Organizational Behavour Management-Power & Politics

8/18/2019 Organizational Behavour Management-Power & Politics

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Topic: Power & Politics

By: Kwesi Amponsah-Tawiah, PhD


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OBJECTIVES

What is power?

How does one get it? What does it mean to empower

employees?

How can we be eecti!e at o"cepolitics?


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#ower and #olitics #ower

The capacity that $ has to in%&ence the beha!ior o' Bso that B acts in accordance with $(s wishes

E)ists as a potential or '&lly act&ali*ed in%&ence o!era dependent relationship

+ependency

B(s relationship to $ when $ possesses something that

B re,&ires

The greater B-s dependence. the more power $ has

#olitics

Beha!io&r to in%&ence or attempt to in%&ence the

distrib&tion o' ad!antages and disad!antages withinthe organi*ation/


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Leadership• Requires goal

agreement

• Focuses on downward

influence

• Minimizes importance of

lateral and upwardinfluence

0esearch 1oc&s#ower tactics 'or

gaining compliance

Power • Does not require goal

acceptance

• Focuses on intimidation

• Maximizes importance of

lateral and upwardinfluence

0esearch 1oc&s

2eadership styles andrelationships with'ollowers

2eadership and #ower


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Bases o' #ower3 1ormal

#ower Established by an indi!id&al(s position inan organi*ation

Three bases3 Coercive Power

$ power base dependent on 'ear o' negati!e res&lts

Reward Power

Compliance achie!ed based on the ability todistrib&te rewards that others !iew as !al&able

Leitimate Power The 'ormal a&thority to control and &se reso&rces

based on a person(s position in the 'ormal hierarchy+epartment o' OH04567BS


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Bases o' #ower3 #ersonal

#ower #ower that comes 'rom an indi!id&al(s

&ni,&e characteristics 8 these are the

most eecti!e !"pert Power

In%&ence based on special s9ills or 9nowledge

Re#erent Power In%&ence based on possession by an

indi!id&al o' desirable reso&rces or personaltraits

+epartment o' OH04567BS


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E!al&ating the Bases o'

#ower Coercive power: Tends to res&lt in negati!e

per'ormance responses 'rom indi!id&als. decreasessatis'action. increases mistr&st. and creates 'ear/

Leitimate power: +oes not ha!e a negati!e eect.b&t does not generally stim&late employees to impro!etheir attit&des or per'ormance. and it does not generallyres&lt in increased commitment/

Reward power: 4ay impro!e per'ormance in a !ariety

o' sit&ations i' the rewards are consistent with what theindi!id&als want as rewards/

!"pert power :0elies on tr&st that all rele!antin'ormation is gi!en o&t honestly and completely/


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2eaders( 6se o' #ower The least eecti!e power bases are the

ones most li9ely to be &sed by managers

Coerci!e. legitimate. and reward Easiest to implement

Eecti!e leaders &se re'erent and:ore)pert power


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+ependency3 The ;ey to

#ower The 7eneral +ependency #ost&late The greater B(s dependency on $. the greater the

power $ has o!er B

#ossession:control o' scarce organi*ational reso&rcesthat others need ma9es a manager power'&l

$ccess to optional reso&rces ons&bstit&table



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Increasing +ependency To increase the dependency o' others on

yo&. yo& need to

Control things !iewed as important

The reso&rces m&st be !iewed as scarce

The reso&rce m&st ha!e 'ew or no

s&bstit&tes


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#ower Tactics #ower Tactics Ways in which indi!id&als translate power

bases into specic actions

>ine in%&ence tactics3 2egitimacy 0ational pers&asion@ Inspirational appeals@

Cons&ltation@ E)change #ersonal appeals Ingratiation #ress&re Coalitions

* Most effective

(Pressure is the least effective)


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#re'erred #ower Tactics by

In%&ence +irectionUpward Influence Downward Influence Lateral InfluenceRational persuasion Rational persuasion Rational persuasion

Inspirational appeals Consultation

Pressure IngratiationConsultation Exchange

Ingratiation Legitimacy

Exchange Personal appeals

Legitimacy Coalitions



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1actors In%&encing #ower

Tactics Choice and eecti!eness o'in%&ence tactics are moderated by3

$e%encin o# tactics So'ter to harder tactics wor9 best

Political s'ill o# the ser

The cltre o# the orani(ation C&lt&re aects &ser(s choice o' tactic



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Se)&al Harassment3 $

Case o' 6ne,&al #ower Se)&al Harassment3 $ny &nwanted acti!ity o' a se)&al nat&re

that aects an indi!id&al(s employment and

creates a hostile wor9 en!ironment O!ert actions. li9e &nwanted to&ching.

are relati!ely easy to spot S&btle actions. li9e Ao9es or loo9s. can

cross o!er the line into harassment Se)&al harassment isn(t abo&t se)3 it is abo&t

ab&sing an &ne,&al power relationship

Harassment can damage the well5being o'

the indi!id&al. wor9 gro&p. and organi*ation


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E)amples o' Se)&al

Harassment +isagreement as to what specically

constit&tes se)&al harassment

Incl&des 6nwanted physical to&ching 0ec&rring re,&ests 'or dates when it is

made clear the person isn(t interested Coerci!e threats that a person will lose

her or his Aob i' she or he re'&ses ase)&al proposition


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E)amples o' Se)&al

Harassment 4ore s&btle 'orms


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4anagerial $ctions to #re!entSe)&al Harassment

4a9e s&re a policy against it is in place/

Ens&re that employees will not enco&nter

retaliation i' they le a complaint/ In!estigate e!ery complaint and incl&de

the h&man reso&rce and legaldepartments/

4a9e s&re oenders are disciplined orterminated/

Set &p in5ho&se seminars and training/



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+elegation andEmpowerment +elegation is the process o' entr&sting

a&thority and responsibility to others/ +elegation can go &pwards or laterally/

4ost delegation is downwards3 It is the a&thorisation to &nderta9e

acti!ities that wo&ld otherwise becarried o&t by someone in a more seniorposition

+elegation is a social s9ill


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Benets o' delegation 4a9es best &se o' manager(s time

4eans o' training and de!elopment

Impro!es strength o' the wor9'orce

Enco&rages de!elopment o' specialist9nowledge and s9ills

#ro!ides Aob satis'action

Enco&rages indi!id&al participation


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0easons 'or lac9 o'delegation

4anagers may 'ear that the s&bordinateis not capable o' doing a s&"cient Aob/

4anagers may 'ear being blamed 'ors&bordinate(s mista9es/

4anagers may 'ear that the s&bordinatewill do too good a Aob/

4anagers may nd it hard to tr&st

others/


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$ systematic approach to

delegation1o&r ,&estions to as9 be'ore delegating3

What tas9s co&ld be per'ormed better by

others? What opport&nities are there 'or learning

and de!elopment thro&gh delegation? How and to whom sho&ld the

responsibility be gi!en? What 'orms o' monitoring and control

wo&ld be most appropriate?


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4ain stages in the process o'delegation


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The Concept o'Empowerment

Empowerment is3 $llowing employees greater 'reedom.

a&tonomy. and sel' control o!er theirwor9. and responsibility 'or decisionma9ing/

‘Today’s leaders understand that you have to giveup control to get results. That’s what the talk ofempowerment is about.’

7retton


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Empowerment3 7i!ing#ower to Employees

The freedom and the ability of employees to

make decisions and commitments

Managers disagree oer definition ofempowerment !mpowerment as delegating decision making

within a set of clear boundaries

ersus !mpowerment as "a process of risk taking and

personal growth#


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Conditions 'or Tr&eEmpowerment

Clear denition o' the !al&es andmission o' the company

Company m&st help employees ac,&irethe rele!ant s9ills Employees need to be s&pported in their

decision ma9ing. and not critici*ed when

they try to do something e)traordinary Employees need to be recogni*ed 'or

their eorts


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The decision5ma9ing process can bespeedier

It releases creati!e and inno!ati!e

capacities It pro!ides 'or greater Aob satis'action.

moti!ation and commitment

It enables employees to gain a greatersense o' achie!ement

It red&ces &nnecessary layers o'management and the chec9ing o'

operations


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Characteristics o'Empowered #eople

Sense o' sel'5determination Employees are 'ree to choose how to do their wor9D They

are not micromanaged

Sense o' meaning Employees 'eel that their wor9 is important to themD

They care abo&t what they are doing

Sense o' competence Employees are condent abo&t their ability to do their

wor9 wellD They 9now they can per'orm Sense o' impact

Employees people belie!e they can ha!e in%&ence on

their wor9 &nitD Others listen to their ideas


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#olitics3 #ower in $ction #olitical Beha!ior

$cti!ities that are not re,&ired as part o' one(s'ormal role in the organi*ation. b&t that in%&ence. orattempt to in%&ence. the distrib&tion o' ad!antages

or disad!antages within the organi*ation

2egitimate #olitical Beha!ior >ormal e!eryday politics 5 complaining.

bypassing. obstr&cting

Illegitimate #olitical Beha!ior E)treme political beha!ior that !iolates the

implied r&les o' the game3 sabotage. whistle5blowing. and symbolic protest


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Why +o We 7et #olitics? #olitics is a nat&ral res&lt o' reso&rce scarcity

2imited reso&rces lead to competition andpolitical beha!iors

J&dgments on ,&ality dier mar9edly based onthe obser!er(s perception Blaming others or )ing responsibility Co!ering yo&r rear or doc&menting

decisions #er'ectionist or attenti!e to detail

4ost decisions are made &nder ambig&o&sconditions 2ac9 o' an obAecti!e standard enco&rages

political mane&!ering o' s&bAecti!e reality


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1actors In%&encing#olitical Beha!io&r

Political behaviour

Low High

Individual factors

• High self-monitors

• Internal locus of control

• High Mach

• Organizational investment

• Perceived job alternatives

• E!ectations of success

Organizational factors

• "eallocation of resources

• Promotion o!!ortunities

• Low trust • "ole ambiguit#

• $nclear !erformance

evaluation s#stem

• %ero-sum reward !ractices

• &emocratic decision ma'ing

• High !erformance !ressures

• (elf-serving senior managers

)avourable outcomes

• "ewards

• *verted !unishments


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Employee 0esponses toOrgani*ational #olitics

4ost employees ha!e low to modestwillingness to play politics and ha!e the'ollowing reactions to politics3

+epartment o' OH04


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+e'ensi!e Beha!iors Employees who percei!e politics as a threat ha!e

de'ensi!e reactions

4ay be help'&l in the short r&n. dangero&s inthe long r&n

Types o' de'ensi!e beha!iors

$!oiding $ction O!er con'orming. b&c9 passing. playing

d&mb. stalling

$!oiding Blame Bl&"ng. playing sa'e. A&sti'ying.

scapegoating $!oiding Change

#re!ention. sel'5protection


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Impression 4anagement


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The Ethics o' Beha!ing#olitically It is di"c&lty to tell ethical 'rom

&nethical politic9ing

Three ,&estions help3 What is the &tility o' engaging in the

beha!ior?

+oes the &tility balance o&t any harm doneby the action?

+oes the action con'orm to standards o'e,&ity and A&stice?

$nswers can be s9ewed toward either

!iewpoint


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7lobal Implications #olitics #erceptions

>egati!e conse,&ences to the perception o'politics seem to be 'airly widespread

#re'erence 'or #ower Tactics The choice o' eecti!e tactics is hea!ily

dependent on the c&lt&re o' the co&ntry inwhich they are to be &sed

Eecti!eness o' #ower Tactics Still open to debateD too little research has

been done


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S&mmary and Implications

#ower is a two5way street/

1ew employees relish being powerless in their Aobs and organi*ation/

#eople respond dierently to !ario&s powerbases/ Employees wor9ing &nder coerci!e managers are &nli9ely to

be committed.

and more li9ely to resist the manager/ E)pert power is the most strongly and

consistently related to eecti!e employeeper'ormance/


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S&mmary and Implications

The power o' the manager may alsoplay a role in determining Aob

satis'action/ The eecti!e manager accepts the

political nat&re o' organi*ations/

The more political that employeespercei!e an organi*ation. the lower theirsatis'action/


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S&mmary and 4anagerialImplications Increase yo&r power by ha!ing others depend

on yo& more/

E)pert and re'erent power are 'ar more

eecti!e than is coercion/ 7reater employee moti!ation. per'ormance.

commitment. and satis'action

#ersonal power basis. not organi*ational

Eecti!e managers accept the political nat&reo' organi*ations/

#olitical ast&teness and I4 can res&lt in highere!al&ations. salary increases. and promotions/



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Than9 o&/

F&estions????????

Organizational Behavour Management-Power & Politics

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