C H A P T E R: T W E L V E

Power and Influence in the Workplace

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Power Overload at Worldcom

Through excessive power and influence, former WorldCom CEO Bernard Ebbers (left), CFO Scott Sullivan (right), and other executives perpetrated one of the largest cases of accounting fraud in history.
AP Photo/Kenneth Lambert

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
AP Photo/Kenneth Lambert

Power and Dependence

Person Bs counterpower over Person A

Person A

Person As power over Person B

Person B

Person Bs Goals

Model of Power in Organizations

Sources Of Power

Legitimate Reward Coercive Expert Referent

Power over Others

Contingencies Of Power

The Limits of Legitimate Power

Crimson Tide illustrates the limits of legitimate power in organizations. US submarine Captain Frank Ramsey (Gene Hackman, right) orders his crew to launch nuclear weapons based on a message from Washington, whereas Lieutenant Commander Ron Hunter (Denzel Washington, left) opposes this decision because a second message is incomplete. What ensues is a mutiny that divides crew loyalties.
Topham/The Image Works

Sources of Power
Legitimate Power Reward Power Coercive Power Expert Power Referent Power
Topham/The Image Works

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

Contingencies of Power
Sources of Power Contingencies of Power Substitutability Centrality Discretion Visibility Power over others

Increasing Nonsubstitutability

Differentiation

Controlling Tasks

Increasing Nonsubstitutability
Controlling Labour Controlling Knowledge

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Jane Buckley: Golf Networker

Jayne Buckley, an executive with Compass Group in Vancouver, travels with her golf clubs to help her network with colleagues and clients.

C. Price, Vancouver Province

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Networking and Power

Cultivating social relationships with others to accomplish ones goals Increases power through

 social capital -- durable network that connects  

people to others with valuable resources referent power -- people tend to identify more with partners within their own networks visibility and centrality contingencies

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Influencing Others
Influence is any behaviour that attempts to alter someones attitudes or behaviour

 Applies one or more power bases  Process through which people achieve
organizational objectives hierarchy

 Operates up, down, and across the organizational

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Types of Influence
Silent Authority
Following requests without overt influence Based on legitimate power, role modelling Common in high power distance cultures

Assertiveness Actively applying legitimate and coercive

power (vocal authority) Reminding, confronting, checking, threatening

more
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Types of Influence (cont)

Exchange
Promising or reminding of past benefits in exchange for compliance Negotiation is integral to this strategy Networking relates to exchange influence Group forms to gain more power than individuals alone 1.Pools resources/power 2.Legitimizes the issue 3.Power through social identity

Coalition Formation

more
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Types of Influence (cont)

Upward Appeal
Appealing to higher authority Includes appealing to firms goals Formal alliance or perception of alliance with higher status person

Ingratiation/ Impress. Mgt.

Ingratiation Increasing liking/similarity to target Flattering, helping, seeking advice Impression Management Actively shaping our public images Way we dress, padding resum
more
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Types of Influence (cont)

Persuasion
Using logic, facts, emotional appeals to gain acceptance Depends on persuader, message content, message medium, audience

Information Control

Manipulating others access to information Withholding, filtering, re-arranging information

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Consequences of Influence Tactics

Hard Influence Tactics Soft Influence Tactics

Silent authority Upward appeal Coalition formation Information control Assertiveness

Persuasion Ingratiation & impression mgt Exchange

Resistance

Compliance

Commitment

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Steve Jobs Reality Distortion Field

Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer and Pixar Animation Studios, is famous for influencing people through his persuasiveness, which draws them into his reality distortion field.

AFP/Corbis

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Contingencies of Influence Tactics

Soft tactics generally more acceptable Appropriate influence tactic depends on:

 Organizational position  Influencers power base  Cultural values and 

AFP/Corbis

expectations Age cohort

Gender differences

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Organizational Politics
Behaviours that others perceive as self-serving tactics for personal gain at the expense of other people and possibly the organization

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Conditions for Organizational Politics

Tolerance of Politics

Scarce Resources

Conditions Supporting Organizational Politics

Organizational Change Complex and Ambiguous Decisions

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Minimizing Political Behaviour

Introduce clear rules Manage team norms

Free flowing information

Support values that oppose politics

Manage change effectively

Leaders as role models

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C H A P T E R: T W E L V E

Power and Influence in the Workplace

12