Office politics is often viewed with scepticism, as something to avoid or endure. Yet understanding how influence operates within organisations is not only vital for career growth — it is also a key leadership skill. In this timely and thought-provoking keynote, our speaker, Niven Postma, will challenge common assumptions about organisational politics and offer a fresh, practical perspective on how to navigate it with clarity, confidence and integrity.
Niven brings a wealth of global leadership experience as a speaker, author and strategic advisor. Her insights will resonate with professionals across industries and career stages who are striving to make an impact without losing sight of their values.
This keynote will explore how political skill is not about manipulation or self-interest, but about influence, awareness and strategic relationship-building. You will leave with a renewed understanding of how to engage with the complexities of organisational life in a way that is authentic and effective.
Whether you are aiming to step into a senior leadership role or seeking greater impact in your current position, this session will provide the tools to engage more confidently with the unspoken dynamics of work.
About your Speaker:
Niven is a globally recognised expert in workplace politics and the author of If you don’t do Politics, Politics will do you. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Organisational behaviour to understand how organisational politics are different for women, and the outcomes of her research will form the basis of her second book.She is a contributor to Harvard Business Review, a tutor at Cambridge University’s Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) and a guest lecturer at Stanford University and London Business School. She was elected an Archbishop Tutu Leadership Fellow in 2007 and is now the Programme Director for the Fellowship.Niven has held executive positions since she was 29 in a career that has spanned multiple sectors and roles, including being CEO of the Businesswomen’s Association, CEO of NOAH (Nurturing Orphans of AIDS for Humanity), Head of the South African Reserve Bank Academy and Head of Leadership and Culture for the Standard Bank Group (the largest bank by assets in Africa).
