CHAPTER 10: ETHICAL POWER &
POLITICS
Summer Wilcox
OBJECTIVES

State how power, politics,
and ethics affect behavior,
human relations, and
performance

Describe 7 bases of power

List techniques to increase
power bases

Discuss necessity of
political behavior and how
to use ethical politics to
help you achieve objectives

Differentiate between ethical
and unethical politics

Identify techniques to
develop effective human
relations with superiors,
subordinates, peers, and
members of other
departments
POWER, POLITICS, AND ETHICS

Power is a persons ability to influence others to do
something they would not otherwise do

Some people want and seek power, while others
wouldn’t take it if offered

Abuse

People who are unethical and ethical
7 BASES OF POWER

Coercive Power – Threats and/ or punishment.

Connection Power – Relationships with influential people.

Reward Power – User’s influence with something of value.

Legitimate Power – User’s position power.

Referent Power - User’s personal power.

Information Power – User’s information being desired.

Expert Power – User’s skill and knowledge.
TECHNIQUES TO INCREASE YOUR POWER BASES



Coercive power- have a
management job that enables you
to gain and maintain the ability to
hire, discipline, and fire
employees
Connection power- expansion of
network and contacts with
important mangers who have
power
Reward power- Obtain
management to gain and
maintain control over resources

Legitimate power- let people know
of your power by gaining people’s
perception that you do have it

Referent power- develop
relationship with other, stand up for
them

Information power- have
information flow thru you

Expert power- take all the training
and educational programs your
organizations provides
NECESSITY OF POLITICAL BEHAVIOR AND HOW
TO USE ETHICAL POLITICS TO ACHIEVE GOALS

3 political behaviors:



Integral part of everyday
corporate life
To take advantage of
political realities


Networking
Reciprocity
Coalition building
**When all 3 political
behaviors are combined, the
goal of human relations is
MET!
• Type l Ethics: refers to behavior that is considered wrong by authority, yet
Not accepted by others as unethical
• Type ll Ethics: refers to behavior that is considered wrong by authorities
And the individual, yet, is conducted anyway
ETHICAL POLITICS

Includes behaviors that
benefits both the individual
and organization

Win-Win situation
UNETHICAL POLITICS

Includes behaviors that
benefits the individual and
hurts the organization

Win-Lose situation
ETHICAL VS. UNETHICAL POLITICS
TECHNIQUES TO DEVELOP EFFECTIVE HUMAN
RELATION WITH SUPERIORS, SUBORDINATES,
PEERS, AND MEMBERS OF OTHER DEPTS.

Exercising good human relation skills
is exercising good ethics

Vertical politics are relations with
superiors and subordinates

Relations with your boss- Analyze your
boss style and preferences, and if
necessary change your style to match
his or her


Common Expectations of Bosses
Loyalty Cooperation Initiative
Information Openness to Criticism
Regaining your boss trust

Relation with subordinates- one should
develop manager-employee relations

Friendship- It should not be one of real
friendship

Horizontal Politics are relations with
peers and relations with members of
other departments

Relations with peers




Cooperating with peers
Competing with Peers
Criticize peers
Relationship with members of other
departments