-of-energy-on-complaining/) Marie G. McIntyre > [I think what's fascinating is how many people are playing in politics who maybe haven't played before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/i-think-what-s-fascinating-is-how-many-people-are-playing-in-politics/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [We're going to prevent politics from abusing the parliament and going off playing politics around the country when they should be here at work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-burke/we-re-going-to-prevent-politics-from-abusing-the-parliament-and-going/) [Tony Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-burke/) > [Too often it's not the most creative guys or the smartest. Instead, it's the ones who are best at playing politics and soft-soaping their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-icahn/too-often-it-s-not-the-most-creative-guys-or-the-smartest-instead-it/) [Carl Icahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-icahn/) > [By creating a minority quota in lending the government is clearly playing politics and wants to fatten its vote banks, whether or not it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sucheta-dalal/by-creating-a-minority-quota-in-lending-the-government-is-clearly/) [Sucheta Dalal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sucheta-dalal/) > [What we ought not do is play politics with those who've been afflicted by disasters. This should not be controversial. Stop playing politics, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-plouffe/what-we-ought-not-do-is-play-politics-with-those-who-ve-been/) [David Plouffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-plouffe/) > [They are playing politics with this issue, and sending mixed signals to our troops and the enemy. That is irresponsible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senator-john-kerry/they-are-playing-politics-with-this-issue-and-sending-mixed-signals/) [Senator John Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senator-john-kerry/) > [It's the sad thing about entertainment: it's not always about who is the best. Jake The Snake had a horrible time playing politics. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-roberts/it-s-the-sad-thing-about-entertainment-it-s-not-always-about-who-is/) [Jake Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-roberts/) > [Sometimes we be playing the politics too much and forget who we are just to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/sometimes-we-be-playing-the-politics-too-much-and-forget-who-we-are/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [The bilateral relationship is unshakable, but playing politics with that relationship could blunt Secretary Kerry's enthusiasm for being Israel's primary defender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-dermer/the-bilateral-relationship-is-unshakable-but-playing-politics-with/) Ron Dermer > [We must stop planning, plotting and scheming, and let Infinite Intelligence solve the problem in its own way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-scovel-shinn/we-must-stop-planning-plotting-and-scheming-and-let-infinite/) [Florence Scovel Shinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-scovel-shinn/) > [When it comes to me, I can rule out that I am scheming for a change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/when-it-comes-to-me-i-can-rule-out-that-i-am-scheming-for-a-change/) [Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/) > [“but without scheming to do wrong, or to make others unhappy, there may be error, and there may be misery. Thoughtlessness, want of attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/but-without-scheming-to-do-wrong-or-to-make-others-unhappy-there-may/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [You can't possibly conduct a proper affair without a lot of deliberating, scheming, speculating, and conniving. It's a delicate balance where the excitement must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dufresne/you-can-t-possibly-conduct-a-proper-affair-without-a-lot-of/) [John Dufresne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dufresne/) > [“Do not waste what remains of your life in speculating about your neighbours, unless with a view to some mutual benefit. To wonder what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/do-not-waste-what-remains-of-your-life-in-speculating-about-your/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) ## More by Marie G. McIntyre > [“Many people feel that playing the political game involves devious plotting or blatant self-promotion. But in reality, “politics” is what naturally happens whenever people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-g-mcintyre/many-people-feel-that-playing-the-political-game-involves-devious/) Marie G. McIntyre > [“Low-leverage people tend to waste a lot of energy on complaining, worrying, blaming, gossiping, scheming, and whining. High-leverage people focus their energy on producing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-g-mcintyre/low-leverage-people-tend-to-waste-a-lot-of-energy-on-complaining/) Marie G. McIntyre Explore all 3 Marie G. McIntyre quotes ## More Building relationships quotes > [There's obstacles, there's challenges, there's things that come in the way. So building relationships and building some of the expectations on the front end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-day/there-s-obstacles-there-s-challenges-there-s-things-that-come-in-the/) [Ryan Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-day/) > [I always say that the real success of Wine Library wasn't due to the videos I posted, but to the hours I spent talking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/i-always-say-that-the-real-success-of-wine-library-wasn-t-due-to-the/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) > [Match your goals with the people who can make them happen and start building the relationships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ferrazzi/match-your-goals-with-the-people-who-can-make-them-happen-and-start/) [Keith Ferrazzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ferrazzi/) > [Sports have an amazing way of banding people together from all walks of life, building relationships that would have never happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-warner/sports-have-an-amazing-way-of-banding-people-together-from-all-walks/) [Kurt Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-warner/) > [“Being afraid of building bonds because of the hurt you felt from those who betrayed your trust before, is a foolish sentiment. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imania-margria/being-afraid-of-building-bonds-because-of-the-hurt-you-felt-from/) [Imania Margria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imania-margria/) > [It would not do for the consumer to know that the hamburger she is eating came from a steer who spent much of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-sweet/it-would-not-do-for-the-consumer-to-know-that-the-hamburger-she-is/) [Leonard Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-sweet/) > [“Each of us must make it our priority and personal responsibility to stay in harmony with our fellowman. Harmony is not just about creating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith-pegues/each-of-us-must-make-it-our-priority-and-personal-responsibility-to/) [Deborah Smith Pegues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith-pegues/) > [If I don't have any other strength, I'm pretty good at building relationships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fizdale/if-i-don-t-have-any-other-strength-i-m-pretty-good-at-building/) [David Fizdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fizdale/) > [Saying hello doesn't have an ROI. It's about building relationships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/saying-hello-doesn-t-have-an-roi-it-s-about-building-relationships/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) > [“When we aren't curious in conversations we judge, tell, blame and even shame, often without even knowing it, which leads to conflict." -The Power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-siggins/when-we-aren-t-curious-in-conversations-we-judge-tell-blame-and-even/) Kirsten Siggins > [You don't build a coalition by insulting our friends or acting like a loose cannon. You do it by putting in the slow, hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/you-don-t-build-a-coalition-by-insulting-our-friends-or-acting-like-a/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [“Relationships are not created for nothing; nothing expecting something from nothing, produces nothing but fluffing, and this ain't pillow-talk. When making connections virtually or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracey-bond/relationships-are-not-created-for-nothing-nothing-expecting-something/) [Tracey Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracey-bond/) > [Building relationships is the key for being happy as a coach. Players must want to play for you. If they are comfortable with you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mcconathy/building-relationships-is-the-key-for-being-happy-as-a-coach-players/) Mike McConathy > [Sex for pleasure, for fun, or even for building relationships is completely absent from our national conversation. Yet taking the joy out of sexuality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/sex-for-pleasure-for-fun-or-even-for-building-relationships-is/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [“Increase Your Productivity We live in a demanding and distracting world. Being productive can sometimes feel like an impossible feat. Here are three ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/increase-your-productivity-we-live-in-a-demanding-and-distracting/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 89 Building relationships quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building-relationships/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Typically, we use the term “playing politics” only to describe our colleagues’ behavior—never our own. They are sucking up, scheming, and manipulating, but we are building relationships, developing strategies, and opening communication channels.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marie G. 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