Power, Politics n Empowerment

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10

hapter 

Power, Politics olitics,, and and Empowerment

Power and Infuence

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• Power  –  – the capability to get someone to do something • It is the potential to influence

• Influence –  Influence – the exercise of that capability • It is a transaction in which Person B is induced by Person A to behave in a certain way • It is power in action

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oes ower From

Interpersonal Power • Organizational Power • Legitimate Power • Reward Power • Coercive Power

• Personal Power • Expert Power • Referent Power

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Structural Power • Resources • Decision-Maing Decision-Main g Power Decision-Maing • !nformation Power

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Characteristics o" #r$ani%ational &uthorit'( 1 It is invested in a person!s position " It is accepted by subordinates #  Authority is used vertically vertically

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*u+ordinate esponses to Dierent *ources o" Interpersonal Power Interpersonal Power .1 o"

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• $he use of legitimate or reward  power  power will typically result in compliance • i"e"# su$ordinates will o$e% %our re&uests# $ut are unliel% to exert more t'an t'e minimal effort necessar%

• $he use of coercive power may result in resistance • i"e"# su$ordinates ma% onl% pretend to compl% wit' %our re&uests# and t'e% ma% openl% resist

*u+ordinate esponses to Dierent *ources o" Interpersonal Power Interpersonal Power .2 o" 2/

• $he use of expert  or  or referent  power  power fre%uently results in commitment • i"e"# su$ordinates are liel% to exert 'ig' levels of effort to accomplis' w'at %ou as# per'aps even exceeding w'at %ou re&uested

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*tructural Power

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• Power is fre%uently prescribed by structure within the organi&ation • 'esult from the nature of the organi&ational social system rather than from attributes of an individual • $he structure of an organi&ation is the control mechanism by which the organi&ation is governed

*tructural Power Formal Power • Organizational structure creates formal  power  power and authority  • i"e"# $% specif%ing certain individuals to perform specific tass and mae certain decisions

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Informal Power • (tructure significantl% impacts informal  power  power • i"e"# t'roug' its effect on information and communication flows wit'in t'e s%stem

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Powerlessness Position

Symptoms.1 o" 2/

Sources

)irst-line supervisors *e"g"# manager+

(upervise too closel%, fail to train su$ordinates, su$ordinates, not sufficientl% oriented to t'e management team, inclined to do t'e o$ t'emselves

Routine# rule-minded o$s. limited lines of communication, communication, limited advancement advancement opportunities opportunities for f or t'emselves and t'eir su$ordinates su$ordinates

(taff professionals *e"g"# corporate law%er# 'uman resources specialist+

Create islands and set t'emselves up as experts, use professional standards as $asis for  udging wor wor t'at distinguis'es t'em from ot'ers, resist c'ange and $ecome conservative ris taers

/'eir routine tass are onl% aduncts to real line o$, $loced career advancement replaced $% outside consultants for non-routine wor

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Powerlessness .2 o" 2/ P o s i ti o n

Symptoms

Sources

/op-level managers *e"g"# c'ief executive officer# vice president+

('ort-term 'orizon, topdown communication s%stems emp'asized, emp'asized, reward followers to t'in lie t'e manager, do not  welcome $earers $earers of $ad news

0ncontrolla$le 0ncontrolla$le lines of suppl%, limited or $loced lines of information a$out lower managerial managerial levels, diminis'ed lines of support $ecause of c'allenges to legitimac%

Empowerment

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• Process of enhancing feelings of self( efficacy among organi&ational members) • through the identification of conditions that foster powerlessness) and • through their removal by both formal organi&ational practices and informal techni%ues of providing efficacy information

easons Empowerment is not 4ni5ersall' Em+raced(

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1" 1" Managers Man anag ager erss fear fearr t'e fea t'e loss t'e losss of lo of power# of powe po werr# control# cont co ntro roll# and and an aut'orit% 2" 2" Emplo%ees Empl plo% o%eees are are not not a$le not a$le a$ le to to mae ma aee responsi$le respo res pons nsii$l $lee decisions 3" Empowering Empo Em powe weri ring ng emplo%ees empl em plo% o%ee eess was was attempted atte at temp mpte tedd $efore $efo $e fore re and andd an it failed 4" ('aring ('ar (' arin ingg proprietar% prop pr opri riet etar ar%% information info in form rmat atio ionn means mean me anss leaing lea le ain ingg ideas# plans# and nowledge to competitors 5" 5" 6ot 6ot ever%one ever%one wants wants to to $e $e empowered empowered

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6earnin$ to le5era$e empowerment as a means to stren$then the capa+ilities and commitment o" emplo'ees is one o" the most important i mportant challen$es "acin$ mana$ers toda'7

Increasin$ 8our Eecti5eness in Empowerin$ #thers .1 o" 2/

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• 7'en %ou delegate responsi$ilit%# mae certain %ou are also delegating aut'orit% to go along wit' it • 8e prepared to give up %our managerial 9parent: role and assume a 9partner: role • ;ssure %our su$ordinates t'roug' words and deeds t'at it is O< to mae mistaes

Increasin$ 8our Eecti5eness in Empowerin$ #thers .2 o" 2/

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• !nformation s'aring is important • Empowered emplo%ees must 'ave sufficient sufficient information to $e a$le to see t'e 9$ig picture:

• Provide training opportunities so emplo%ees can develop sills to successfull% perform new o$  o$ responsi$ilities • Performance feed$ac is particularl% important for newl% empowered emplo%ees

Interdepartmental Power

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• *trategic contingency theory focuses on subunit power  • Strategic contingency  –  – event or activity of crucial importance to completing a pro+ect or accomplishing a goal

Interdepartmental Power

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• $he power differential between subunits is influenced by the, • degree of ability to cope with uncertainty • centrality of the subunit • substitutability of the subunit

& *trate$ic Contin$enc' 9odel o" *u+unit Power C#$%I$&'$C(

Coping with uncertainty

')A*P+'S Preventing market share decline by product development Providing accurate future-based predictions Absorbing problems from other units

eing in an urgent or o r immediacy position Centrality

eing located at center of work flow

Possessing needed skills or e!pertise Substitutability

Possessing only talents that are available to complete "ob

Power acquired by subunit and power differentials

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Political *trate$ies and :actics

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• Individuals and subunits continually engage in political in political behavior, ie), behavior, ie), • 8e'avior t'at is usuall% outside t'e legitimate# recognized power s%stem • 8e'avior t'at is designed to $enefit an individual or su$unit# often at t'e expense of t'e organization in general • 8e'avior t'at is intentional and is designed to ac&uire and maintain power

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Political *trate$ies and :actics

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• As a result of politically oriented behaviors) the formal power that exists in an organi&ation is often sidetrac-ed or bloc-ed • Political behavior results in the displacement of power 

Political ;ame Pla'in$

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• Political games are played at all organi&ational levels by both managers and non(managers

Political ;ame Pla'in$

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• .ames are played to, 1" resist 1"  resist aut'orit% *insurgenc% game+ 2" counter t'e resistance to aut'orit% *counterinsurgenc% 2" counter game+ 3" $uild power $ases *sponsors'ip game and coalition3" $uild $uilding game+ 4" defeat 4"  defeat rivals *line-versus-staff game+ 5" $ring a$out organizational c'ange *w'istle-$lowing 5" $ring game+

Impression 9ana$ement

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• /'e actions individuals tae to control t'e impressions t'at ot'ers form of t'em • !t is universal • ; significant part of $e'avior in organizations is motivated $% t'e desire of organization mem$ers to $e perceived in certain wa%s • (tems from political influence tactics

4sin$ Power to 9ana$e Eecti5el' .1 o" 2/

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1" Recognize t'at t'ere are multiple interests in in virtuall% ever% organization 2"