Power and politics
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Transcript of Power and politics
What is power?Power:The ability of one person to get another person to do
something that he or she would not normally do.Ability to influence the behavior of others with or without
resistance.Having control over on something
Authority: the right to influence another person
Influence:the process of affecting the thoughts, behaviour, and
feelings of another person
THE CONCEPT OF POWERPower
the capability to get someone to do something
the potential to influence
(Robert Dahl): A has power over B to the extent that he can get B to do something B would not otherwise do
Influencethe exercise of that
capabilitypower in actiona transaction in which
person B is induced by person A to behave in a certain way
Power & Politics: How They Are Related?
Personal Characteristics
Organizational Position
POWER
Motive: to satisfy personal interests
Organizational politics
Legitimate behavior
Motive: to satisfy organizational goals
Successful influence (had desired effect)
Unsuccessful influence (did not have desired
effect)
Bases of individual power
Formal individual power:
That stem from a person position in an organization.
Informal individual power:
That stem from personal characters
Sources of Formal powerLegitimate:The power to control and use organizational
resources to accomplish goals
Reward:The power to give pay rises, per motions, praise,
Interesting projects and other rewards to subordinates.
Cont. Coercive:The power to give or with
hold punishment such as suspension, termination, or even the withholding praise or good will.
Information:That stem to access to and
control over information
Source of in formal power
Expert:That stem from superior ability or expertise
Referent:That stem from being liked, admired, or respect,
Issues with each type of power.Referent power: most effective, but also most difficult to achieve because it
requires longevity.
Expert power: requires the constant demonstration of knowledge and skill (you may also have to relinquish some control )
Reward power: may guarantee simple compliance, but we want to avoid bringing Ivan to the party.
Legitimate power: is a possibility but limited in its scope (i.e. grades).
Coercive power: just gets ugly. You didn’t do what I want so I’m going to do this to you…
Don’t abuse your power, just be nice…
Be polite and clear.Explain reasons when requesting
something from your staff.Respond to concerns of staffersUse legitimate authority.
Organizational PoliticsAttempts to influence others using discretionary behaviours to promote personal objectivesDiscretionary behaviours -- neither explicitly prescribed nor prohibitedPolitics may be good or bad for the organization
Types of Organizational
Politics
Managing impressions
Controlling information
Attacking & blaming
Forming coalitions
Cultivating networks
Creating obligations
Types of organizational politics
Legitimate political behavior consists of normal, every-day politics: forming coalitions bypassing the chain of command complaining to your supervise or developing outside contacts through professional activities
Illegitimate Political behavior is so extreme that it violates the rules of the game Sabotage whistle-blowing symbolic protests
Political TacticsIngratiating: a tactic used to gain the goodwill of another group
doing favors.
Networking: The process of forming relationships with influential
people
Information Management: A tactic used to control others or build status
Impression management: Create a favorable image your accomplishments.
Coalition building: the process of individuals banning together to
achieve a to; oppose or support a proposed policy or change.
Scapegoating: is blaming and attacking others when things go
wrong or not working
Increasing indispensability: individuals make themselves necessary to the
organization.
Conditions Supporting Organizational
Politics
ScarceResources
Tolerance of
Politics
PersonalCharacteristics
Complex andAmbiguousDecisions