Chapter 11 Power and Political Behavior Describe the concept of power. Identify forms and sources of power in organizations. Describe the role of ethics in using power. Identify symbols of power and powerlessness in organizations. Define organizational politics and understand the role of political skill and major influence tactics. Identify ways to manage political behavior in organizations. Learning Outcomes © 2013 Cengage Learning

1 Learning Outcome Describe the concept of power. © 2013 Cengage Learning

The Concept of Power Power – the ability to influence another person Influence – the process of affecting the thoughts, behavior, and feelings of another person Authority – the right to influence another person © 2013 Cengage Learning 2

Zone of Indifference the range in which attempts to influence a person will be perceived as legitimate and will be acted on without a great deal of thought © 2013 Cengage Learning 3

Beyond the Book: Football Tickets and Power In September 2009, the Washington Redskins sued 72-year old Pat Hill for failing to pay for her season tickets, which she’s held for almost 50 years. Hill admitted that she could no longer afford the tickets, which cost $5300 per year, and asked the organization to release her from the contract. The team declined, and sued Hill, seeking payment for the rest of the contract, which runs through 2017. Have students consider: Is this an appropriate use of an organization’s power? If the team doesn’t enforce the contracts strictly, how should they deal with potential financial losses? How would you resolve the case? SOURCE: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/02/AR2009090203887.html © 2013 Cengage Learning

2 Learning Outcome Identify forms and sources of power in organizations. © 2013 Cengage Learning

Interpersonal Forms of Power Reward Power – agent’s ability to control the rewards that the target wants Coercive Power – agent’s ability to cause an unpleasant experience for a target Legitimate Power – power based on position and mutual agreement; agent and target agree that the agent has the right to influence the target Referent Power – an elusive power that is based on interpersonal attraction Expert Power – the power that exists when an agent has specialized knowledge or skills that the target needs © 2013 Cengage Learning 4

Which Power Is Most Effective? Expert Power! Strongest relationship to performance & satisfaction Transfers vital skills, abilities, and knowledge within the organization Employees internalize what they observe & learn from managers they consider “experts” © 2013 Cengage Learning 5

Intergroup Sources of Power Control critical resources Control of strategic contingencies – activities that other groups need to complete their tasks Ability to cope with uncertainty High degree of centrality Nonsubstitutability © 2013 Cengage Learning 9

Intergroup Power Groups hold power over other groups when they… Reduce uncertainty Function is central to organization Activities are difficult to replace © 2013 Cengage Learning 9

3 Learning Outcome Describe the role of ethics in using power. © 2013 Cengage Learning

Guidelines for Ethical Use of Power © 2013 Cengage Learning

Guidelines for Ethical Use of Power © 2013 Cengage Learning

Information Power access to and control over important information © 2013 Cengage Learning

[Criteria for Using Power Ethically] Does the behavior produce a good outcome for people both inside and outside the organization? Does the behavior respect the rights of all parties? Does the behavior treat all parties equitably and fairly? © 2013 Cengage Learning 6

[Two Faces of Power] Personal Power used for personal gain Social Power used to create motivation used to accomplish group goals © 2013 Cengage Learning 7

Beyond the Book: The Trials of Blago Rod Blagojevich, the former governor of Illinois, is a premier illustration of abuse of personal power. In exchange for the Illinois’ seat in the US Senate, Blagojevich demanded financial compensation for himself and his wife, as well as a position as an ambassador. © 2013 Cengage Learning

Successful Power Users belief in the authority system belief in justice preference for work and discipline altruism © 2013 Cengage Learning 8

4 Learning Outcome Identify symbols of power and powerlessness in organizations. © 2013 Cengage Learning

Kanter’s Symbols of Power Intercede for someone in trouble Obtain placements for favored employees Exceed budget limitations Procure above-average raises for employees Place items on meeting agendas Access to early information Have top managers seek out their opinion Common Theme: Doing things for others © 2013 Cengage Learning 11

Kanter’s Symbols of Powerlessness Top Executives budget cuts punishing behaviors top-down communications Staff Professionals resistance to change turf protection Managers assign external attribution - blame others or environment First-line Supervisors overly close supervision inflexible adherence to rules do job rather than train Key to overcoming powerlessness: share power and delegate decision making © 2013 Cengage Learning 12

Korda’s Power Symbols Furnishings Time Standing by © 2013 Cengage Learning 13

5 Learning Outcome Define organizational politics and understand the role of political skill and major influence tactics. © 2013 Cengage Learning

Organizational Politics the use of power and influence in organizations © 2013 Cengage Learning

Political Behavior actions not officially sanctioned by an organization that are taken to influence others in order to meet one’s personal goals © 2013 Cengage Learning

Conditions Encouraging Political Activity Unclear goals Autocratic decision making Ambiguous lines of authority Scarce resources Uncertainty © 2013 Cengage Learning

Beyond the Book: Evaluate Your Political Potential Personal Characteristics of Effective Political Actors: Articulate Sensitive Socially adept Competent Popular Extraverted Self-confident Aggressive Ambitious Devious “Organization man or woman” Highly intelligent Logical Evaluate Your Political Potential Examine the following list and answer the questions that follow it. Personal Characteristics of Effective Political Actors Personal Characteristic Behavioral Example Articulate • Must be able to clearly communicate ideas. Sensitive • Must be sensitive to other individuals, situations, and opportunities. Socially adept • Must understand the social norms of the organization and behave so as to be perceived by influential others as “fitting in well.” Competent • Must have the necessary skills and qualifications. Popular • Must be liked or admired by others in the organization. Extraverted • Must be interested in what happens outside of him or her. Self-confident • Must have confidence in his or her abilities. Aggressive • Must be self-assertive and forceful. Ambitious • Must be eager to attain success. Devious • Must be willing to use any tactic to get his or her way. “Organization man or woman” • Must emphasize the well-being of the organization. Highly intelligent • Must be able to use his or her knowledge to solve problems. Logical • Must be capable of reasoning. 1. Which characteristics do you possess? Which do you need to work on? Ask a friend what characteristics you possess. 2. On the basis of the table, are you an effective political actor? Explain. 3. Can we assume that all of these characteristics are worth having? SOURCE: Table from “Organizational Politics: Tactics and Characteristics of Its Actors” by R. N. Allen, D. L. Madison, L. W. Porter, P. A. Renwick, and B. T. Mayes. Copyright © 1979 by The Regents of the University of California. Reprinted from the California Management Review, Vol. 22, No. 1, Fall 1979, 77–83. By permission of The Regents. 1. Which characteristics do you possess? Which do you need to work on? Ask a friend what characteristics you possess. 2. On the basis of the table, are you an effective political actor? Explain. 3. Can we assume that all of these characteristics are worth having? © 2013 Cengage Learning

Influence Tactics © 2013 Cengage Learning 16

Influence Tactics © 2013 Cengage Learning 16

Influence Tactics © 2013 Cengage Learning 16

[Using Influence Tactics ] Develop and maintain open lines of communication in all directions Treat the targets of influence attempts with basic respect Understand that influence relationships are reciprocal Direct influence attempts towards organizational goals © 2013 Cengage Learning 17

Political Skill ability to get things done through favorable interpersonal relationships outside of formally prescribed organizational mechanisms © 2013 Cengage Learning

Four Dimensions to Political Skill Interpersonal influence Social astuteness Networking ability Sincerity © 2013 Cengage Learning 16

6 Learning Outcome Identify ways to manage political behavior in organizations. © 2013 Cengage Learning

[Managing Political Behavior] Recognize it Open communication Clarify performance expectations Participative management Encourage cooperation among work groups Manage scarce resources well Provide a supportive organizational climate © 2013 Cengage Learning 17

Managing Up: The Boss © 2013 Cengage Learning

Managing Up: The Boss © 2013 Cengage Learning 20 SOURCE: From J. J. Gabarro and J. P. Kotter, “Managing Your Boss,” Harvard Business Review (May–June 1993): 155. Reprinted by permission of Harvard Business Review. Copyright © 1993 by the Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation; all rights reserved © 2013 Cengage Learning 20

Empowerment sharing power in such a way that individuals learn to believe in their ability to do the job © 2013 Cengage Learning 21

Four Dimensions of Empowerment Meaning Competence Self- determination Impact © 2013 Cengage Learning

[Guidelines for Empowering] Express confidence in employees and set high performance expectations Create opportunities for participative decision making Remove bureaucratic constraints that stifle autonomy Set inspirational and meaningful goals © 2013 Cengage Learning 23

Employee Empowerment Grid © 2013 Cengage Learning 24

Beyond the Book: Empowering Employees for Quality A key element in Toyota’s quality control program is empowerment. Every employee on the assembly line has access to an andon cord. If they see any quality issues, no matter how small, they can pull the cord to pause production and have the issue resolved. The andon cord is a central element of Toyota’s pursuit of production quality. A cord that runs the length of the assembly line, and within easy reach of all employees, the andon cord allows workers to call attention quickly to a potential quality issue. The employees are empowered to raise this “flag” of sorts for whatever reason they feel necessary, no matter how insignificant the problem may be. In certain cases, if the issue cannot be resolved quickly, the entire assembly line is shut down until a solution is found. Thus, employees at Toyota plants are given a great amount of responsibility. As Rick Hesterberg, a spokesmen for Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, describes it, “if you come to work here you have the responsibly of shutting down the line if it’s necessary.” SOURCE: http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/04/toyota-quality-control-includes-greensleeves-and-popeye/ © 2013 Cengage Learning

1. This chapter defined power as “the ability to influence another person.” Who has power in this film scene? 2. The chapter distinguished influence from authority. What is the example of the use of authority in the scene? 3. Which interpersonal forms of power appear in this film scene? Draw examples of your choices from the scene. Flash of Genius Robert Kearns (Greg Kinnear) invents the intermittent windshield wiper and presents his invention to Ford Motor Company. The company accepts his invention without giving him money or credit. The film is based on the true story about Kearns’s triumph over Ford and the large settlement in the end. This scene begins as a door opens and Mack, a Ford executive (Mitch Pileggi), enters the room. It follows the family driving in the rain and testing the windshield wiper system for the first time. The scene ends with Bob and Mack shaking hands. © 2013 Cengage Learning

Barcelona Restaurant Group Who has authority at Barcelona? What forms of interpersonal power do these individuals possess? Identify Kanter’s symbols of power that are evident at Barcelona Restaurant Group. Barcelona Restaurant Group For anyone who has waited tables, restaurant turnover is a familiar experience. Cooks, servers, and bussers have famously short careers, and restaurant managers also suffer burnout. Unlike run-of-the-mill chains, Barcelona’s higher standard of service demands letting go employees who aren’t up to snuff. At the end of the day, Lawton says, people either possess the necessary intelligence and skills to run a restaurant or they don’t. And since the restaurant industry doesn’t have time for learning curves, the success or failure of an establishment boils down to hiring competent self-motivated employees. Ask your students: Who has authority at Barcelona? What forms of interpersonal power do these individuals possess? Identify Kanter’s symbols of power that are evident at Barcelona Restaurant Group. © 2013 Cengage Learning 44