Power & Politics

Power

Power - The ability to influence the behavior of others and resist unwanted influence in return

Types of Power

• Organizational Power - Derived from a person’s position in an organization

  • Legitimate Power - Having a position of authority (position power - e.g. CEO)

  • Reward Power - When someone has control over the resources or rewards another person wants

  • Coercive Power - When a person has control over punishments - usually leads to negative feelings towards those who use it

• Personal Power - Come from the person themselves

  • Expert Power - A person’s skill, expertise, or knowledge on which others depend on

  • Referent Power - Exists when others have a desire to identify and be associated with a person

Contingency Factors - Leaders are better able to use their power to influence others when they have:

• Low substitutability - there are no/low substitutes for the rewards or resources the leader controls

• High discretion - the leader has the freedom to make his or her own decisions without being restrained by organizational rules

• High centrality - the leader’s role is important and interdependent with others in the organization

• High visibility - others know about the leader and the resource he/she can provide

Influence - The use of an actual behavior that causes behavioral or attitudinal changes in others. Most frequently occurs downward (managers to employees) but can also be lateral (peers influencing peers) or upward (employees influencing managers)

Influence Tactics

Most Effective:

• Rational Persuasion - the use of logical arguments and hard facts to show the target that the request is a worthwhile one

• Inspirational Appeal - a tactic designed to appeal to the target’s values and ideals

• Consultation - asking the target to participate in deciding how to carry out a request

• Collaboration - making is easier for the target to complete the request

Moderately Effective:

• Ingratiation - the use of favors, compliments, or friendly behavior to make the target feel better about the influencer

• Personal Appeals - when the requestor asks for something on the basis of friendship or loyalty

• Exchange Tactic - when the requestor offers a reward or resource in exchange for performing a request

• Apprising - when the requestor clearly explains why performing the request will benefit the target personally

Least Effective:

• Pressure - the use of coercive power through treats and demands

• Coalitions - enlisting other people to help influence the target

Responses to Influence Tactics

• Internalization - MOST EFFECTIVE target agrees with and becomes committed to the request (behavioral and attitudinal changes)

• Compliance - MODERATELY EFFECTIVE target is willing to perform the request, but does so with indifference (behavioral change only)

• Resistance - LEAST EFFECTIVE target is opposed to request and attempts to avoid doing it (no change in behavior or attitude)

Organizational Politics

Organizational Politics - Actions by individuals that are directed toward the goal of furthering their own self-interests

Political Skill - Ability to effectively understand others at work and use that knowledge to influence others in ways that enhance personal and/or organizational objectives

• Networking abilities - adeptness at identifying and developing diverse contacts

• Social astuteness - the tendency to observe others and accurately interpret their behavior

Causes and Consequences of Organizational Politics

• Personal Characteristics (Causes)

  • Need for power

  • Machiavellianism

• Organization Characteristics (Causes)

  • Lack of participation in decision making

  • Limited or changing resources

  • Ambiguity in roles

  • High performance pressure

  • Unclear performance evaluations

• Organizational Politics

• Negative Employee Reactions (Consequences)

  • Decreased job satisfaction

  • Decreased organizational commitment

  • Decreased task performance

  • Increased strain