OCPA/OASPA February 1, 2008 The Power of Political Savvy in Higher Education Gerri Sullivan --...

OCPA/OASPA February 1, 2008OCPA/OASPA February 1, 2008

The Power of Political Savvy in Higher

Education

Gerri Sullivan -- Ursuline College Gerri Sullivan -- Ursuline College Mark Kretovics -- Kent State UniversityMark Kretovics -- Kent State University


Take two minutes and jot down an Take two minutes and jot down an operational definition of operational definition of PowerPower!!

Power is defined here as the potential Power is defined here as the potential ability to influence behavior, to change the ability to influence behavior, to change the course of events, to overcome resistance, course of events, to overcome resistance, and to get people to do things that they and to get people to do things that they would not otherwise do.would not otherwise do.


Political Hot ButtonsPolitical Hot Buttons What are the political hot buttons on your What are the political hot buttons on your

campus?campus? FundingFunding

• State reductionsState reductions• Endowment Endowment • GrantsGrants

RecruitmentRecruitment• StudentsStudents• FacultyFaculty• staffstaff

Town – Gown relationsTown – Gown relations


French and RavenFrench and Raven

CoerciveCoercive

ReferentReferent

ExpertExpert

Reward Reward

LegitimateLegitimate


PowerPower An important social process that is often An important social process that is often

required to get things accomplished in required to get things accomplished in interdependent systemsinterdependent systems

Power refers to a person’s ability to Power refers to a person’s ability to control, coerce, influence, or at least control, coerce, influence, or at least directly affect the behavior of another directly affect the behavior of another (Murrell, K.L., 1994)(Murrell, K.L., 1994)


Political SystemsPolitical Systems Politics are involved in all educational Politics are involved in all educational

matters and education is a political system matters and education is a political system (Writ & Kirst, 1982; Iannaccone 1967)(Writ & Kirst, 1982; Iannaccone 1967)

Politics in organizations is woven into the Politics in organizations is woven into the fabric or educational work. There is no fabric or educational work. There is no more engaging and volatile aspect of more engaging and volatile aspect of work-life than the dimension of work-life than the dimension of organizational politics. (Block, 1987)organizational politics. (Block, 1987)


The concepts of power and organizational The concepts of power and organizational politics are related; most authors, define politics are related; most authors, define organizational politics as the exercise or organizational politics as the exercise or use of power, with power being defined as use of power, with power being defined as a potential force.a potential force.


The primary reason that negative political The primary reason that negative political behavior exists is a fear of uncertainty: behavior exists is a fear of uncertainty: people resist good ideas, suggestions, people resist good ideas, suggestions, recommendations, and changes because recommendations, and changes because of fear of the unknown….also ambiguous of fear of the unknown….also ambiguous goals and objectives in the organization goals and objectives in the organization and fear of change.and fear of change. what kinds of change are occurring in your what kinds of change are occurring in your

institution right now?institution right now?


Power is more important in major Power is more important in major decisions such as those made at higher decisions such as those made at higher organizational levels and those that organizational levels and those that involve crucial issues like reorganizations involve crucial issues like reorganizations and budget allocationsand budget allocations

If goals and assumptions are aligned there If goals and assumptions are aligned there is no need to exercise influence or develop is no need to exercise influence or develop power.power.


The greater the task specialization in The greater the task specialization in the organization, the more likely there the organization, the more likely there will be disagreements.will be disagreements.

One’s position in the organization One’s position in the organization causes one to see the world through causes one to see the world through information that comes with that information that comes with that positionposition


Power is used more frequently under Power is used more frequently under conditions of moderate interdependence. conditions of moderate interdependence. With little or no interdependence there is With little or no interdependence there is little or no need to develop power or little or no need to develop power or exercise influence. By the same token exercise influence. By the same token when interdependence is great people when interdependence is great people have incentives to work together, forge have incentives to work together, forge common goals, and coordinate their common goals, and coordinate their activities.activities. In the academy we have our silosIn the academy we have our silos


Being PoliticalBeing Political

Getting along in organizations involves Getting along in organizations involves transacting business in a pleasant and transacting business in a pleasant and effective manner with people whom you do effective manner with people whom you do not like and possibly do not respect, but not like and possibly do not respect, but whose cooperation you need to get things whose cooperation you need to get things done.done.

Institutions of higher education are Institutions of higher education are interdependent organizations in which we interdependent organizations in which we need the help of others to get things done.need the help of others to get things done.


How do you know who has “power” on How do you know who has “power” on your campus?your campus?

What are your institutional symbols of What are your institutional symbols of power and influence?power and influence?


Power on CampusPower on Campus Identify key power players on your campusIdentify key power players on your campus

Who gets things done?Who gets things done? Who do other administrators listen to?Who do other administrators listen to? What are the symbols of power at your What are the symbols of power at your

institution?institution?• Spend more time listening and less time talkingSpend more time listening and less time talking• Spend more time doing and less time complainingSpend more time doing and less time complaining

Who controls the resources?Who controls the resources? Who controls the agenda?Who controls the agenda?


Who has the power in Who has the power in Higher Education? Higher Education?

Development (fund raisers)Development (fund raisers) Office of AdmissionOffice of Admission AthleticsAthletics Academic AffairsAcademic Affairs Subdivisions within Academic AffairsSubdivisions within Academic Affairs Student AffairsStudent Affairs Various departments and divisionsVarious departments and divisions


How to find out who has power in How to find out who has power in an institution of Higher Educationan institution of Higher Education

Be observant – keep your eyes and ears Be observant – keep your eyes and ears open – especially during meetingsopen – especially during meetings

Listen more than you speakListen more than you speak Ask around – discreetly Ask around – discreetly Pay attention to publications – memos, Pay attention to publications – memos,

college newspapers, marketing efforts, college newspapers, marketing efforts, news releases, etcnews releases, etc


Communication NetworkCommunication Network

Differentiate between communication Differentiate between communication network and the organizational chartnetwork and the organizational chart

Must have technical knowledge and social Must have technical knowledge and social system in placesystem in place

Conceptualizations of centrality:Conceptualizations of centrality: BetweenessBetweeness ConnectednessConnectedness Proximity or closenessProximity or closeness


With Whom Do You AssociateWith Whom Do You Associate

Who is in your work flow network?Who is in your work flow network?

Who is in your informal communication Who is in your informal communication network?network?

Who is in your friendship network ?Who is in your friendship network ? Perhaps the most important predictor of Perhaps the most important predictor of

powerpower


Context is EverythingContext is Everything

How we look at things affects how they How we look at things affects how they look!look!

What is good or bad, what is expensive or What is good or bad, what is expensive or inexpensive, what appears reasonable or inexpensive, what appears reasonable or unreasonable, is profoundly affected by unreasonable, is profoundly affected by what we have just experiencedwhat we have just experienced


Identify and/or develop allies within Identify and/or develop allies within your institutionyour institution

Do favorsDo favors The favors are not necessarily requestedThe favors are not necessarily requested Extent of obligation is not specifiedExtent of obligation is not specified The gift creates a generalized obligationThe gift creates a generalized obligation

Hire or promote staffHire or promote staff Reward productivityReward productivity Reward loyaltyReward loyalty


One’s position in the organization causes One’s position in the organization causes one to see the world through the one to see the world through the information that comes with that positioninformation that comes with that position

Authority and responsibility are vested in Authority and responsibility are vested in positions, and one’s ability to broker is positions, and one’s ability to broker is affected significantly by where one sits in affected significantly by where one sits in the structure of interaction.the structure of interaction.


Framing of issuesFraming of issues The order in which things are considered The order in which things are considered

affects how they are viewed...affects how they are viewed...

ScarcityScarcity Limited quantity – while supplies lastLimited quantity – while supplies last

Timing is almost everythingTiming is almost everything AgendasAgendas VisibilityVisibility DelaysDelays


Commitment – people’s willingness to support Commitment – people’s willingness to support decisions, actions, or requests enthusiastically.decisions, actions, or requests enthusiastically.

Compliance – individuals are willing to support Compliance – individuals are willing to support your efforts, positions, or course of action but do your efforts, positions, or course of action but do so in an un-enthusiastic way.so in an un-enthusiastic way.

Resistance – people openly oppose your efforts, Resistance – people openly oppose your efforts, positions, or course of action and try to avoid positions, or course of action and try to avoid doing or supporting themdoing or supporting them

Watch others and how they handle/manage Watch others and how they handle/manage conflict. Learn to read others!!!!!!conflict. Learn to read others!!!!!!


Political thinking skillsPolitical thinking skills

Think before you reactThink before you react Listen carefully to others’ requestsListen carefully to others’ requests Filter suggestions and recommendationsFilter suggestions and recommendations Understand your role during the interactionUnderstand your role during the interaction Posses the courage to recommend Posses the courage to recommend

solutions that may not be popularsolutions that may not be popular Analyze all requestsAnalyze all requests Maintain consistent guiding principlesMaintain consistent guiding principles


Behaviors of a political navigatorBehaviors of a political navigator

Be predictable and consistent – dependable and Be predictable and consistent – dependable and reliablereliable

Establish collaborative relationshipsEstablish collaborative relationships Be accurate in your practices – evaluations, budgets, Be accurate in your practices – evaluations, budgets,

etc.etc. Meet your commitments in a timely and efficient Meet your commitments in a timely and efficient

mannermanner Express your opinions not emotions (poker face)Express your opinions not emotions (poker face) Demonstrate creativity and innovationDemonstrate creativity and innovation Maintain confidentialityMaintain confidentiality Be ethicalBe ethical Demonstrate integrityDemonstrate integrity Listen to and respect othersListen to and respect others


Roles:Roles: Relationship builder (Ivey’s micro-counseling skills)Relationship builder (Ivey’s micro-counseling skills) Assertive communicatorAssertive communicator NegotiatorNegotiator

• Separate people from the problemSeparate people from the problem• Focus on interests not problemsFocus on interests not problems• Generate a variety of possibilitiesGenerate a variety of possibilities• Insist that the results be based on objective Insist that the results be based on objective

standardstandard Organizational expert – understand people’s needs Organizational expert – understand people’s needs

and expectationsand expectations Partnership builderPartnership builder


Responsibilities:Responsibilities: Develop synergistic relationshipsDevelop synergistic relationships Improve organizational communicationImprove organizational communication Demonstrate organizational KnowledgeDemonstrate organizational Knowledge Identify and solve problemsIdentify and solve problems Build consensus and commitmentBuild consensus and commitment


How to become politically astuteHow to become politically astute

ObserveObserve Develop a mentor – not your bossDevelop a mentor – not your boss Work proactively not reactivelyWork proactively not reactively Obtain as much information as you canObtain as much information as you can Learn as much as possible about the Learn as much as possible about the

organization’s culture, mission, goals and organization’s culture, mission, goals and strategies – in other words – do your strategies – in other words – do your homework! homework!


How to become politically astuteHow to become politically astute

Develop allegiances slowlyDevelop allegiances slowly Form opinions graduallyForm opinions gradually Do not feel free to speak your mindDo not feel free to speak your mind Make sure you have evidence to back Make sure you have evidence to back

your statementsyour statements Don’t make your comments to the wrong Don’t make your comments to the wrong

peoplepeople


ReferencesReferences

Gilley, J. W. (2006). The Manager as Gilley, J. W. (2006). The Manager as Politician. Westport, CT.: Praeger Politician. Westport, CT.: Praeger Publishers. Publishers.

Pfeffer, J. (1994). Managing with Power: Pfeffer, J. (1994). Managing with Power: Politics and Influences in Organizations. Politics and Influences in Organizations. Boston: Boston: Harvard Business School Press.Harvard Business School Press.

Harvey, J. B. (1988). The Abilene Harvey, J. B. (1988). The Abilene Paradox. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.Paradox. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

OCPA/OASPA February 1, 2008 The Power of Political Savvy in Higher Education Gerri Sullivan --...

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