1. Power, Politics, and Empowerment
Chapter 12
Power, Politics, and Empowerment

2. Learning Objectives Distinguish between influence and power
Identify five interpersonal power bases
Describe three forms of structural power
Discuss the concepts of powerlessness and empowerment
Identify the contingencies that influence subunit power

3. Learning Objectives Explain what is meant by illusion of power
Describe several frequently used influence tactics
Discuss the criteria for determining ethical behavior
Identify the considerations involved in using power effectively

4. Power is a pervasive part of organizations
Introduction
Power is a pervasive part of organizations
Both managers and non-managers use it
A person’s success or failure in using or reacting to power is determined by…
Understanding power
Knowing how and when to use it
Being able to anticipate its probable effects

5. The exercise of that capability (power in action)
The Concept of Power
Power
The capability to get someone to do something (the potential to influence)
Influence
The exercise of that capability (power in action)

6. Power is not a personal attribute
The Concept of Power
Power is not a personal attribute
It’s an aspect of the relationship that exists between two or more people
No individual or group has power in isolation

7. The Concept of Power
Obtaining, maintaining, and using power are essential to influencing behavior in organizational settings
Symmetrical relationships
Asymmetrical relationships
Both parties have the same amount of power
One person has more power than the other

8. Where Does Power Come From?
Interpersonal Power
Organizational Power
Legitimate
Reward
Coercive
Personal Power
Expert
Referent
Structural Power
Resources
Decision-making power
Information power

9. Symptoms & Sources of Powerlessness

10. Defined by Conger and Kanungo as…
Empowerment
Defined by Conger and Kanungo as…
“Enhancing feelings of self-efficacy among organizational members by identifying and then removing conditions that foster powerlessness”
Removal of these conditions may be by formal organizational practices or informal techniques

11. Empowerment is not universally embraced
Managers fear loss of power, control, authority
Employees can’t make responsible decisions
Empowering employees was tried and it failed
Sharing proprietary information
Sharing proprietary information means leaking ideas, plans, and knowledge to competitors

12. Increase empowerment effectiveness
Empowering Others
Delegate authority
Be a partner
Be supportive
Increase empowerment effectiveness
Share information
Provide training opportunities
Provide constructive performance feedback

13. Stages of Empowerment Stage 1
Identify conditions leading to powerlessness
Stage 2
Implement empowerment strategies/techniques
Stage 3
Remove conditions that caused powerlessness; provide self-efficacy information to subordinates
Stage 4
Receiving such information results in feelings of empowerment
Stage 5
Empowerment feelings from stage 4 are translated into behaviors

14. A subunit is a semi-autonomous part of an overall organization
Power
A subunit is a semi-autonomous part of an overall organization
A center for coordinated actions
Organization usually based on a product line
Strategic contingency
An event or activity of crucial importance to completing a project or accomplishing a goal

15. Interdepartmental Power
Subunit power, the power differential between subunits, is influenced by
The degree of ability to cope with uncertainty
The centrality of the subunit
The substitutability of the subunit

16. Contingency Model of Subunit Power

17. Coping With Uncertainty
The subunits most capable of coping with uncertainty typically acquire power
Types of coping activities
Coping by prevention
Coping by information
Coping by absorption

18. Centrality
Subunits that are most central to the flow of work typically acquire power
No subunit has zero centrality
A subunit has power if its activities have a more immediate or urgent impact than those of other subunits

19. Substitutability
The ability of other subunits to perform the activities of a particular subunit
A subunit’s power will be diminished if the organization can obtain alternative sources of skill, information, or resources
The lower the substitutability of the activities of a subunit, the greater its power

20. The Illusion of Power
Where a person or subunit’s power starts or stops is difficult to pinpoint
Even people who seemingly possess only a little power can influence others
A series of studies conducted by Milgram focused on the illusion of power
One may be able to influence others simply because he/she is perceived to have power

21. Political Strategies and Tactics
Political behavior can mean
Behavior that is outside the legitimate, recognized power system
Behavior that benefits an individual or subunit, often at the expense of the organization
Behavior that is intentional and designed to acquire and maintain power
Political behavior can displace formal power

22. Research on Politics
A study of 142 purchasing agents found that they practiced these political behaviors
Rule evasion: evading the formal purchase procedures
Personal-political: using friendships to facilitate or inhibit order processing
Educational: persuading engineering to think in purchasing terms
Organizational: changing the interaction patterns between engineering and purchasing

23. Politics is a fact of organizational life
Playing Politics
Politics is a fact of organizational life
It exists in every organization

24. Reasons Games are Played
Resist authority (insurgency)
Counter resistance to authority (counter-insurgency)
Build power bases (sponsorship, coalition building)
Defeat rivals (line versus staff)
Bring about organizational change (whistle blowing)

25. Political Influence Tactics
Consultation
Rational persuasion
Inspirational appeals
Ingratiating tactics
Coalition tactics
Pressure tactics
Legitimating
Personal appeals
Exchange tactics

26. Political Influence Tactics
Not all tactics are equally effective
Inspirational appeals and consultation are the most effective
Those using ingratiating behaviors and logic have a greater chance of succeeding at their careers than those who do not
Most tactics lead to
Commitment, compliance, or resistance

27. Influence Tactic Outcomes
Resistance
Compliance
Commitment
1. Consultation
18%
27%
55%
2. Rational persuasion 47 30 23
3. Inspiration 10 90
4. Ingratiation 41 28 31
5. Coalition 53 44 3
6. Pressure 56
7. Legitimating
8. Personal appeals 25 33 42
9. Exchange 24 35

28. Impression Management
The actions individuals take to control the impressions that others form of them
Impression management is universal
Many impression-management tactics are designed to emphasize the positive
Creating blatantly false impressions can damage your credibility and reputation

29. Impression Management
Actions individuals take to control the impressions that others form of them
Self-Promotion
Communicating your accomplish-ments in order to appear able and competent
Intimidation
Using threats and harassment to appear powerful

30. Self-Handicapping
Any action taken in advance of an outcome that is designed to provide either an excuse for failure or a credit for success

31. Ethics, Power, and Politics
Ethical dilemmas exist where power and politics are used to accomplish goals
Examples of unethical behavior
Bribing government officials
Lying to employees and customers
Polluting the environment
A general “ends justify the means” mentality

32. Ethics, Power, and Politics
Behavior must satisfy certain criteria to be considered ethical
Utilitarian outcomes
Individual rights
Distributive justice
Overwhelming factors

33. Using Power to Manage Effectively
Nothing gets done in any organization until someone makes it happen
A manager’s job is making the right things happen

34. Important Power Considerations
There are multiple interests in every organization
Know what position individuals and groups hold with respect to issues important to you
To get things done you must have power
In the case of those who oppose you, you must have more power than they do
Recognize the strategies/tactics through which organizational power is developed and used