Power, Politics and Power, Politics and Organization Organization DevelopmentDevelopment

IntroductionIntroduction

Organizational DevelopmentOrganizational Development has been has been criticized for not taking into account power criticized for not taking into account power in organizations. That criticism was in organizations. That criticism was essentially correct for many years although essentially correct for many years although it is less valid today. Recent years have it is less valid today. Recent years have seen a sizable outpouring of theory and seen a sizable outpouring of theory and research on power and politics from which research on power and politics from which OD practitioners have derived implications OD practitioners have derived implications and applications for the field of OD. But we and applications for the field of OD. But we are still in the early stages of knowing how are still in the early stages of knowing how power and organization development power and organization development should be related.should be related.

Power defined and Power defined and explored.explored.

“ “ Power is the intentional influence over the beliefs, Power is the intentional influence over the beliefs, emotions, and behaviors of people. Potential emotions, and behaviors of people. Potential power is the capacity to do so, but kinetic power power is the capacity to do so, but kinetic power is the act of doing so……..One person exerts is the act of doing so……..One person exerts power over another to the degree that he is able power over another to the degree that he is able to exact compliance as desired.”to exact compliance as desired.”

““ AA has power over has power over B B to the extent that he can get to the extent that he can get BB to do something that to do something that BB would otherwise not would otherwise not do.”do.”

Power is “the ability of those who possess power Power is “the ability of those who possess power to bring about the outcomes they desire.” to bring about the outcomes they desire.”

Two faces of PowerTwo faces of Power

Positive Face:Positive Face: A socialized need to initiate, influence, A socialized need to initiate, influence,

and lead.and lead. It helps to empower self and others.It helps to empower self and others. Enables others to reach their goals as Enables others to reach their goals as

well as lets the person exercising well as lets the person exercising power reach his or her goals.power reach his or her goals.

Negative Face:Negative Face:

David McClelland observed that power David McClelland observed that power has a negative connotation for most has a negative connotation for most people. people.

It is characterized by a primitive, It is characterized by a primitive, unsocialzed need to dominate others.unsocialzed need to dominate others.

It seeks to dominate and control others.It seeks to dominate and control others.

Sources of Social Sources of Social Power : Some TheoriesPower : Some Theories PowerPower exists in virtually all social exists in virtually all social

situations. It is especially salient in situations. It is especially salient in coordinated activities such as those coordinated activities such as those found in organizations. In fact, for found in organizations. In fact, for organizations to function, an authority organizations to function, an authority or power dimension is required.or power dimension is required.

PowerPower dependence theory states that dependence theory states that power is inherent in any social power is inherent in any social relationship in which one person is relationship in which one person is dependant on another.dependant on another.

The sociologist Richard Emerson The sociologist Richard Emerson states that “ dependence of Actor A states that “ dependence of Actor A upon Actor B is (1) directly upon Actor B is (1) directly proportional to A’s motivational proportional to A’s motivational investment in the goals mediated investment in the goals mediated by B, and (2) inversely proportional by B, and (2) inversely proportional to the availability of those goals to to the availability of those goals to A outside of the A-B relationship. A outside of the A-B relationship.

Bases of social power – Bases of social power – John R.P.French & John R.P.French &

Betram RavenBetram Raven1.1. Reward PowerReward Power

2.2. Coercive PowerCoercive Power

3.3. Legitimate PowerLegitimate Power

4.4. Referent PowerReferent Power

5.5. Expert powerExpert power

Organizational Politics: Organizational Politics: Defined and ExploredDefined and Explored

Organizational politics involve those Organizational politics involve those activities taken within organizations activities taken within organizations to acquire, develop and use power to acquire, develop and use power and other resources to obtain one’s and other resources to obtain one’s preferred outcomes in a situation in preferred outcomes in a situation in which there is uncertainty.which there is uncertainty.

It involves intentional acts of It involves intentional acts of influence to enhance or protect the influence to enhance or protect the self-interest of individuals or groups. self-interest of individuals or groups.

Organizational politics is the Organizational politics is the management of influence to obtain management of influence to obtain ends not sanctioned by the ends not sanctioned by the organization or to obtain ends organization or to obtain ends through non-sanctioned influence through non-sanctioned influence means.means.

We view politics as a subset of We view politics as a subset of power, treating it………..as informal power, treating it………..as informal power.power.

Two faces of politicsTwo faces of politics

Negative face: Negative face: It is an extreme pursuit of self-interest;It is an extreme pursuit of self-interest; A tendency to view situations in win-A tendency to view situations in win-

lose terms – what I win, you must lose – lose terms – what I win, you must lose – rather than win–win terms.rather than win–win terms.Positive face:Positive face:

A balanced pursuit of self-interest and A balanced pursuit of self-interest and the interest of others.the interest of others.

Engaging in open problem solving Engaging in open problem solving followed by action and influencing.followed by action and influencing.

Also Also

Organizational politics tends to be Organizational politics tends to be associated with decision-making, associated with decision-making, resource allocation, and conflict resource allocation, and conflict resolution processes.resolution processes.

When conflict exists, power and When conflict exists, power and politics behavior are likely to politics behavior are likely to result if any two additional result if any two additional features are present.features are present.

As Pfeffer states:As Pfeffer states:

Together the conditions of scarcity, Together the conditions of scarcity, interdependence, and heterogeneous interdependence, and heterogeneous goals and beliefs about technology goals and beliefs about technology produce conflict. The first condition is produce conflict. The first condition is the importance of the decision issue the importance of the decision issue or the resource. or the resource.

Game TheoryGame Theory

It views conflict as a critical condition leading to power and It views conflict as a critical condition leading to power and political behavior. In conflict of interest, different parties political behavior. In conflict of interest, different parties prefer different goals. In conflict or competition for scarce prefer different goals. In conflict or competition for scarce resources, different parties want the same resources but resources, different parties want the same resources but both parties cannot possess them. both parties cannot possess them.

These concepts from game theory apply to political These concepts from game theory apply to political processes in organizations. The sources of conflict are processes in organizations. The sources of conflict are competition for scarce resources and conflict over competition for scarce resources and conflict over incompatible goals and means to goals. A key factor is the incompatible goals and means to goals. A key factor is the nature of the payoff to all parties- what they stand to win nature of the payoff to all parties- what they stand to win or lose. Positive outcomes for both parties can often be or lose. Positive outcomes for both parties can often be enhanced through a two-phase bargaining process in enhanced through a two-phase bargaining process in which integrative bargaining precedes distributive which integrative bargaining precedes distributive bargaining. bargaining.

Role of power and Role of power and politics in the practice of politics in the practice of

ODOD

OD was founded on the belief that OD was founded on the belief that using behavioral science method using behavioral science method to increase collaborative problem to increase collaborative problem solving would increase both solving would increase both organizational effectiveness and organizational effectiveness and individual well-being. individual well-being.

Operating in a political Operating in a political environmentenvironment

Michael BeerMichael Beer has identified additional has identified additional means by which an means by which an OD groupOD group can gain can gain and wield power in the organizations:and wield power in the organizations:

CompetenceCompetence Political access and sensitivityPolitical access and sensitivity SponsorshipSponsorship Stature and credibilityStature and credibility Resource ManagementResource Management Group SupportGroup Support

Several rules of thumb Several rules of thumb to operateto operate

Become a desired commodity, Become a desired commodity, both as a person and a both as a person and a professional.professional.

Make the OD program itself a Make the OD program itself a desired program.desired program.

Make the OD program a valued Make the OD program a valued commodity for multiple powerful commodity for multiple powerful people in the organization.people in the organization.

Create Win-Win solutions.Create Win-Win solutions.

Mind your own business, which is to Mind your own business, which is to help someone else solve his or her help someone else solve his or her problems.problems.

Mind your own business, which is to be Mind your own business, which is to be an expert on process, not content an expert on process, not content Organizational politics revolve around Organizational politics revolve around decisions.decisions.

Mind your own business because to do Mind your own business because to do otherwise is to invite political troubles.otherwise is to invite political troubles.

Four stage modelFour stage model

For using OD process to help the power For using OD process to help the power elite transform the organization in elite transform the organization in ways beneficial for all concerned.ways beneficial for all concerned.

Phase 1:Phase 1: Consolidating Power to prepare Consolidating Power to prepare for changefor change

Phase 2: Phase 2: Focusing Power on strategic Focusing Power on strategic consensusconsensus

Phase 3:Phase 3: Aligning power with structure Aligning power with structure and peopleand people

Phase 4:Phase 4: Releasing Power through Releasing Power through leadership and collaboration.leadership and collaboration.