POWER AND POLITICS

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POWER AND POLITICS

• POWER

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INTRODUCTION

• Power
• People who have itdeny it!
• People who want ittry not to be seen!
• People who are good at getting it try to stay
  secretive about how did they got it!
• Natural process in every organization
• OB Point of View to understand How its
  acquired and How its exercised
• Power corrupts!
• Drug kills!
• Car accidents are dangerous!

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DEFINITIONS,

• Power is the capacity that A has to influence the
  behavior of B according to As wishes.
• Potential-Power may exist but not be used
• Dependency relationship- Bs relationship to A
  when A posses something that B requires
• Dependence is stronger when less alternatives
  exist
• One course one instructor,
• One manager ( no HRM, or Int. control to
  complain)

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POWER AND LEADERSHIP

• Leadership ability to influence a group towards
  the achievement of the goal
• Leadership means the use of Power, Influence,
  Vision, Persuasion, and Communication skills
• Differences
• 1)Leadership requires goal compatibility / power
  not , merely dependence
• 2) Leadership is about downward communication and
  influence, power includes lateral and upward
• 3) Research Leadership researchers refer to
  style, participation , delegation
• Power refers to tactics, groups power over
  groups

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BASES OF POWER(French and Raven)

• Coercive power
• Reward power
• Legitimate power
• Expert power
• Referent power

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Coercive power

• Coercive power being dependent on fear
• Ability of a manger to punish others (restrain
  by force)
• A has a power over B to
• dismiss, suspend , demote (reduce in rank)
• Power of punishment is a larger concept
  government, international relations

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Reward power

• Reward Power Compliance achieved based on the
  ability to distribute rewards that others view as
  valuable
• The ability of a manager to give or withhold
  tangible rewards
• Counterparts with coercive power
• Do you need to be a manager to have reward power?
• Friendliness, Acceptance, PraiseThe ability to
  give them as rewards equals to the individual
  seek for them,

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Legitimate, Expert and Referent Power

• Legitimate power is a result of ones position in
  the formal hierarchy in the organization.
• Includes but is not limited to coercive and
  reward power
• Expert power Influence based on special skills or
  knowledge
• With the modern labor specialization this power
  is increased by skilled individuals IT
  Specialists, MD,
• Problems in Macedonia everybody is the
  ""expert, Example of Leader Boraniev Ljupco
• Referent power similar to Charisma
• The power that comes from subordinates and co
  workers' respect, admiration and loyalty
• In organizations, one who is respected,
  domineering, charismatic, has a traits to get
  others to do what he / she wants to gain power.

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DEPENDENCY THE KEY TO POWER

• The greater Bs dependency on A, the greater the
  power A has over B.
• Dependency is increased when the resource you
  control is
• ImportantIf nobody wants what you have, you
  cant create dependents nor power. No one wants
  uncertainty, so marketing departments are
  important for Proctor and Gamble, and Engineering
  for Intel, HR specialists for labor strives.
• Scarce The resources that are scarce can create
  dependence-this explains the behavior of valuable
  organization members with specific skills.
• NonsubstitutableThe more that a resource has no
  viable substitutes the more power that control
  over that provides
• Oil, Patents Microsoft,

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WHERE THE POWER IS?

• Often not so clear from the formal regulations
• Organization level
• What proportion of the top management comes from
  each department?
• Salary of the departments Head compared to the
  others?
• Example NBRM, Pivara, Cabinet Chief ?
• Individual level symbols
• Office position and size
• Benefits
• Relationship with the Big Bosses

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POWER TACTICSWays in which individuals translate
power bases into specific action

• Reason, Friendliness. Coalition, Bargaining,
  Assertiveness ( Direct and fore approach),
  Gaining support of higher authorities Sanctions
• Contingencies
• 1) Manager relative power and position
• 2)Managers objective for the influence (Benefit
  from superior Friendliness, Assignments for
  employees-Assertiveness, or sanctions)
• 3)Expectations and task ( reason for easy tasks)
• 4) Organizational culture set of values, norms,
  standards of behaviour and common expectations
  that control the ways in which individuals and
  groups in an organization interact with each
  other.
• Compare different organiozations.

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Power in groups - coalitions

• Search for power brings sometimes leads to
  COALITIONSinformal groups bound together by the
  active pursuit of a single issue.
• C. Tend to maximize ( opposite from political
  coalitions)
• C. Is more likely to occur in organizations which
  value cooperation and commitment then in
  autocratic organizations
• C. Is more likely to occur in interdependent
  organizations
• SEXUAL HARRASMENT-UNEAQUAL POWER
• Unwelcome advances, requests for sexual favors,
  and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual
  nature.
• From super ordinates
• From peers team members
• Sometimes from subordinates / traditional gender
  roles

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POLITICSPOWER IN ACTION

• People joined in groupsexert of power
• People want to have influence, earn awards,
  advance careersconvert their power into action,
  or engage in POLITICS.
• Includes those activities that are not required
  as a part of the formal position in the
  organization, but that influence the advantages
  or disadvantages in the organization.
• Various activities such as withhold key
  information , filtering, leaking confidential
  information to the media or to others, exchanging
  favors with other in the organization for mutual
  benefit ( or out of the organization-which is
  crime), making coalitions or lobbying.

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Legitimate illegitimate politics

• L. normal everyday politics
• Complaints to the super ordinate
• Forming coalitions
• Developing contacts outside the organization
• I.L.Extreme political behavior that violets the
  implied rules of the game.
• Sabotage
• Symbolic protests wearing unorthodox dress
• Simultaneously sick

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POLITICS The Reality

• Politics exists in every organization, because of
  the following reasons
• Individuals and groups with different, values,
  goals and interest
• The resources are limited,
• Facts for resource allocation are open to
  interpretation, like
• What is a good performance in the accounting
  department? or
• How to decide between 2 middle class football
  player
• 4) Decisions are made in uncertainty (ambiguity)
  a lots would try to influence the facts in order
  to support their interest.

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FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO POLITICAL BEHAVIOR

• INDIVIDUAL FACTORS
• High Self monitors
• Internal locus of control
• Expectation of success
• ORGANIZATIONAL FACTORS
• Unclear reward system
• High Performance managers
• Low trust
• Self serving senior managers

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POSITIVE POLITICKING

• 1. Frame arguments in terms of organizational
  goals-camouflage your self interest
• 2. Develop the right image According to
  organizational culture right dress, behavior
• 3.Gain control over resources
• a) by promotion
• b) by skills that are scarce
• 4.Make yourself appear as indispensable
• 5. Be visible
• 6. Develop powerful allies above, lateral and
  below,
• 7.Avoid tainted members
• 8. Support your boss

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IMPRESSION MANAGEMENTThe process by which
individuals attempt to control the impression
others form of them

• Includes different approaches from diet for a
  good look, to a different techniques
• Conformity Agreeing with someone else opinion
  in order to gain his or her approval
• Apologies Im sorry, please forgive me
• Acclamation favorable events the sales has
  tripled without mentioning the costs
• Flattery Complimenting bosses
• Association my father went to same school with
  yours

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DEFENSIVE BEHAVIORS

• Reactive and protective behaviors to avoid
  action, blame or change.
• Avoid action
• Overconforming-The rules clearly state
• Buck passing-This is for the planning department
• Stretching Prolonging the task
• Stall (Booth) tactics Publicly promoting, but
  doing nothing in favor
• Depersonalizing treating problems in terms of
  numbers thus trying to avoid personal involvement
• Playing dumb

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• Avoid blame
• Buffing covering your rear Rigorously
  documenting activity to project an image of
  competence
• Playing safe taking only risk free projects
• Scapegoat transferring responsibilities to
  external factors
• Mispresenting Filtering, altering the
  information

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EFFECTS OF DEFENSIVE BEHAVIOR

• Short run may be OK
• Long run burden
• Becomes chronic or even a pathological one
• People loose self esteem
• For the organization it reduces effectiveness.
• Delays decisions
• Increases interpersonal and interdepartmental
  conflicts

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SUMARY AND IMPLICATIONS FOR MANAGERS

• If you want to get things done it helps to have
  power
• Wanting power, means wanting to increase
  dependence that others have on you
• All the others will try to do the same
• Results in continual battle
• Few individuals relish (enjoy)being powerless
• Different types of power
• Referent and expert power would lead to a greater
  performance
• it is important to accept the political nature of
  organizations
• Good political skills are postive for the
  performance of the organization
• Politically Astute (Smart) have a better results