Power and Politics
Chapter 8
Week 10
Definition of Power
Power is the capacity of a person, team, or
organization to influence others.
Power is a function of dependency
That is, the most important perquisite for power is
that one party believes he or she is dependent on the
other for something of value.
You might have power over others by controlling a
desired job assignment, useful information or
important resources.
Power and Dependence
Person B’s
counter power
Person
over Person A A
Person Person
B B’s Goals
Person A’s
power over
Person B
erson A has power over person B by controlling something that person B need
chieve his or her goals.
owever, person B also has counter power over person A.
Definition of Power (continued)
Although power requires dependence, it is really
more accurate to say that the parties are
interdependent.
The dotted line in the previous figure shows the
weaker party (B) has counter power over the
dominant participant (A).
This counter power ensures that Party ‘A’ will
use its power judiciously.
Bases of Power
Formal Power
Emanates from an individual’s position
in an organization.
Personal Power
Stems from an individual’s unique
characteristics.
Types of Formal Power
Coercive Power – results from the capacity to
dole out punishment. Managers have coercive
power through their authority to reprimand,
demote and fire employees.
Reward Power – refers to the power derived
from an individual’s capacity to administer valued
rewards to others.
Legitimate Power – refers to the power people
have because others recognize and accept their
authority.
Types of Personal Power
Expert Power
It is an individual’s capacity to influence
others by possessing knowledge and skills
that others want.
Referent Power
People have referent power when others
identify with them, like them or otherwise
respect them.
Consequences of Power
Sources Consequences
of Power of Power
Expert
Power
Commitment
Referent
Power
Legitimate
Power Compliance
Reward
Power
Coercive Resistance
Power
Power Tactics
How can you influence your bosses,
co-workers, subordinates or
customers?
Power Tactics (continued)
Rational Persuasion: Using logical arguments
Apprising: Explaining how a proposal will benefit the target person
Inspirational Appeals: Arousing enthusiasm
Personal Appeal: Asking someone to do a favor out of friendship
Consultation: Asking to participate in decision making
Ingratiation: Using flattery, praise or friendly behavior
Exchange: Promising benefits in return
Coalition-Building: getting help from other people to influence the
target person
Legitimating: Basing a request on one’s formal authority
Pressure: Making demands or threats
Power Tactics (continued)
Soft Tactics
These tactics are friendlier and not
• Rational Persuasion
• Apprising as coercive as the last four tactics.
• Inspirational
Appeals
• Consultation
• Ingratiation
• Personal Appeals
Hard Tactics
These tactics involve more coercive
• Exchange
• Coalition forms of influence.
• Pressure
• Legitimating
Effectiveness of Power Tactics
Choice and effectiveness of influence tactics
depends on several factors:
Direction of Influence
Sequencing of tactics
Softer to harder tactics work best
Political Skill
The ability to influence others
The culture of the organization
Culture affects user’s choice of tactic
Preferred Power Tactics by Influence Direction
Upward Influence Downward
Influence Lateral Influence
Rational persuasion Rational persuasion
Rational persuasion
Consultation Inspirational appeals Consultation
Ingratiation Pressure Ingratiation
Consultation Exchange
Ingratiation Legitimacy
Exchange Personal appeals
Apprising Coalitions
Legitimacy
Politics: Power in Action
Organizational politics represent
attempts to influence others using
discretionary behaviours to promote
personal objectives.
Types of Political Behaviour
Managing Attacking and
impressions blaming others
Creating
Types of Controlling
obligations organisational information
politics
Networking Forming
behaviour coalitions
Factors that Influence Political
Behaviors
Employee Responses to Organizational Politics
Defensive Behaviors
Avoiding
AvoidingAction
Action
•• Over
Overconforming
conforming
•• Buck
Buckpassing
passing Avoiding
AvoidingBlame
Blame
•• Playing •• Buffing
Playingdumb
dumb Buffing Avoiding
AvoidingChange
Change
•• Stretching •• Playing
Playingsafe
safe
Stretching •• Prevention
Prevention
•• Stalling •• Justifying
Justifying
Stalling •• Self-protection
Self-protection
•• Scapegoating
Scapegoating
•• Misrepresenting
Misrepresenting
Impressions Management
The process by which individuals
attempt to control the impression IM
IMTechniques
Techniques
others form of them. •• Conformity
Conformity
•• Excuses
Excuses
•• Apologies
Apologies
•• Self-Promotion
Self-Promotion
•• Flattery
Flattery
•• Favors
Favors
•• Enhancement
Enhancement
IM Effectiveness
Job Interview Success
IM does work and most people use it
Self-promotion techniques are important
Ingratiation also tends to work well in
interviews
Performance Evaluations
Ingratiation is positively related to ratings
Self-promotion tends to backfire
Controlling Political Behavior
Provide Hire
Sufficient Low-Politics
Resources Employees
Introduce Increase
Clear Rules Opportunities
for Dialogue
Free Flowing
Information Peer Pressure
Against Politics
Manage Change
Effectively
