Power, politics and persuasion

Chapter learning objectives Define power and counterpower. Describe the five bases of power in organisations. Explain how information relates to power in organisations. Discuss the four contingencies of power. Discuss the role of power in sexual harassment. Explain how organisational power creates problems in romantic relationships at work. Summarise the advantages and disadvantages of organisational politics. Describe six types of political activity found in organisations. Describe the conditions that encourage organisational politics. Identify ways to control dysfunctional organisational politics. Summarise the key features of persuasive communication.  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

Politics of telecommuting Gary Withers, managing director of Drake International New Zealand, leads the Auckland-based consulting firm from his home in Queenstown. Withers says telecommuting keeps him away from office politics, but experts warn that telecommuters may become victims of office politics. © Southland Times/(New Zealand)  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

The meaning of power Power is the capacity of a person, team or organisation to influence others the potential to influence others people have power they don’t use and may not know they possess power requires one person’s perception of dependence on another person © Southland Times/(New Zealand)  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

Power and dependence Person A Person B Person B’s goals Person B’s counterpower over Person A Person A Person B Person B’s goals Person A’s power over Person B  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

Model of power in organisations Sources of power Power over others Legitimate Reward Coercive Expert Referent Contingencies of power  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

The limits of legitimate power The Caine Mutiny illustrates the limits of legitimate power in organisations. Captain Queeg (Humphrey Bogart, seated left) asked his crew to do more than they were willing to follow, so they staged a mutiny. © Reuters Archive Photos  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

Sources of power Legitimate power Reward power Coercive power Expert power © Reuters Archive Photos Referent power  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

Information and power Control over information flow based on legitimate power relates to formal communication network common in centralised structures (wheel pattern) Coping with uncertainty those who know how to cope with organisational uncertainties gain power prevention forecasting absorption  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

Contingencies of power among pilots These pilots at Germany's Lufthansa Airlines won 30 per cent pay rises after staging two 24-hour strikes that grounded hundreds of flights and cost the airline more than US$23 million. Pilots are powerful because they have low substitutability (only other pilots can replace them) and high centrality. © AFP/CORBIS  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

Increasing non-substitutability Differentiation Controlling tasks Increasing non-substitutability Controlling labour Controlling knowledge  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

Contingencies of power over others Sources of power Contingencies of power Substitutability Centrality Discretion Visibility  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

Consequences of power Commitment Compliance Resistance Sources of power Consequences of power Expert power Commitment Referent power Legitimate power Compliance Reward power Resistance Coercive power  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

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  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

Office romance and power Co-workers believe that employees in relationships abuse their power to favour each other Higher risk of sexual harassment claims after relationship breaks off  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

Organisational 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 organisation  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

Types of organisational politics Managing impressions Attacking and blaming Types of organisational politics Controlling information Creating obligations Cultivating networks Forming coalitions  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

Conditions for organisational politics Personal characteristics Scarce resources Conditions supporting organisational politics Tolerance of politics Complex and ambiguous decisions  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

Controlling political behaviour Provide sufficient resources Remove political norms Introduce clear rules Hire low-politics employees Free flowing information Increase opportunities for dialogue Manage change effectively Peer pressure against politics  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

Persuasive communication Communicator characteristics • Expert • Credibility • Attractive Communication medium Audience characteristics • Self-esteem • Inoculated Message content • Present all sides • Few arguments • Emotional appeals • Inoculation effect  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

Overview of the next chapter Distinguishing task-related and socioemotional conflict Advantages and disadvantages of conflict in organisations Six sources of organisational conflict Five interpersonal styles of conflict management Structural approaches to managing conflict Situational influences on negotiations Types of third-party dispute resolution  2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

Power, politics and persuasion