Learning Outcomes
Chapter 11
Power and Political Behavior
1.
Describe the concept of power.
2.
Identify forms and sources of power in organizations.
3.
Describe the role of ethics in using power.
4.
Identify symbols of power and powerlessness in organizations.
5.
Define organizational politics and understand the role of political
skill and major influence tactics.
6.
Identify ways to manage political behavior in organizations.
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1
Learning Outcome
Describe the concept of power.
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The Concept of Power
Power – the ability to influence another person
Influence – the process of affecting the thoughts,
behavior, and feelings of another person
Authority – the right to influence another person
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Zone of Indifference
the range in which attempts to influence a
person will be perceived as legitimate and will
be acted on without a great deal of thought
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Beyond the Book:
Football Tickets and Power
In September 2009, the Washington Redskins sued 72-year
old Pat Hill for failing to pay for her season tickets, which
she’s held for almost 50 years.
Hill admitted that she could no longer afford the tickets,
which cost $5300 per year, and asked the organization to
release her from the contract.
The team declined, and sued Hill, seeking payment for the
rest of the contract, which runs through 2017.
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2
Learning Outcome
Identify forms and sources of power in
organizations.
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Interpersonal Forms of Power
Reward Power – agent’s ability to control the rewards
that the target wants
Coercive Power – agent’s ability to cause an
unpleasant experience for a target
Legitimate Power – power based on position and
mutual agreement; agent and target agree that the
agent has the right to influence the target
Referent Power – an elusive power that is based on
interpersonal attraction
Expert Power – the power that exists when an agent
has specialized knowledge or skills that the target
needs
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Which Power Is Most Effective?
Expert Power!
• Strongest relationship to performance & satisfaction
• Transfers vital skills, abilities, and knowledge within
the organization
• Employees internalize what they observe & learn
from managers they consider “experts”
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Intergroup Sources of
Power
• Control critical resources
• Control of strategic contingencies –
activities that other groups need to
complete their tasks
– Ability to cope with uncertainty
– High degree of centrality
– Nonsubstitutability
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Intergroup Power
Groups hold power over
other groups when they…
• Reduce uncertainty
• Function is central to organization
• Activities are difficult to replace
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3
Learning Outcome
Describe the role of ethics in using
power.
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Guidelines for Ethical Use of Power
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Guidelines for Ethical Use of Power
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Information Power
access to and control over
important information
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[Criteria for Using Power
Ethically]
Does the behavior produce a good
outcome for people both inside and
outside the organization?
Does the behavior respect the rights of all
parties?
Does the behavior treat all parties
equitably and fairly?
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[Two Faces of Power]
Personal Power
 used for personal gain
Social Power
 used to create motivation
 used to accomplish
group goals
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Beyond the Book:
The Trials of Blago
Rod Blagojevich, the former governor of Illinois,
is a premier illustration of abuse of personal
power.
In exchange for the Illinois’ seat in the US
Senate, Blagojevich demanded financial
compensation for himself and his wife, as well
as a position as an ambassador.
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Successful Power Users
belief in the
authority
system
belief in justice
preference for
work and
discipline
altruism
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4
Learning Outcome
Identify symbols of power and
powerlessness in organizations.
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Kanter’s Symbols of
Power
•
Intercede for someone in trouble
•
Obtain placements for favored employees
•
Exceed budget limitations
•
Procure above-average raises for employees
•
Place items on meeting agendas
•
Access to early information
•
Have top managers seek out their opinion
Common Theme: Doing things for others
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Kanter’s Symbols of
Powerlessness
Top Executives
Staff Professionals
• budget cuts
• punishing behaviors
• top-down communications
• resistance to change
• turf protection
First-line Supervisors
Managers
• assign external attribution blame others or environment
• overly close supervision
• inflexible adherence to rules
• do job rather than train
Key to overcoming powerlessness:
share power and delegate decision making
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Korda’s Power Symbols
Furnishings
Time
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Standing by
5
Learning Outcome
Define organizational politics and
understand the role of political skill and
major influence tactics.
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Organizational Politics
the use of power and influence in
organizations
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Political Behavior
actions not officially sanctioned by an
organization that are taken to influence
others in order to meet one’s personal
goals
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Conditions Encouraging
Political Activity
• Unclear goals
• Autocratic
decision making
• Ambiguous lines
of authority
• Scarce resources
• Uncertainty
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Beyond the Book:
Evaluate Your Political Potential
Personal Characteristics of Effective Political Actors:
Articulate
Competent
Self-confident
Devious
Highly intelligent
Sensitive
Socially adept
Popular
Extraverted
Aggressive
Ambitious
“Organization man or woman”
Logical
1. Which characteristics do you possess? Which do you need to work on? Ask a
friend what characteristics you possess.
2. On the basis of the table, are you an effective political actor? Explain.
3. Can we assume that all of these characteristics are worth having?
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Influence Tactics
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Influence Tactics
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Influence Tactics
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[Using Influence Tactics ]
• Develop and maintain open lines of
communication in all directions
• Treat the targets of influence
attempts with basic respect
• Understand that influence
relationships are reciprocal
• Direct influence attempts towards
organizational goals
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Political Skill
ability to get things done through favorable
interpersonal relationships outside of
formally prescribed organizational
mechanisms
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Four Dimensions to Political
Skill
Social astuteness
Interpersonal
influence
Networking ability
Sincerity
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6
Learning Outcome
Identify ways to manage political
behavior in organizations.
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[Managing Political Behavior]
•
•
•
•
•
Recognize it
Open communication
Clarify performance expectations
Participative management
Encourage cooperation among
work groups
• Manage scarce resources well
• Provide a supportive organizational
climate
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Managing Up: The Boss
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Managing Up: The Boss
SOURCE: From J. J. Gabarro and J. P. Kotter, “Managing Your Boss,” Harvard Business Review (May–June 1993): 155.
Reprinted by permission of Harvard Business Review. Copyright © 1993 by the Harvard Business School Publishing
Corporation; all rights reserved
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Empowerment
sharing power in such a way that
individuals learn to believe in their ability
to do the job
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Four Dimensions of
Empowerment
Meaning
Competence
Selfdetermination
Impact
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[Guidelines for Empowering]
• Express confidence in employees and
set high performance expectations
• Create opportunities for participative
decision making
• Remove bureaucratic constraints that
stifle autonomy
• Set inspirational and meaningful goals
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Employee Empowerment Grid
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Beyond the Book:
Empowering Employees for Quality
A key element in Toyota’s quality control program
is empowerment.
Every employee on the assembly line has access
to an andon cord. If they see any quality issues,
no matter how small, they can pull the cord to
pause production and have the issue resolved.
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1. This chapter defined power
as “the ability to influence
another person.”
Who has power in this film
scene?
Flash of Genius
2. The chapter distinguished
influence from authority. What
is the example
of the use of authority in the
scene?
3. Which interpersonal forms of
power appear in this film
scene? Draw
examples of your choices from
the scene.
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1. Who has authority at
Barcelona?
2. What forms of interpersonal
power do these individuals
possess?
Barcelona
Restaurant Group
3. Identify Kanter’s symbols of
power that are evident at
Barcelona Restaurant Group.
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