Chapter 12
Power and Politics
1
Power and Influence
• Power =
• Dependency =
• Dependence goes up as a function of:
– importance
– scarcity
– nonsubstitutability
2
Bases of Power and Influence
Formal Bases or Power:
• Coercive power
• Reward power
• Legitimate power
Personal Bases of Power:
• Expert power
• Referent power
• (but also coercive and reward power??)
3
Using Power Effectively
• Understand individual and structural bases of power.
• Use to accomplish collective goals.
• Use to deploy resources efficiently and effectively.
• Use to help employees grow and develop.
• Always maintain dignity and respect of those involved.
4
Using Power Ineffectively
• Relies too much on one (or a few) bases of power
and influence.
• Used for self-serving purposes or agenda.
• Seeks compliance through legitimate authority and
giving orders.
• Uses coercion to get what’s wanted.
5
Bases of Power and Expected
Reactions from Others
( ...others will typically respond with: )
( When you use.... )
Resistance
Coercive
Power
Commitment
Compliance
Reward
Power
Legitimate
Power
Expert
Power
Referent
Power
6
Creativity
(not limited to
boss’s abilities)
Equitable
Rewards and
Policies
Decentralized
Structures
Positive
Organizational
Culture
Potential
Benefits of
Empowerment
Fewer
Bureaucratic
Obstacles
High
Performance
Standards
Confidence
in Employees
Proper
Employee
Selection
7
Prerequisites of Empowerment
• What is empowerment?
• Do we really want/need it?
• What’s required of employees?
• What’s required of managers?
• What’s required of organizations?
• How does it develop?
8
Political Behavior
Not required as part of one’s formal role,
but intended to influence the distribution
of advantages and disadvantages.
Political Behaviors include things like:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
strategic withholding/leaking of information
spreading rumors
exchanging favors
lobbying for support
publicizing successes while hiding failures
managing perceptions more than results
“spinning” (shaping) interpretation of facts
9
Politics: In the Eye of the Beholder?
“Political” Label
1. Blaming others
2. “Kissing up”
3. Apple polishing
4. Passing the buck
5. Covering your rear
6. Creating conflict
7. Forming coalitions
8. Whistle blowing
9. Scheming
10. Overachieving
11. Ambitious
12. Opportunistic
13. Cunning
14. Arrogant
15. Perfectionist
“Effective Management” Label
vs.
vs.
vs.
vs.
vs.
vs.
vs.
vs.
vs.
vs.
vs.
vs.
vs.
vs.
vs.
Fixing responsibility
Developing working relationships
Demonstrating loyalty
Delegating authority
Documenting decisions
Encouraging change and innovation
Facilitating teamwork
Improving efficiency
Planning ahead
Competent and capable
Career-minded
Astute
Source: Based on T. C. Krell, M. E.
Mendenhall, and J. Sendry, “Doing
Practical-minded
Research in the Conceptual Morass of
Organizational Politics,” paper
Confident
presented at the Western Academy of
Management Conference, Hollywood,
Attentive to detail
CA, April 1987.
10
Factors Contributing to
Increased Political Behavior
Individual factors:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Authoritarian personality
High-risk propensity
External locus of control
High need for power
Need for Autonomy
Need for Security
Need for Status
11
Factors Contributing to
Increased Political Behavior (cont.)
Organizational factors:
•
•
•
•
•
•
A low trust culture
Role ambiguity
Unclear performance evaluation standards
Zero-sum reward allocation practices
Democratic decision making
High pressures for performance
12
Effects of Political Behavior
Perceptions of high organizational politics
are strongly correlated with:
• Lower job satisfaction (and thus greater turnover)
• Increased job anxiety and stress
• Self-reported declines in performance
• Increased defensive behaviors (see Exh. 12-3)
• More acts of impression management
13
Defensive Behaviors
14
Techniques Used for
Impression Management
• Conformity
• Excuses
• Apologies
• Self-promotion
• Flattery
• Favors
• Association
15
Managing Political Behavior
Encourage
Discourage
Relationships
Negativity
Negotiation
Self-Interest
Compromise
Destructive
Behavior
16