Power and politics

Ayesha Khalil

The purpose of education is to replace an empty mind with an

open one Malcolm Forbes

• .

Power & politics

What is power?Power:The ability of one person to get another person to do

something that he or she would not normally do.Ability to influence the behavior of others with or without

resistance.Having control over on something

Authority: the right to influence another person

Influence:the process of affecting the thoughts, behaviour, and

feelings of another person

THE CONCEPT OF POWERPower

the capability to get someone to do something

the potential to influence

(Robert Dahl): A has power over B to the extent that he can get B to do something B would not otherwise do

Influencethe exercise of that

capabilitypower in actiona transaction in which

person B is induced by person A to behave in a certain way

Power & Politics: How They Are Related?

Personal Characteristics

Organizational Position

POWER

Motive: to satisfy personal interests

Organizational politics

Legitimate behavior

Motive: to satisfy organizational goals

Successful influence (had desired effect)

Unsuccessful influence (did not have desired

effect)

Bases of individual power

Formal individual power:

That stem from a person position in an organization.

Informal individual power:

That stem from personal characters

Sources of Formal powerLegitimate:The power to control and use organizational

resources to accomplish goals

Reward:The power to give pay rises, per motions, praise,

Interesting projects and other rewards to subordinates.

Cont. Coercive:The power to give or with

hold punishment such as suspension, termination, or even the withholding praise or good will.

Information:That stem to access to and

control over information

Source of in formal power

Expert:That stem from superior ability or expertise

Referent:That stem from being liked, admired, or respect,

Issues with each type of power.Referent power: most effective, but also most difficult to achieve because it

requires longevity.

Expert power: requires the constant demonstration of knowledge and skill (you may also have to relinquish some control )

Reward power: may guarantee simple compliance, but we want to avoid bringing Ivan to the party.

Legitimate power: is a possibility but limited in its scope (i.e. grades).

Coercive power: just gets ugly. You didn’t do what I want so I’m going to do this to you…

Don’t abuse your power, just be nice…

Be polite and clear.Explain reasons when requesting

something from your staff.Respond to concerns of staffersUse legitimate authority.

PoliticsPower in Action

Organizational PoliticsAttempts to influence others using discretionary behaviours to promote personal objectivesDiscretionary behaviours -- neither explicitly prescribed nor prohibitedPolitics may be good or bad for the organization

Types of Organizational

Politics

Managing impressions

Controlling information

Attacking & blaming

Forming coalitions

Cultivating networks

Creating obligations

Types of organizational politics

Legitimate political behavior consists of normal, every-day politics: forming coalitions bypassing the chain of command complaining to your supervise or developing outside contacts through professional activities

Illegitimate Political behavior is so extreme that it violates the rules of the game Sabotage whistle-blowing symbolic protests

Political TacticsIngratiating: a tactic used to gain the goodwill of another group

doing favors.

Networking: The process of forming relationships with influential

people

Information Management: A tactic used to control others or build status

Impression management: Create a favorable image your accomplishments.

Coalition building: the process of individuals banning together to

achieve a to; oppose or support a proposed policy or change.

Scapegoating: is blaming and attacking others when things go

wrong or not working

Increasing indispensability: individuals make themselves necessary to the

organization.

Decision

rationalization

Reinterpret

Evidence

Create Rationality

Need

Managing politics

Conditions Supporting Organizational

Politics

ScarceResources

Tolerance of

Politics

PersonalCharacteristics

Complex andAmbiguousDecisions

Question???