A Diagram for Orientation
The leader
(trait, style, behavior,
vision, charisma)
The led (follower)
(motivations, readiness,
attitudes)
The task
(from holistic to
reductionism,
needing discretion or
direction)
The organization
(structural, political, moral purpose)
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Four perspectives compared

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Personality – focus on individual characteristics
Formal – view the organization as a whole; a rigid
hierarchical structure; one’s position in the structure
Democratic – view the organization as a whole; have
a common purpose; facilitate a participative process
Political – view the subunits of an organization; no
common purpose; power is essential; to be an
advocate and power broker
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The Greek origin of the word
“politics”

Aggregation of people
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What do you mean by “political”?



Pejorative understanding –political as a
negative term that connotes parochial,
sinister activity
Legalistic understanding—political
activity as the formal actions of
government officials and government
agencies
Allocative understanding
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Political Perspectives

Political perspectives view
leadership as a process of
advocating by actively engaging in
bargaining, negotiation, and
compromising. Power is central to
the process.
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The Political Perspective on Organization


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Organizations are coalitions composed of interest groups.
There are enduring differences among the groups in their
values, preferences, beliefs, information, and perceptions of
reality.
Most of the important decisions in organizations involve the
allocation of scare resources: they are decisions about who
gets what.
Because of scare resources and enduring differences, conflict is
central to organizational dynamics, and power is the most
important resource.
Organizational goals and decisions emerge from bargaining,
negotiation, and jockeying for position among members of
different coalitions.
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Reframing Leadership
Effective
Leadership
Structural
Human
Resource
Political
Symbolic
Leadership
is:
Leadership
process
Social
architect
Analysis,
design
Catalyst,
servant
Support,
empowerme
nt
Advocate
Advocacy,
coalition
building
Prophet or
Poet
Inspiration,
framing
experience
Ineffective
Leadership
Structural
Human
Resource
Political
Symbolic
Leadership
is:
Leadership
process:
Petty tyrant
Wimp.
Pushover
Management
by abdication
Con artist,
hustler
Management
by fraud,
manipulation
Fanatic, fool
Management
by mirage,
smoke, and
mirrors
Management
by detail and
fiat
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Weber’s Definition of Power

“Power is the probability that one actor
within a social relationship will be in a
position to carry out his [sic] own will
despite resistance, regardless of the
basis on which this probability rests.”
(cited in Burns, 1978, p. 12)
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Sources of Power
Bolman & Deal
(1991)
Bush (1986)
Etzioni
(1961)
French & Raven
(1959)
Peabody (1962)
Pfeffer (1992)
Position power
Official
position
normative
Legitimate
power
position
Structural
sources
Information and
expertise
expertise
Expert power
competence
Personal power
Personal
characteristics
Referent power
person
Control of rewards
Control of
rewards
remunerativ
e
Reward power
legitimacy
Coercive power
Coercion,
sanctions
coercive
Coercive power
Personal
attributes
Alliances and
networks
Framing: control of
meanings and
symbols
Access to and control
of agendas
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An overview of research



This perspective is primarily descriptive and
explanatory. It is basically not normative and
prescriptive.
There is a large body of literature which
employs the political perspective to explain
educational policies or events in general and
leadership in particular.
A case-study approach is usually used for the
research that employs the political
perspective.
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Strength of the Political
Perspective

This perspective represents an
important antidote to the antiseptic
rationality sometimes present in the
structural perspective, as well as to
the excessive optimism that
appears in the democratic
perspective on leadership.
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Limitation of the Political
Perspective


The political perspective is so
thoroughly focused on politics that it
underestimates the significance of both
rational and collaborative processes.
The frame is normatively cynical and
pessimistic. It overstates the
inevitability of conflict and understates
the potential for effective collaboration.
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Summary


As a political leader in an organization, having
a clear sense of self and comfort with the
politics of the organization will open up
opportunities of often precluded by rationality
alone.
Political behavior is not a substitute for
competence; on the other hand, effective
leadership rests heavily on the acquisition of
political skills.
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Reflection on Political Leadership
1. How do you perceive the political
perspective on leadership?
To what extent do you feel this perspective
describes your organization?
2. Where is morality in the political leadership?
How do you understand political leadership
in relation to transactional and
transformational leadership?
3. Is it possible to have good political
leadership? Why or why not?
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