Organizational Politics and How to Influence
Monday, June 8, 2015 - 1:00pm-2:15pm, Madison Ballroom
Presented by:
Dan Chase, Partner/Consultant, Actualized Government Solutions (AGS)
For many in organizational settings “politics” is a dirty word. In this session participants will learn that not only is politics
not a dirty word, understanding the politics of their organizations is critical for leadership success and career
advancement. More specifically, participants will learn about their own proclivities towards political behavior, how to
assess the culture they work in, how to best approach specific stake holders, and useful communications techniques to
use when attempting to influence their organizations towards positive change. As participants develop these skills they will
learn to become “benevolent politicians;” leaders who understand how to use politics to achieve organizationally desirable
ends.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
DAN CHASE is originally from Laie, Hawaii and has been involved with leadership development in the public, private, and
education sectors and currently serves as the Leadership Development Consultant for the State of Utah’s Department of
Human Resource Management. He has presented as a keynote speaker for various public agencies and non-profit
organizations across the country and has consulted with dozens of public and private organizations, including direct
management and executive coaching. He has been, or is currently, an adjunct faculty member for the Organizational and
Leadership Strategy Department at BYU and the Communications Department and Woodbury School of Business at UVU
and at the University of Phoenix. Dan earned an M.P.A. from BYU emphasizing in organizational behavior and HR and is
currently a doctoral candidate (abd) at the University of Utah with a research emphasis on organizational and public
leadership. He and his wife, Annie, reside in Riverton, Utah and have two sons, Dallas and Eric.
Organizational Politics
Why Politics is NOT a Dirty Word
Persuasion and
Politics
“Persuasion is more up front than playing games. Manipulation is often is based on deception, whereas coercion relies
on force. Persuasion involves strategies of influence, but people have the choice to reject them; you’re simply
positioning ideas in ways that encourage other people to adopt them.”
-Kathleen Kelley Reardon, 2005
“The question is not whether organizations will have politics, but what kind of politics they will have. Politics can be
and often is sordid and destructive. But politics can also be the vehicle for achieving noble purposes, and managers
can be benevolent politicians. Organizational change and effectiveness depend on such managers.”
-Bolman and Deal, 1991
“The magic in being politically savvy lies in advance work, not in fancy strategies.”
-It’s All Politics
Persuasion and
Politics
• Legitimate versus Illegitimate Political Behavior
• Your Own Tendencies Towards Persuasion and Politics
• Assessing Your Organization and its Key Stakeholders
• Preparing for Influence/Communication Opportunities
Legitimate vs.
Illegitimate Politics
Illegitimate Politics: Violates the “rules
of the game.”
Legitimate Politics: Openly or tacitly
accepted behavior within most American
organizations.
• Dishonesty
• Gossip
• Exerting influence to accomplish
valuable ends, even if self-serving
• Sabotage
• Applying various “power” techniques
• Stealing
• Impression management
9 Power Tactics
Legitimacy. Relying on your authority position or
saying a request accords
with organizational policies or rules.
Rational persuasion. Presenting logical arguments
and factual evidence to
demonstrate a request is reasonable.
Inspirational appeals. Developing emotional
commitment by appealing to a
target’s values, needs, hopes, and aspirations.
Consultation. Increasing the target’s support by
involving him or her in deciding how you will
accomplish your plan.
Exchange. Rewarding the target with benefits or
favors in exchange for following a request.
Personal appeals. Asking for compliance based on
friendship or loyalty.
Ingratiation. Using flattery, praise, or friendly
behavior prior to making a
request.
Pressure. Using warnings, repeated demands, and
threats.
Coalitions. Enlisting the aid or support of others
to persuade the target to
agree.
Why People Resist
Change and Influence
• Lack of Trust
• Belief That Change is not Necessary
• Belief That Change is not Feasible
• Economic Threats
• Change of Habits and Routines
• Fear of Personal Failure
• Loss of Status and Power
• Threats to Values and Ideals
• Resentment of Interference
Agency Culture
Control
Collaborative
Competence
Cultivation
It’s All Politics, 2005
Agency Culture
Control
Collaboration
Competence
Focus is on standards to reach.
Work is rigorous with a sense of
urgency
Cultivation
It’s All Politics, 2005
Agency Culture
Control
Focus is on rational decision
making. Impersonal. Cost-benefit
analysis.
Collaboration
Competence
Cultivation
It’s All Politics, 2005
Agency Culture
Collaboration
Control
Focus in on people. Decisions are
made for their impact on
individuals
Competence
Cultivation
It’s All Politics, 2005
Agency Culture
Control
Collaboration
Cultivation
Competence
Culture is focused on succession
planning and fulfilling success
It’s All Politics, 2005
Agency Culture
Control
Collaborative
Competence
Cultivation
It’s All Politics, 2005
Agency Culture
Control
Collaboration
Focus is on rational decision
making. Impersonal. Cost-benefit
analysis.
Focus in on people. Decisions are
made for their impact on
individuals
Competence
Cultivation
Focus is on standards to reach.
Work is rigorous with a sense of
urgency
Culture is focused on succession
planning and fulfilling success
It’s All Politics, 2005
Agency Culture
Organizational culture refers to a system of shared meaning held by members that distinguishes the
organization from other organizations. Seven primary characteristics seem to capture the essence of an
organization’s culture:
1. Innovation and risk taking. The degree to which employees are encouraged to be innovative and take risks.
2. Attention to detail. The degree to which employees are expected to exhibit precision, analysis, and attention
to detail.
3. Outcome orientation. The degree to which management focuses on results or outcomes rather than on the
techniques and processes used to achieve them.
4. People orientation. The degree to which management decisions take into consideration the effect of
outcomes on people within the organization.
5. Team orientation. The degree to which work activities are organized around teams rather than individuals.
6. Aggressiveness. The degree to which people are aggressive and competitive rather than easygoing.
7. Stability. The degree to which organizational activities emphasize maintaining the status quo in contrast to
growth.
Stakeholder Analysis
Personality and Response
•
Forceful – Speak with conviction
•
Brusque – Keep comments brief to hold their
attention
•
Down-to-earth – Make sure your examples and data
are practical
•
Antsy – They’re nervous about details, so provide
reassurance, not problems
•
Perfectionist – Assure them that all loose ends have
been considered and dealt with
•
Temperamental – Choose your timing and location
very carefully
•
Charming – Be able to enjoy the banter and repartee
•
Sensitive – Avoid any appearance that this is a
response to their shortcomings
“One needs to know not only the game,
but also the players.”
- Jeffrey Pfeffer Managing With Power
Adapted from “It’s All Politics” Kathleen Kelley Reardon, 2005.
Stakeholder Analysis
High
KEEP
SATISFIED
MANAGE
CLOSELY
MONITOR
(Minimal Effort)
KEEP
INFORMED
P
O
W
E
R
Low
Low
INTEREST
Source: MindTools, retrieved from: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newPPM_07.htm
High
Stakeholder Analysis
• High power, interested people:
These are the people you must fully engage and make the greatest efforts to satisfy.
• High power, less interested people:
Put enough work in with these people to keep them satisfied, but not so much that
they become bored with your message. B.L.U.F.
Stakeholder Analysis
• Low power, interested people:
Keep these people adequately informed, and talk to them to ensure that no major issues
are arising. These people can often be very helpful with the detail of your project.
• Low power, less interested people:
Again, monitor these people, but do not bore them with excessive communication.
Influential
Communication Delivery
To
• Framing
• Inoculation
“Power is gained and lost because of
communication—the means by which
power is developed, exercised,
maintained, diminished, and destroyed.”
Kathleen Kelly Reardon, It’s All Politics
• Rational Appeals
• Emotional Appeals
• Co-Opting Detractors/Navigate Resistance
• Attention Phrases
• Stories, Symbols, and Metaphors
Influential
Communication Delivery
To
Framing
• Problem and Solution
• Frame or be Framed
• What are the “Frames” that Matter
to Your Agency?
“The implication of this is that affecting how decisions are
viewed, very early in the process, is absolutely critical in
affecting the outcome.”
-Jeff Pfeffer “Managing With Power”
“Framing involves presenting
key issues in ways that will
elicit the responses you desire
from other people.”
-Kathleen Kelley Reardon
Reason and Emotion
Appeal to Reason
Appeal to Emotion
• Share new and relevant
information about a problem or
opportunity.
• Use a compelling story or
anecdote
• Some people need to be drowned
in data. Give them as much as
they need.
• Assign those closest to the
problem to explain the need for
change
• Use a vision of what the future
state will look like
• Have a customer visit so it is
personal
• Get a customer to report on what
is working and what isn’t working
and what the change will mean
• Explain the long-term
consequences of not pursuing
change
• Make personal emotional
connections with people
• B.L.U.F.
• Get face-to-face
Influential
Communication Delivery
To
Inoculation
“Informing people ahead of time
that they might hear negative things
about an idea, project, or persons
and giving them good reasons to
ignore or reject such attacks.”
“It’s All Politics”
• Resistance is Natural
• Make the “argument” for them
• It Demonstrates You’ve Thought
Diligently and Thoroughly
Adapted from Kathleen Kelly
Reardon, It’s All Politics, 2005
Influential
Communication Delivery
To
Co-Opting Detractors
• Don’t Treat Detractors as Enemies
• Treat Resistance as if it’s Part of
the Plan
• This Keeps Ideas Alive and People
on Your Side
“I’m glad you brought that up.”
“What Marcus said earlier is
perfect.”
“If we put these ideas together
we could really have something
amazing.”
Influential
Communication Delivery
To
Attention Phrases
• Public Speaking Devices
• Useful Even With an Engaged
Audience
• Voice Modulation Also Works
“Here is the key issue.”
“I really want you to pay
attention to this.”
“Let me say this one more
time.”
Influential
Communication Delivery
To
Stories, Symbols, and Metaphors
• Stories are Compelling and
Memorable
• Metaphors and Symbols can Make
the Complex Accessible
“Why tell stories? For one simple reason:
they are powerful tools for teaching people
about what’s important and what’s not,
what works and what doesn’t, what is and
what could be.”
- The Leadership Challenge
Tips for Managing
Organizational Politics
Reduce System Uncertainty
•
•
Have a clear and transparent reward system
Distributive, Process, and Interactional Justice
Reduce Competition
•
•
Try to minimize resource competition among managers
Reward ethical behavior and “big picture” thinking
Break Existing Political Fiefdoms
•
•
If you are in a position to, restructure highly political groups
Expose “patronage” politicians by bringing behavior to light
Prevent Future Fiefdoms
•
•
Promotions based on apolitical behaviors
Be savvy and aware enough to see political behavior
Organizational Politics
Why Politics is NOT a Dirty Word
Building Influence and
Facilitating Change
HR Field Directors
January 2015
Positive Politics/Self-Monitoring
Building Influence and Facilitating Change (Self-Evaluation)
1. Do you know how to make your views interesting to other people?
2. Do you effectively adapt your manner of speaking to the task and type of person with whom
you are dealing?
3. Can you sense the best time to attempt to change someone’s mind?
4. When you are being persuaded do you know the strategies that are being used?
5. When a conversation gets derailed do you know how to get it back on track?
6. Do you know who to attempt to influence so as to best help your cause?
7. Are you conscious of your word choices when trying to persuade someone?
8. When conflict occurs can you handle it in ways that advance your cause?
9. Can you support your ideas with reasons others find compelling?
10. Do you know who the real power brokers are in any given persuasive situation?
Influence Effort Reflection
Think about a time you attempted to influence something or someone at your customer
agency.

What was the context?

What and whom were you trying to influence?

What was successful?

What could you have done to make the effort more effective?
Organizational Culture
Please circle which general culture your customer agency is most like. Then please rank your customer
agency on the following cultural elements with 1 being “not at all like” and 5 being “very much like.”
Control
Collaborative
Cultivation
1. Innovation and risk taking:
1
2
3
4
5
2. Attention to detail:
1
2
3
4
5
3. Outcome orientation:
1
2
3
4
5
4. People orientation:
1
2
3
4
5
5. Team orientation:
1
2
3
4
5
6. Aggressiveness:
1
2
3
4
5
7. Stability:
1
2
3
4
5
Competence
*How else would you describe the culture or climate in your customer agency? What are your agency’s
“core values?” Please give examples.
Stakeholder
Personality
Power/
Interest
History
Comprehensive Stakeholder Analysis
Approach