The Meaning of Power

Power is the capacity of a person, team, or organization to influence others.

The potential to influence others People have power they dont use and may not know they possess Power requires one persons perception of dependence on another person
Southland Times, New Zealand

Why does having power matter?

With power you can Intercede favorably on behalf of someone in trouble Get a desirable placement for a talented subordinate Get approval for expenditures beyond the budget Get items on and off agendas Get fast access to decision makers Maintain regular, frequent contact with decision makers Acquire early information about decisions and policy shifts

The goal?
Overcome feelings of powerlessness Convert power effectively into interpersonal influences in ways that avoid the abuse of power

To empower yourself

To facilitate the empowerment of others

Relationship Among Social Influence, Power, and Politics

Capacity to exert influence Successful

Organizational politics

Power

Social influence

Use of power for personal interests

Unsuccessful

Power and Dependence

Person Bs counterpower over Person A

Person A

Person B

Person As power over Person B

Person Bs Goals

CEO Power Bases

Copyright 2003, Prentice Hall

Individual Power

Position Power Power based on ones formal position in an organization.

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Personal Power The power that one derives because of his or her individual qualities or characteristics.

Sources of Power
Legitimate Power

Reward Power

Coercive Power

Expert Power
Archive Photos

Referent Power

Legitimate Power
Ones structural position The power a person receives as a result of his or her position in the formal hierarchy of an organization

The Limits of Legitimate Power

The Caine Mutiny illustrates the limits of legitimate power in organizations. Captain Queeg (Humphrey Bogart, seated left) asked his crew to do more than they were willing to follow, so they staged a mutiny.

Archive Photos

Reward and Coercive Power

Power that achieves compliance based on the ability to distribute rewards that others view as valuable Coercive Power: the opposite of reward power: the power that is based on fear of negative results. (e.g. confiscation of mobile phones, fines for lateness)

Types of Individual Power: A Summary

Individual Power

Position Power Legitimate power Reward power Coercive power

Personal Power Referent power Expert power

Expert Power
Influence is based on special skills or knowledge

Referent Power
Influence is based on possession by an individual of desirable resources or personal traits The desire to please

Information and Power

Control over information flow
Based on legitimate power Relates to formal communication network Common in centralized structures (wheel pattern)

Coping with uncertainty

Those who know how to cope with organizational uncertainties gain power Prevention Forecasting Absorption

Model of Power in Organizations

Sources Of Power

Legitimate Reward Coercive Expert Referent

Power over Others

Contingencies Of Power

Contingencies of Power
Sources Of Power Power over others

Contingencies Of Power

Substitutability Centrality Discretion Visibility

Consequences of Power
Sources of Power Expert Power
Commitment

Consequences of Power

Referent Power Legitimate Power Reward Power Coercive Power

Resistance Compliance

Possible responses to the use of power

Commitment most likely response to Expert and Referent power. Includes enthusiastic release of energy to meet leaders request. Compliance most likely response to Legitimate and Reward power. Includes meeting minimal expectations while withholding extra effort Resistance most likely response to coercive power. Includes resisting the request without apparent cause, or in an arrogant manner

Sexual Harassment and Power

Harasser stereotypes the victim as subservient and powerless Harasser threatens job security or safety through coercive or legitimate power Hostile work environment harassment continues when the victim lacks power to stop the behaviour

Office Romance and Power

Co-workers believe that employees in relationships abuse their power to favour each other. Higher risk of sexual harassment when relationship breaks off.

Organizational Politics
Attempts to influence others using discretionary behaviours to promote personal objectives
Discretionary behaviours neither explicitly prescribed nor prohibited

Politics may be good or bad for the organization

Organizational politics and influence

Influence The behavioural response to the exercise of power Organizational politics Intentional behaviours to enhance or protect a persons influence & self-interest.

How to gain political power

Social Exchange based reciprocity, strong obligation to repay social debts to each other Alliances two or more combine in a power group Identification with higher authority to gain special privileges Selective service to gain support, often by bending the rules

Organizational Politics: More Likely at the Top

Extent to Which Political Activity is Likely (range 0-3) 1.3 1.2 1.1 1.0 .9 .8 .7

Political activity is perceived to increase at higher organizational levels

(1.22) (1.07)

(.73)

.6
.5 .4 .3

(.50)

(.54)

(.18)

.2
.1 Production and Clerical and Technical and Lower Middle Upper blue collar white collar professional management management management

Organizational Level

Types of Organizational Politics

Managing impressions Attacking and blaming

Creating obligations

Types of Organizational Politics

Controlling information

Cultivating networks

Forming coalitions

It was Johns fault You scratch my back

Attacking and I thought you blaming

knew

Creating obligations

Types of Organizational Politics

Controlling information

Cultivating networks
Look who I know

Forming coalitions
We agreed that

Conditions for Organizational Politics

Personal Characteristics Scarce Resources

Conditions Supporting Organizational Politics

Tolerance of Politics Complex and Ambiguous Decisions

Conditions for Organizational Politics

Internal locus of control Perceived alternatives?

Personal Characteristics

Scarce Resources
Zero-sum rewards

Deceit is appropriate

Conditions Supporting Organizational Politics

Tolerance of Politics
It works here

Complex and Ambiguous Decisions

Democratic decision making

Controlling Political Behaviour

Provide Sufficient Resources Introduce Clear Rules Free Flowing Information Manage Change Effectively Remove Political Norms Hire Low-Politics Employees Increase Opportunities for Dialogue Peer Pressure Against Politics

Factors Influencing Politics

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Political Antics Top the Most Unethical List: Survey Results Potentially Situation
Gender discrimination in recruitment or hiring Arrangements with vendors leading to personal gain Nonperformance factors used in appraisals Gender discrimination in compensation Not maintaining confidentiality Using discipline inconsistently Gender discrimination in promotion Sexual harassment Allowing differences in pay due to friendships Hiring, training, or promoting based on favouritism 0 (22.6) (23.1) (23.5) (25.8) (26.4) (26.9)

political behaviours

(26.9)
(28.4) (30.7) (30.7) 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 Percentage Responding with a 4 or 5 on a five-Point Scale Measuring Degree of Seriousness (where 5=very great)

5 Types of Power French & Raven 1960

5 Types of Power French & Raven 1960

5 Types of Power French & Raven 1960

Business Negotiations Ten Types of Power

Several types of power can influence the outcome of a negotiation. We emphasize the word can, because if you have power but dont use it, the power adds no value to the negotiation.
1. Position. Some measure of power is conferred on the

basis of ones formal position in an organization. For example, a marketing manager can influence the decisions that affect the marketing department. However, the marketing manager has little power to influence the decisions that affect the finance department.

Business Negotiations Ten Types of Power

2. Knowledge or expertise. People who have knowledge or expertise can wield tremendous power. Of course, knowledge in itself is not powerful. It is the use of knowledge and expertise that confers power. Thus, you could be an incredibly bright person and still be powerless. 3. Character or ethics. The more trustworthy individuals are, the more power they have in negotiations. The big issue here is whether they do what they say they are going to doeven when they no longer feel like doing it.

Business Negotiations Ten Types of Power

4. Rewards. People who are able to bestow rewards or perceived rewards hold power. Supervisors, with their ability to give raises, hold power over employees. Money can have power. But money, like anything else, holds very little power if it is not distributed. 5. Punishment. Those who have the ability to create a negative outcome for a counterpart have the power of punishment. Managers who have the authority to reprimand and fire employees hold this type of power.

Business Negotiations Ten Types of Power

6. Gender. Dealing with someone of the opposite sex can confer power. We have videotaped many negotiation case studies in which the turning point came when a woman casually touched a mans hand or arm to make her point.

7. Powerlessness. In some instances, giving up all power can be very powerful. If a kidnapper threatens a hostage with death enough times, the hostage may just challenge the kidnapper to go ahead and kill him. At the point that the hostage gives up power, or control over his own death, the kidnapper actually loses power.

Business Negotiations Ten Types of Power

8. Charisma or personal power. When we ask participants in our seminars for examples of leaders who have had charisma or personal power, invariably the names of Mother Teresa, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan come up. When we ask, What do all three of these leaders have in common? participants usually respond, Passion and confidence in what they believe in. 9. Lack of interest or desire. In negotiations, as in many other areas of life, the side with the least interest in what is being negotiated holds the most power. If you are buying a house and you really do not care if you purchase the house you are currently negotiating for or the one down the street, you will most likely hold more power in the negotiation unless, of course, the sellers could care less if they sell the house today or live in it for another ten years!

Business Negotiations Ten Types of Power

10. Craziness. This may sound funny, but bizarre or irrational behavior can confer a tremendous amount of power. Every organization has someone who blows up or behaves irrationally when confronted with problems. Those who have been exposed to this type of behavior tend to avoid such individuals. As a result, these individuals are not given many tasks to accomplish because others are afraid to ask them.

How to gain political power

Power & status symbols - that imply importance in the organization Power plays - aggressive tactic of taking power away from others Networks joining or forming interest groups that have a common objective. Operates on a basis of friendship and personal contacts