1. 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 don’t use and may not know they possess
Power requires one person’s perception of dependence on another person

2. 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

3. Model of Power in Organizations
Sources
Of Power
Power
over Others
Legitimate
Reward
Coercive
Expert
Referent
Contingencies
Of Power

4. Sources of Power Legitimate Power Reward Power Coercive Power
Expert Power
Reuters Archive Photos
Referent Power

5. 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

6. Contingencies of Power
Sources
Of Power
Power
over others
Contingencies
Of Power
Substitutability
Centrality
Discretion
Visibility

7. Increasing Nonsubstitutability
Differentiation
Controlling
Tasks
Increasing
Nonsubstitutability
Controlling
labor
Controlling
Knowledge

8. Networking and Power
Cultivating social relationships with others to accomplish one’s goals
Increases power
Expert
Referent
Visibility and centrality contingencies

9. Office Romance and Power
Co-workers believe that employees in relationships abuse their power to favour each other.
Higher risk of sexual harassment when relationship breaks off.

10. Influencing Others
Influence is any behaviour that attempts to alter someone’s attitudes or behaviour
Applies one or more power bases
Process through which people achieve organizational objectives
Operates up, down and across the organizational hierarchy

11. Types of Influence Tactics
Assertiveness
Influence
Tactics
Silent
authority
Exchange
Information
control
Forming
coalitions
Persuasion
Upward
appeal
Impression
management

12. Types of Influence Silent Authority Assertiveness
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

13. Types of Influence (con’t)
Exchange
Promising or reminding of past benefits in exchange for compliance
Negotiation is integral to this strategy
Networking relates to exchange influence
Coalition Formation
Group forms to gain more power than individuals alone
Pools resources/power
Legitimizes the issue
Power through social identity
more

14. Types of Influence (con’t)
Upward Appeal
Appealing to higher authority
Includes appealing to firm’s goals
Formal alliance to 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 to padding resumé
more

15. Types of Influence (con’t)
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

16. Contingencies of Influence Tactics
“Soft” tactics generally more acceptable
Appropriate influence tactic depends on:
Influencer’s power base
Level in the organization
Cultural values and expectations
Younger employees
Gender differences

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

18. Conditions for Organizational Politics
Personal
Characteristics
Scarce
Resources
Conditions
Supporting
Organizational
Politics
Tolerance of
Politics
Complex and
Ambiguous
Decisions

19. Minimizing Political Behaviour
Introduce
Clear Rules
Manage
Team Norms
Free Flowing
Information
Support
Desired Values
Manage Change
Effectively
Leaders as
Role Models