Influence, Empowerment, and Politics Chapter Fifteen

Nine Generic Influence Tactics Rational persuasion Inspirational appeals Consultation Ingratiation Personal appeals Exchange Coalition tactics Pressure Legitimating tactics 1. Rational persuasion. Trying to convince someone with reason, logic, or facts. 2. Inspirational appeals. Trying to build enthusiasm by appealing to others’ emotions, ideals, or values. 3. Consultation. Getting others to participate in planning, making decisions, and changes. 4. Ingratiation. Getting someone in a good mood prior to making a request; being friendly, helpful, and using praise, flattery, or humor. 5. Personal appeals. Referring to friendship and loyalty when making a request. 6. Exchange. Making explicit or implied promises and trading favors. 7. Coalition tactics. Getting others to support your efforts to persuade someone. 8. Pressure. Demanding compliance or using intimidation or threats. 9. Legitimating tactics. Basing a request on one’s authority or right, organizational rules or policies, or explicit or implied support from superiors.

Three Possible Influence Outcomes Commitment substantial agreement followed by initiative and persistence in pursuit of common goals Compliance reluctant agreement requiring subsequent prodding to satisfy minimum requirements Commitment - substantial agreement followed by initiative and persistence in pursuit of common goals Compliance - reluctant agreement requiring subsequent prodding to satisfy minimum requirements

Three Influence Outcomes Resistance stalling, unproductive arguing, or outright rejection Resistance - stalling, unproductive arguing, or outright rejection

Practical Research Insights Commitment is more likely when people rely on strong rational persuasion and do not rely on pressure and coalition tactics. Ingratiation can slightly improve your performance appraisal results and make your boss like you significantly more. Interpersonal influence is culture bound. Commitment is more likely when people rely on strong rational persuasion and do not rely on pressure and coalition tactics. Ingratiation can slightly improve your performance appraisal results and make your boss like you significantly more. Interpersonal influence is culture bound.

Social Power Social power ability to marshal the human, informational, and material resources to get something done Social power ability to marshal the human, informational, and material resources to get something done

Two Types of Power Socialized power Personalized power plans, self-doubts, mixed outcomes and concerns for others Personalized power expressions of power for the sake of personal aggrandizement become paramount Socialized power plans, self-doubts, mixed outcomes and concerns for others Personalized power expressions of power for the sake of personal aggrandizement become paramount

Personalized Power Personalized power is exhibited when managers: Focus more on satisfying their own needs. Focus less on the needs of their underlings. Act like “the rules” others are expected to follow don’t apply to them Personalized power is exhibited when managers: Focus more on satisfying their own needs. Focus less on the needs of their underlings. Act like “the rules” others are expected to follow don’t apply to them

Five Bases or Power Reward power Coercive Legitimate Expert Referent Reward power obtaining compliance with promised or actual rewards. Coercive power obtaining compliance through threatened or actual punishment. Legitimate power obtaining compliance through formal authority. Expert power obtaining compliance through one’s knowledge or information. Referent power obtaining compliance through charisma or personal attraction.

Five Bases of Power Reward power Coercive power Legitimate power obtaining compliance by promising or granting rewards. Coercive power obtaining compliance through threatened or actual punishment. Legitimate power obtaining compliance through formal authority. Reward power obtaining compliance with promised or actual rewards. Coercive power obtaining compliance through threatened or actual punishment. Legitimate power obtaining compliance through formal authority.

Five Bases of Power Expert power Referent power obtaining compliance through one’s knowledge or information. Referent power obtaining compliance through charisma or personal attraction. Expert power obtaining compliance through one’s knowledge or information. Referent power obtaining compliance through charisma or personal attraction.

Question? As a Division Head, Natalie is implementing pay-for-performance plans and positive reinforcement programs at Goodwill Wireless Center. Natalie is attempting to exploit which power? Coercive Expert Referent Reward The correct answer is “D” – reward. AACSB:  Group-individual dynamics Bloom's Taxonomy:  Application Difficulty:  Hard Page:  438

Research Insights about Social Power Expert and referent power had a generally positive effect Reward and legitimate power had a slightly positive effect Coercive power had a slightly negative effect Expert and referent power had a generally positive effect Reward and legitimate power had a slightly positive effect Coercive power had a slightly negative effect

Empowerment: From Power Sharing to Power Distribution recognizing and releasing into the organization the power that people already have in their wealth of useful knowledge, experience, and internal motivation. Empowerment recognizing and releasing into the organization the power that people already have in their wealth of useful knowledge, experience, and internal motivation.

The Evolution of Power Figure 15–2 illustrates how power can be shifted to the hands of non-managers step by step. The overriding goal is to increase productivity and competitiveness in leaner organizations. Each step in this evolution increases the power of organizational contributors who traditionally were told what, when, and how to do things.

Participative Management process whereby employees play a direct role in setting goals, making decisions, solving problems, and making changes in the organization Participative management process whereby employees play a direct role in setting goals, making decisions, solving problems, and making changes in the organization

Participative Management Participative management helps employees fulfill three basic needs: Autonomy Meaningfulness of work Interpersonal contact Participative management helps employees fulfill three basic needs: Autonomy Meaningfulness of work Interpersonal contact

Question? Herman is able to work more on his own now that his supervisor has given him more responsibility and authority in his job. Which need of participative management does this fulfill? Autonomy Meaningfulness of work Interpersonal contact Sovereignty The correct answer is “A” – autonomy. See previous slide.

Delegation Delegation the process of granting decision-making authority to lower-level employees amounts to power distribution Delegation the process of granting decision-making authority to lower-level employees amounts to power distribution

Barriers to Delegation Belief in the fallacy, “If you want it done right, do it yourself.” Lack of confidence and trust in lower-level employees. Low self-confidence. Fear of being called lazy. Vague job definition. Fear of competition from those below Belief in the fallacy, “If you want it done right, do it yourself.” Lack of confidence and trust in lower-level employees. Low self-confidence. Fear of being called lazy. Vague job definition. Fear of competition from those below

Personal Initiative: The Other Side of Delegation One of the best ways to earn a manager’s trust is to show initiative (see Figure 15–3 ) and then get results.

Domain of Organizational Politics intentional acts of influence to enhance or protect the self-interests of individuals or groups Organizational politics intentional acts of influence to enhance or protect the self-interests of individuals or groups

Levels of Political Action in Organizations Figure 15–5 illustrates three different levels of political action: the individual level, the coalition level, and the network level. Each level has its distinguishing characteristics.

Levels of Political Action Coalition an informal group bound together by the active pursuit of a single issue Coalition an informal group bound together by the active pursuit of a single issue

Common Political Tactics in Organizations Table 15–1 describes eight common political tactics and indicates how often each reportedly was used by the interviewed managers.