Power and Politics

A Definition of Power
Power
A capacity that A has to influence
the behavior of B so that B acts in
accordance with A’s wishes.

Dependency
B’s relationship to A when A possesses
something that B requires.

Potential
That exists but need not be actualized
to be effective.
 Contrasting Leadership and
Power
• Leadership • Power
– Focuses on goal – Used as a means for
achievement. achieving goals.
– Requires goal – Requires follower
compatibility with dependency.
followers.
– Used to gain lateral
– Focuses influence
downward.
and upward influence.
• Research Focus • Research Focus
– Leadership styles and – Power tactics for
relationships with gaining compliance.
followers.
Bases of Power: Formal Power
Formal Power
Is established by an individual’s position in an
organization; conveys the ability to coerce or
reward, from formal authority, or from control of
information.
Coercive Power
A power base dependent on fear.

Reward Power
Compliance achieved based on
the ability to distribute rewards
that others view as valuable.
Bases of Power: Formal Power
Legitimate Power
(cont’d)
The power a person receives as a result
of his or her position in the formal
hierarchy of an organization.

Information Power
Power that comes from access
to and control over information.
 Bases of Power: Personal
Expert Power
Power
Influence based on special
skills or knowledge.

Referent Power
Influence based on possession
by an individual of desirable
resources or personal traits.

Charismatic Power
An extension of referent power
stemming from an individual’s
personality and interpersonal style.
 Dependency: The Key To
Power
• The General Dependency Postulate
– The greater B’s dependency on A, the greater the power A has
over B.
– Possession/control of scarce organizational resources that
others need makes a manager powerful.
– Access to optional resources (e.g., multiple suppliers) reduces
the resource holder’s power.
• What Creates Dependency
– Importance of the resource to the organization
– Scarcity of the resource
– Nonsubstitutability of the resource
 Power Tactics
Power Tactics
Ways in which Influence
InfluenceTactics
Tactics: :
individuals translate
• • Reason
power bases into Reason
specific actions. • • Friendliness
Friendliness
• • Coalition
Coalition
• • Bargaining
Bargaining
• • Assertiveness
Assertiveness
• • Higher
HigherAuthority
Authority
• • Sanctions
Sanctions
 Preferred Power Tactics by
Influence Direction
Upward Influence Downward Influence

Reason Reason Most Popular

Coalition Assertiveness

Friendliness Friendliness

Bargaining Coalition

Assertiveness Bargaining

Higher Authority Higher Authority

Sanctions Least Popular

 Factors Influencing the Choice and
Effectiveness of Power Tactics
• Sequencing of tactics • How the request is perceived
– Softer to harder tactics work – Is the request consistent
best. with the target’s values?
• Skillful use of a tactic • The culture of the organization
• Relative power of the tactic
user
– Culture affects user’s
– Some tactics work better
choice of tactic.
when applied downward or • Country-specific cultural
upward. factors
• The type of request attaching to – Local values favor certain
the tactic
tactics over others.
– Is the request legitimate?
Power in Groups: Coalitions
Coalitions
• • Seek
Seektotomaximize
maximizetheir
their
An informal group bound size
sizeto
toattain
attaininfluence.
influence.
together by the active • • Seek
Seekaabroad
broadand
anddiverse
diverse
pursuit of a single issue. constituency
constituencyforforsupport
support
of
oftheir
theirobjectives.
objectives.
• • Occur
Occurmore
morefrequently
frequentlyinin
organizations
organizationswith
withhigh
high
task
taskand
andresource
resource
interdependencies.
interdependencies.
• • Occur
Occurmore
morefrequently
frequentlyifif
tasks
tasksare
arestandardized
standardized
and
androutine.
routine.
 Harassment: Unequal Power in the
Workplace

Harassment
– Unwelcome advances, requests for favors,
and other verbal or physical conduct of a
sexual nature.
 Steps for Managers to Take to Prevent
Harassment

• Make sure a policy against it is in place.

• Ensure that employees will not encounter
retaliation if they file a complaint.
• Investigate every complaint and include the
human resource and legal departments.
• Make sure offenders are disciplined or
terminated.
• Set up in-house seminars and training.
 Politics: Power in Action
Political Behavior
Activities that are not required as part of one’s
formal role in the organization, but that influence, or
attempt to influence, the distribution of advantages
or disadvantages within the organization.

Legitimate Political Behavior

Normal everyday politics.

Illegitimate Political Behavior

Extreme political behavior that violates the implied
rules of the game.
 Politics Is in the Eye of the
“Political” Label Beholder
“Effective Management” Label
1. Blaming others vs. Fixing responsibility
2. “Kissing up” vs. Developing working relationships
3. Apple polishing vs. Demonstrating loyalty
4. Passing the buck vs. Delegating authority
5. Covering your rear vs. Documenting decisions
6. Creating conflict vs. Encouraging change and innovation
7. Forming coalitions vs. Facilitating teamwork
8. Whistle blowing vs. Improving efficiency
9. Scheming vs. Planning ahead
10. Overachieving vs. Competent and capable
11. Ambitious vs. Career-minded
12. Opportunistic vs. Astute
13. Cunning vs. Practical-minded
14. Arrogant vs. Confident
15. Perfectionist vs. Attentive to detail
 Factors That
Influence Political
Behaviors
Employee Responses
to Organizational
Politics
 Defensive
Avoiding
AvoidingAction
Action: : Behaviors
• • Overconforming
Overconforming
• • Buck
Buckpassing
passing
• • Playing Avoiding
AvoidingBlame
Blame: :
Playingdumb
dumb
• • Stretching • • Buffing
Buffing
Stretching
• • Stalling • • Playing
Playingsafe
safe
Stalling
• • Justifying
Justifying
• • Scapegoating
Scapegoating Avoiding
AvoidingChange
Change: :
• • Misrepresenting
Misrepresenting • • Prevention
Prevention
• • Self-protection
Self-protection
 Impression Management (IM)
Impression Management
The process by which IM
IMTechniques
Techniques: :
individuals attempt to • • Conformity
Conformity
control the impression • • Excuses
Excuses
others form of them.
• • Apologies
Apologies
In Job Interviews, those who use IM
techniques that focus the conversation on • • Self-Promotion
Self-Promotion
themselves (called a Controlling Style, • • Flattery
Flattery
e.g., Self-Promotion, Self-Enhancement)
are better off than those who use • • Favors
Favors
techniques that focus on interviewer (called • • Association
Association
as Submissive Style, e.g., Conforming
opinions with interviewer, offering favours
to interviewer.
 Is A Political Action Ethical?
1. Is the political action motivated by self-serving
interests to the exclusion of organization’s
goals?
2. Does the political action respect the rights of
individuals affected?
3. Is the political activity fair and equitable?