Chapter Seven

Organizational Politics
 ORGANISATIONAL POLITICS

• Politics:
– Definition
– Areas/reasons
– Strategies
– Influencing tactics

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 ORGANISATIONAL POLITICS

• Definition:
– Attempts to influence others using discretionary
behaviors to promote personal objectives
• Discretionary behaviors -- neither explicitly
prescribed nor prohibited.
— not required as part of one’s formal role in the
organization.

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 ORGANISATIONAL POLITICS

• Behavior that is directed toward furthering one’s own

self-interests without concern for the interests or
well-being of others.
• It involves actions by individuals / groups to acquire,
develop, and use power and other resources in order
to obtain preferred outcomes when there is
uncertainty or disagreement about choices.

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 ORGANISATIONAL POLITICS AREAS

• Areas include:
– Change

– Decisions

– Goals
– Technology & external environment

– Resources/information
– Power

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 STRATEGIES FOR POLITICS

• Information strategy

– targets political decision makers by providing

information through lobbying or supplying
position papers or technical reports

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 STRATEGIES FOR POLITICS

• Financial incentive strategy—

– targets political decision makers by providing
financial incentives such as honoraria for speaking
or paid travel

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 STRATEGIES FOR POLITICS

• Constituency building strategy

– targets political decision makers indirectly through
constituent support such as grassroots mobilization
of employees, suppliers, cus­tomers, or public
relations/press conferences

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 STRATEGIES FOR POLITICS

• Political strategies
– Taking counsel
– Maintaining maneuverability
– Promoting limited communication
– Exhibiting confidence
– Controlling access to information and persons
– Making activities central and non-substitutable
– Creating a sponsor-protégé relationship
– Stimulating competition among ambitious subordinates
– Neutralizing potential opposition 

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 STRATEGIES FOR POLITICS

– Making strategic replacements

– Committing the uncommitted
– Forming a winning coalition
– Developing expertise
– Building personal stature
– Employing trade-offs
– Using research data to support one's own point of
view
– Restricting communication about real intentions
– Withdrawing from petty(little) disputes
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 Rational Personal
Consultation Ingratiation
Persuasion Appeal

Inspirational
Pressure Political Tactics Appeal

Legitimizing Coalition Exchange

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 TACTICS FOR POLITICS

• Rational persuasion
– Use logical arguments or factual information to persuade
targets that the persuader’s request will result in
beneficial outcomes, ignoring potential disadvantages.
• Consultation
– Get the target to participate in the planning or execution
of whatever the politician wants accomplished.
• Personal appeal
– Focus on the target’s loyalty or affection immediately
prior to asking for his or her help in doing something.

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 TACTICS FOR POLITICS

• Ingratiation
– Make the target feel good by flattering or helping him or her.
• Inspirational appeal
– Appeal to the targets’ important values and ideals.
• Exchange
– Volunteer a favor in order to gain a favor in return.
• Coalition
– People with common interests join together to pursue their common
interest.
• Legitimizing
– Make a request seem legitimate or official.
• Pressure
– Use threats, nagging, or demands to influence targets.

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