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Chapter 8

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8 views

Chapter 8

Uploaded by

Fatima Khalid
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Power and Politics

Chapter 8
Week 10
Definition of Power
Power is the capacity of a person, team, or
organization to influence others.

Power is a function of dependency

That is, the most important perquisite for power is


that one party believes he or she is dependent on the
other for something of value.

You might have power over others by controlling a


desired job assignment, useful information or
important resources.
Power and Dependence
Person B’s
counter power
Person
over Person A A

Person Person
B B’s Goals
Person A’s
power over
Person B

erson A has power over person B by controlling something that person B need
chieve his or her goals.
owever, person B also has counter power over person A.
Definition of Power (continued)
Although power requires dependence, it is really
more accurate to say that the parties are
interdependent.

The dotted line in the previous figure shows the


weaker party (B) has counter power over the
dominant participant (A).

This counter power ensures that Party ‘A’ will


use its power judiciously.
Bases of Power
Formal Power
Emanates from an individual’s position
in an organization.

Personal Power
Stems from an individual’s unique
characteristics.
Types of Formal Power
Coercive Power – results from the capacity to
dole out punishment. Managers have coercive
power through their authority to reprimand,
demote and fire employees.

Reward Power – refers to the power derived


from an individual’s capacity to administer valued
rewards to others.

Legitimate Power – refers to the power people


have because others recognize and accept their
authority.
Types of Personal Power
Expert Power
 It is an individual’s capacity to influence

others by possessing knowledge and skills


that others want.

Referent Power
 People have referent power when others

identify with them, like them or otherwise


respect them.
Consequences of Power
Sources Consequences
of Power of Power

Expert
Power
Commitment
Referent
Power
Legitimate
Power Compliance

Reward
Power
Coercive Resistance
Power
Power Tactics

How can you influence your bosses,


co-workers, subordinates or
customers?
Power Tactics (continued)
 Rational Persuasion: Using logical arguments
 Apprising: Explaining how a proposal will benefit the target person
 Inspirational Appeals: Arousing enthusiasm
 Personal Appeal: Asking someone to do a favor out of friendship
 Consultation: Asking to participate in decision making
 Ingratiation: Using flattery, praise or friendly behavior
 Exchange: Promising benefits in return
 Coalition-Building: getting help from other people to influence the
target person
 Legitimating: Basing a request on one’s formal authority
 Pressure: Making demands or threats
Power Tactics (continued)

Soft Tactics
These tactics are friendlier and not
• Rational Persuasion
• Apprising as coercive as the last four tactics.
• Inspirational
Appeals
• Consultation
• Ingratiation
• Personal Appeals

Hard Tactics
These tactics involve more coercive
• Exchange
• Coalition forms of influence.
• Pressure
• Legitimating
Effectiveness of Power Tactics
Choice and effectiveness of influence tactics
depends on several factors:
Direction of Influence
Sequencing of tactics
 Softer to harder tactics work best
Political Skill
 The ability to influence others

The culture of the organization


 Culture affects user’s choice of tactic
Preferred Power Tactics by Influence Direction

Upward Influence Downward


Influence Lateral Influence
Rational persuasion Rational persuasion
Rational persuasion
Consultation Inspirational appeals Consultation
Ingratiation Pressure Ingratiation
Consultation Exchange
Ingratiation Legitimacy
Exchange Personal appeals
Apprising Coalitions

Legitimacy
Politics: Power in Action
Organizational politics represent

attempts to influence others using


discretionary behaviours to promote
personal objectives.
Types of Political Behaviour
Managing Attacking and
impressions blaming others

Creating
Types of Controlling
obligations organisational information
politics

Networking Forming
behaviour coalitions
Factors that Influence Political
Behaviors
Employee Responses to Organizational Politics
Defensive Behaviors

Avoiding
AvoidingAction
Action
•• Over
Overconforming
conforming
•• Buck
Buckpassing
passing Avoiding
AvoidingBlame
Blame
•• Playing •• Buffing
Playingdumb
dumb Buffing Avoiding
AvoidingChange
Change
•• Stretching •• Playing
Playingsafe
safe
Stretching •• Prevention
Prevention
•• Stalling •• Justifying
Justifying
Stalling •• Self-protection
Self-protection
•• Scapegoating
Scapegoating
•• Misrepresenting
Misrepresenting
Impressions Management

The process by which individuals


attempt to control the impression IM
IMTechniques
Techniques
others form of them. •• Conformity
Conformity
•• Excuses
Excuses
•• Apologies
Apologies
•• Self-Promotion
Self-Promotion
•• Flattery
Flattery
•• Favors
Favors
•• Enhancement
Enhancement
IM Effectiveness
Job Interview Success
IM does work and most people use it
Self-promotion techniques are important
Ingratiation also tends to work well in
interviews
Performance Evaluations
Ingratiation is positively related to ratings
Self-promotion tends to backfire
Controlling Political Behavior
Provide Hire
Sufficient Low-Politics
Resources Employees

Introduce Increase
Clear Rules Opportunities
for Dialogue

Free Flowing
Information Peer Pressure
Against Politics

Manage Change
Effectively

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