1. 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 2

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 3

3. 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 – agent and target agree that agent has influential rights, based on position and mutual agreement
Referent Power – based on interpersonal attraction
Expert Power – agent has knowledge target needs 4

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” 5

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 9

6. Intergroup Power Groups hold power over other groups when they…
Reduce uncertainty
Function is central to organization
Activities are difficult to replace 9

7. Guidelines for Ethical Use of Power

8. Guidelines for Ethical Use of Power

9. Information Power
access to and control over important information

10. 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? 6

11. Two Faces of Power Personal Power used for personal gain Social Power
used to create motivation
used to accomplish group goals 7

12. Successful Power Users
belief in the authority
system
belief in justice
preference for work and discipline
altruism 8

13. 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 11

14. 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 12

15. Korda’s Power Symbols
Furnishings
Time
Access 13

16. Organizational Politics
the use of power and influence in organizations

17. Political Behavior
actions not officially sanctioned by an organization that are taken to influence others in order to meet one’s personal goals

18. Conditions Encouraging Political Activity
Unclear goals
Autocratic decision making
Ambiguous lines of authority
Scarce resources
Uncertainty

19. 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
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?
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.

20. Influence Tactics 16

21. Influence Tactics 16

22. Influence Tactics 16

23. 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 17

24. Political Skill
ability to get things done through positive interpersonal relationships outside the formal organization

25. Four Dimensions to Political Skill
Interpersonal
influence
Social astuteness
Networking ability
Sincerity 16

26. 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 17

27. Managing Up: The Boss

28. Managing Up: The Boss 20

29. Empowerment
creating conditions for heightened motivation through the development of a strong sense of personal self-efficacy 21

30. Four Dimensions of Empowerment
Meaning
Competence
Self-
determination
Impact

31. 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 23

32. Employee Empowerment Grid24