Power and Politics. Presented by: Cempaka Paramita Page 1

Transcription

1 Power and Politics Presented by: Cempaka Paramita Page 1

2 Defining Power What is power? A capacity that A has to influence the behavior of B, so that B acts in accordance with A s wishes Power as potential or capacity means that it may exist but not be used Power is a function of dependancy Power versus leadership Power does not require goal compatibility, merely dependence, while leadership requires some congruence between the goals of the leader and those being led. Leadership focuses on the downward influence on one s followers and minimizes the importance of lateral & upward influence patterns, while power does not. Page 2

3 Bases of Power Formal or position power: comes with the office (based on an individual s position in an organization) Coercive power: from the capacity to control punishment (dependent on fear) Reward power: holding certain jobs comes with the power to control the rewards (financial and nonfinancial) other receive. Legitimate power: based on one s structural position that makes others recognize and accept his/her authority Information power: comes from access to and control over information (data and knowledge) Page 3

4 Continued.. Personal power: comes from individual s own unique qualities or characteristics Expert power: based on individual s recognized special skills, knowledge or abilities in a certain area Referent power: based on the extent to which individuals are liked, admired, or respected by others Charismatics power: based on an individual s personality and interpersonal style Rational persuasion: using logical arguments and factual evidence to convince others that an idea is acceptable Page 4

5 Power: How Is It Used? Don t rely on just one but use several, including different types of power on different occassion. Base the varying combinations of power with the support from other people, e.g., the senior/junior colleagues, financial community, and top management or board of directors Page 5

6 Empowerment: The Shifting Bases of Power in Today s Organizations Empowerment The process in which employees are given increasing amounts of autonomy and discretion (with responsibility) in conection with their work Employee s reaction to empowerment Xerox: absenteeism is almost nonexistent and productivity is up dramatically Omni Hotels the Power of One : increased customer satisfaction, reduced turnover, and higher profit. Page 6

7 Dependency: The Key to Power The general dependency s postulate: The greater B s dependency on A, the greater the power A has over B What creates dependency? Importance Scarcity Nonsubstituability Page 7

8 Continued.. The resource-dependency model: controling critical resources The view that power resides within subunits that are able to control the greatest share of valued organizational resources The strategic contingencies model: power through dependence A view explaining power in terms of a subunit s capacity to control the activities of other subunits A subunit s power is enhanced when: It can reduce the level of uncertainty experienced by other subunits It occupies a central position in the organization Its activities are highly indispensable to the organization Page 8

9 Power Tactics What is power tactics? Ways in which individuals translate power bases into specific actions 9 distinct influence tactis: Legitimacy Rational persuasion Inspirational appeals Consultation Exchange Personal appeals Ingratiation Pressure Coalitions Page 9

10 Power in Groups: Coalitions Coalition An informal group bound together by the active pursuit of a single issue Coalition formation: Coalitions in organizations often seek to maximize their size More coalitions will likely be created when there is a great deal of task and resource interdependence Coalition formation will be influenced by the actual tasks that workers do Page 10

11 Politics: Power in Action Organizational politics Actions by individual that are directed toward the goal of furthering their own self-interest without regard for the well-being of others or their organization Political behavior Activities that are not required as part of one s formal role in organization, but that influence, or attempt to influence, the distribution of advantages and disadvantages within the organization Page 11

12 Continued... Legitimate political behavior Normal everyday politics complaining to your supervisor, bypassing the chain of command, forming coalitions, obstructing organizational policies or decisions through inaction or excessive adherence ro tules, and developing contacts outside the organization through one s professional activities Illegitimate political behavior Extreme political behavior that violates the implied rules of the game Page 12

13 Continued... Factors that influence political behavior Page 13

14 Continued... How do people respond to organizational politics? Page 14

15 Continued... The qualifiers The politics-performance relationship appears to be moderated by an individual s understanding on hows and whys of organizational politics When people perceive politics as a threat rather than as an opportunity, they often respond with defensive behavior reactive and protective behaviors to avoid action, blame, or change that often associated with negative feelings toward the job and work environment Page 15

16 Continued... Political tactics: what forms do they take? (What do people do to promote their own selfish ends by influencing others?) Gaining control over and selective use of information Cultivating a favorable impression Building powerful coalitions Blaming and attacking others Associatng with powerful others Creating obligations and using reciprocity The effects of organizational politics: The greater the frequency of politics in an organization, the lower are job satisfaction and organizational commitment among its employee. Similarly, the greater the incidence of political behavior, the stronger the intention of employees to leave (voluntary turnover) Page 16

17 Continued... How to combat organizational politics SUGGESTION Clarify job expectations Open the communication process DESCRIPTION Political behavior is nurtured by highly ambiguous conditions. To the extent managers help reduce uncertainty (e.g., by giving precise work assignments), they can minimize the likelihood of political behavior. People have difficulty fostering their own goals at the expense of organizational goals when the communication process is open to scrutiny. It is hard to get away with anything when the system is open for all to examine Be a good role model Employees model the behavior of higher-ranking officials. Accordingly, an openly political manager may encourage subordinates to behave in the same way Do not turn a blind eye to game players Immediately confront an employee who attempts to take credit for another s work. Managers who do not do so send a message that this kind of behavior is acceptable Page 17

18 Continued... Impression management (IM) The process by which individuals attempt to control the impression others form of them IM techniques Conformity: agreeing with someone else s opinion to gain approval Excuses: explanations of a predicament-creating event aimed at minimizing the apparent severity of the predicament Apologies: admitting responsibility for an undesirable event and simultaneously seeking to get a pardon for the action Self-promotion: highlighting one s best qualities, downplaying one s deficits, and calling attention to one s achievements Flattery: complimenting others about their virtues in an effort to make oneself appear perceptive and likeable Favors: doing something nice for someone to gain that person s approval Association: enhancing or protecting one s image by managing information about people and things with which one is associated Page 18

19 Continued... The ethics of organizational politics Page 19

20 References Greenberg, J., & Baron, R. A Behavior in Organizations, Eighth Edition. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Robbins, S. P Perilaku Organisasi, Edisi Kesepuluh. Jakarta: PT Indeks Kelompok Gramedia. Robbins, S. P Organizational Behavior, Eleventh Edition. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Page 20

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