Power and Leadership. Power Concepts The ability of a person or group to change the attitudes or behavior of others. Power is not power OVER others.

Power and Leadership

Power Concepts

The ability of a person or group to change the attitudes or behavior of others.Power is not power OVER othersPower is the ability to GET THINGS DONE

The Bases of Power

Personal

Position

Expertise

Effort

Legitimacy

Charisma

Centrality

Flexibility

Relevance

Visibility

Power Bases

Expertise – work related knowledge

Attraction – charisma, agreeable behavior, physical characteristics

Effort – doing “whatever it takes” to get the job done

Legitimacy – taking action congruent with the prevailing value system (aka Impression Management)

Centrality – establishing a network of task and interpersonal relationships

Flexibility – freedom to exercise one’s judgment

Visibility – interacting with influential people in the organization

Relevance – working on the central objectives and issues in an organization

Personal Position

The Types of Power

Expertise

Referent

Coercive

Rewards

Authority

To Build Your Power: To Use Your Power:

Expertise

Stay up-to-date on technical issues. Take on tough problems to show expertise. Use colloquial language to present decisions.

Give reasons when making requests. Respect people’s concerns; avoid arrogance. Act decisively and confidently in a crisis.

Referent Power

Keep promises and defend people’s interests. Be sincere and show concern for self-sacrifice. Avoid manipulation and exploitation.

Rely on personal appeals where appropriate. Model appropriate behaviors.

Avoid tapping people excessively for favors.

Power and its Uses

Power and its UsesTo Build Your Power: To Use Your Power:

Legitimate Authority

Request more authority; exercise it regularly. Follow appropriate channels when making requests. Use rewards and punishments to back up authority.

Make requests clearly and politely.

Don’t overstep authority; verify it if needed. Insist on and verify compliance if necessary.

Control over Rewards

Figure out what people want.

Try to increase control over rewards.

Don’t overpromise or use rewards to manipulate.

Offer desired rewards in an equitable fashion. Make clear what the reward criteria are. Avoid mechanistic or complex reward schemes.

Power and its UsesTo Build Your Power: To Use Your Power:

Control Over Punishments Avoid making rash threats. Use proportionality; fit punishment to the “crime.” Avoid using punishment for personal gain.

Provide ample prior warnings. Stay calm and helpful; avoid hostile behavior. Always administer punishments in private.

Influence Tactics

Tactic Description

Coalition formation Enlisting others to pressure or persuade someone to behave in a particular way.

Consultation Participation from the target person is solicited in planning activities.

Exchange A quid pro quo in which the target is offered favors, benefits, or help—now or in the future—in exchange for assistance or cooperation.

Ingratiation Flattery, praise, or behavior that is helpful or shows concern is used to “set up” the target for a subsequent request by improving mood and likeability.

Inspirational appeals Appealing to the target’s aspirations, desires, or beliefs when making a request.

Influence Tactics

Tactic Description

Legitimating Referring to policies, authority, and/or procedures to justify request.

Personal appeals Asking targets to comply with a request or to do a favor based on a relationship (e.g. friendship and personal loyalty).

Pressure As the name implies, the persistent use of monitoring and reminding behaviors to ensure compliance with a request; may also include threats or demands of various kinds.

Rational persuasion The presentation of facts, data, or other evidence in a logical manner.

Influence Tactics

Tactic Most Frequent Target

Most Common Use

Odds of Obtaining a Committed Response

Coalition formationConsultationExchangeIngratiationInspirational appealsLegitimatingPersonal appealsPressureRational persuasion

Peers, superiorsSubordinates, peersSubordinates, peersSubordinates, peersSubordinatesSubordinates, peersPeersSubordinatesSuperiors

Long-term follow-upNo clear patternImmediate follow-upInitial requestNo clear patternImmediate follow-upInitial requestLong-term follow-upInitial request

LowHighLow to mediumLow to mediumHighLowLow to mediumLowMedium

Influence TacticsTactic Advice

Coalition formation Mention the names of others who support your view/request. Have other important people with you to help make request. Have others provide data or endorse your request with the target.

Consultation Solicit suggestions about how to improve a proposal/request. Allow people to participate in planning processes. Respond to concerns/suggestions by modifying plans/goals.

Exchange Offer to share benefits that result from carrying out your request. Offer to help the target comply with the request. Suggest that you will owe the target a favor in exchange for compliance.

Ingratiation Compliment the target’s past performance and achievements. Empathize and sympathize with problems your request may cause. Stress the target’s unique skills/qualifications to carry out the request.

Influence TacticsTactic Advice

Inspirational appeals Describe how your request appeals the target’s values/desires. Describe how your request is related to a vision for the future. Use expressive, optimistic, and positive language.

Legitimating Explain how the request is consistent with firm rules/procedures. Indicate your request has been approved by appropriate authorities. Refer past behaviors, precedents, or traditions to justify the request.

Personal appeals Ask for a personal favor based on your friendship with the target. Explain why the request is so important to you personally. Indicate that you are counting on the target’s help.

Pressure Use reminders when requests have not been carried out. Monitor behavior more closely and check target’s progress frequently. Ask the target to provide specific deadlines for compliance.

Influence Tactics

Tactic Advice

Rational persuasion Point out any benefits that carrying out the request will produce. Present evidence that your requests/proposal is doable. Describe how problems, difficulties, or concerns will be dealt with.

Politics: Competition for Power

Power BasePersonal

Position

Power TypeExpertise

Coercive

Authority

Referent

Legitimate

Organizational Power

Scarce and valuable commodity

Objective: Protect and/or increase size of “slice”

Political Tactics in Organizations

Tactic Category Description

Scapegoating/blaming Trying to pin responsibility for failures on other people or circumstances.

Manipulating information Includes withholding all or part of available data, presenting a deliberately false or misleading picture to others. Can be used to deflect blame/criticism for mistakes, undercut rivals, or boost manager’s reputation.

Positive image management Includes self-focused tactics aimed at making the manager look good and other-focused tactics commonly seen as “bootlicking” or “sucking up”.

Negative image management Includes tactics designed to deliberately create a bad or negative impression in the minds of others, usually a supervisor.

Developing Political SavvyDevelopmental Stage Critical Seasoning Lessons

Stage 1: Overcoming political naivete

Increasing awareness of the corporate culture. Understanding the value (and risks) of being direct and speaking the truth.

Stage 2: Building your credibility

Learning to work effectively within the system. Taking risks where appropriate. Developing alliances and interpersonal networks. Performing against stereotypes if necessary.

Stage 3: Honing your own style

Combining toughness with directness when necessary. Using personal influence skills well. Using unrelenting persistence to overcome obstacles. Recognizing the importance of team-building and delegation.

Developing Political SavvyDevelopmental Stage Critical Seasoning Lessons

Stage 4: Shouldering responsibilities

Being a mentor/coach to more junior managers. Managing an acceptable life balance of sacrifices and tradeoffs. Being alone—and sometimes “different”—at the top.

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

Absence ofTrust

The Five Dysfunctions

Invulnerability

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

Absence ofTrust

Fear of Conflict

The Five Dysfunctions

Invulnerability

Artificial Harmony

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

Absence ofTrust

Fear of Conflict

Lack ofCommitment

The Five Dysfunctions

Artificial Harmony

Invulnerability

Ambiguity

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

AvoidanceOf

Accountability

Absence ofTrust

Fear of Conflict

Lack ofCommitment

The Five Dysfunctions

Artificial Harmony

Invulnerability

Ambiguity

Low Standards

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

AvoidanceOf

Accountability

Absence ofTrust

Fear of Conflict

InattentionTo

Results

Lack ofCommitment

The Five Dysfunctions

Artificial HarmonyInvulnerability

Ambiguity

Low Standards

Status and Ego

Absence of Trust

Members: Conceal weaknesses and mistakes Hesitate to seek help or give constructive feedback Hesitate to offer help outside their area of responsibility Jump to conclusions about the intentions and aptitudes

of others Fail to recognize and tap into one another’s skills Hold grudges Manage behavior for effect Dread meetings and try to avoid them

Fear of Conflict

Members: Boring meetings Create environments where back-channel

politics and personal attacks thrive Ignore controversial topics that are critical to

team success Fail to tap into the opinions and perspectives of

others Posture and reduce personal risk taking

Lack of Commitment

Creates ambiguity about direction and priorities

Misses windows of opportunity due to excessive analysis

Breeds lack of confidence and fear of failure

Revisits discussions and decisions Encourages second guessing

Avoidance of Accountability

Creates resentment among team members who perform at different levels

Encourages mediocrity Misses deadlines and key deliverables Places undue burden on team leader as

sole source of discipline

Inattention to Results

Teams: Stagnate – fail to grow Rarely defeat competitors Lose achievement oriented employees Encourage members to focus on personal goals Is easily distracted