Power and Politics Ppt

SEMINAR ON POWER AND POLITICS

SEMINAR ON POWER AND POLITICSPower has been defined as having control, influence, or domination over something or someone. Chandler (1992)

Power is defined as the ability to get things done, to mobilize resources, to get and use whatever it is that a person needs for the goals he or she is attempting to meet. Kanter (1993)

Power includes caring practices by nurses which are used to empower patients.- Benner (2001)

Power may also be viewed as a positive, infinite force that helps to establish the possibility that people can free themselves from oppression.- Ryles (1999)

THE NEED FOR POWER:

To provide competent, humanistic, and affordable care to people

To participate in health care policy development

To gain leverage proportionate with their numbers

To ensure that nursing is an attractive career choice for all who want to provide care, influence, and improve nursing, heath care, and health policy.

LEVELS OF POWER:

The power to be (being)- The maintenance of a purely vegetative existence requires minimum force (exist).

The power of self-affirmation- Efforts to define self and establish significance require greater force than that required for existence

The power of self-assertion- Compelling others to reckon with ones individuality and rights requires greater force than that needed for self affirmation.

The power of aggression- Moving into and taking possession of anothers territory requires force beyond that needed to define personal identity and rights

The power of violence-Application of harmful force against another person or property reflects a disturbed definition of self, other, and property.

POWER PRINCIPLES

Power is dynamic and elusive and must be continuously replenished.

Power can be obtained only through active means; that is, it must be expressed against resistance and wrested from opponents.

A power oriented manager uses any means of control that will manipulate circumstances in her/his favour.

To win in the game of organizational politics requires a persons total commitment to goals.

Restraint is needed to use power appropriate. A person should use only as much force as needed to achieve desired objectives.

Power relations in an organization are situational, that is, a persons ability to apply force to another is contingent on specific circumstances that would not exist at another place or time.

Power has spatial dimensions.

desire clear definitions of power and control relationshipsSources of Power

Formal source of power

Informal source of powerAccording to Filley and Grimes,

Responsibility & functionFormal authorityControl of resourcesCollegialManipulationDefaultBureaucratic rulesTraditional rulesExpertiseFriendlinessEquity

John R P French and Bertram Raven,

LegitimateRewardCoercive Expert Referent power

TYPES OF POWER According to French and Raven (1959), the following are the types of power.

Reward power Punishment or coercive power: Legitimate power: Expert power: Referent power: Informational powerWAYS TO ACHIEVE POWER

Broad human networks: the more networks and the more extensive they are, the more power potential.

Broad information networks: the more diverse types of information controlled the more power.

Multiple formal and informal leadership roles: high engagement and visibility bring increased power.

Ability to assess situations accurately and to solve problems.

Authority over others and resources via legitimate work organizational roles.

Vision for the future and creativity

Ability to grant services to others, which builds debts.

Expertise that is sought by othersWAYS TO INCREASE EXPERT POWER

Participate in interdisciplinary conferences to broaden knowledge, develop skills, and build networks.

Keep knowledge and skills current to maintain and extend power. Continuing education offerings, books, and journals are effective means.

Earn higher degrees; education brings expertise and enhances credibility.

Participate actively in professional associations such as the ANA, state nurses associations, and speciality groups to broaden networks, hone expertise, and develop legitimate and referent power.

- Participate in nursing research to develop knowledge and increase expertise

- Problem-solve with colleagues in nursing and other disciplines to develop expertise and networks and to polish skills.

- Participate in nursing and interdisciplinary committees to develop and enhance expert, referent, and legitimate power.

Publish to develop expert power.

Learn from mentors; be a mentor to develop expertise and connections or referent power.

EXERCISING POWER AND INFLUENCE IN THE WORKPLACE AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS:

-To use influence effectively in any organization, one must understand how the system works

-develop organizational strategies. Developing organizational savvy includes identifying the real

-decision makers and those persons who have a high level of influence with the decision makers.

-Recognize the informal leaders within any organization.

Collegiality and collaboration

An empowering attitude

Developing coalitions

NegotiatingThe key factors contributing to ones power image

Self-image: Thinking of ones self as powerful and effective

Grooming and dress: Ensuring that clothing, hair, and general appearance are neat, clean, and appropriate to the situation

Good manners: Treating people with courtesy and respect

Body-language: Maintaining good posture, using gestures that avoid too much drama, maintaining good eye contact, and being confident in your movement.

Speech: Using a firm, confident voice; good grammar and diction; an appropriate vocabulary; and strong communication skills

Belief in power as a positive force

Belief in value of nursing to societyTOOLS FOR IMPROVING POWER IMAGE

Communication skills

Networking

Mentoring

Goal setting

Developing expertise High visibilityA person becomes powerless when:

Being threatened by the competence of others

Accepting a job without sufficient training or experience

Depending on others to meet own needs

Transferring feelings of inferiority to others while demanding perfection from subordinates.

Nitpicking over small things

Wanting to keep things predictable

Being trapped by roles and stereotypes

Devaluing the group process

Contingencies of Power

Substitutability

Centrality

Discretion

Visibility

POLITICS

Definitions

The use of power to influence decision making. It is power and influence based on coalitcs buiding. -Pettigrew (1973)Organizational power is linked to dysfunction in organization Allen et al (1975)

Politics refers as individual or group behaviour that is information divisive, and above all, in the technical sense, illegitimans sanctioned neither by formal authority, accepted ideology nor certified; system of influence, linked to conflict; result both in games and positive change. Mintzberg Organizational power has been described as impression management -Gardner & Marinko

THE FOUR STAGES OF POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT FOR THE PROFESSION OF NURSING

- Cohen, Mason, Kovner, Leavitt, Pulcini, and Sochalski, 1996

Buy- in: Recognizing the importance of activism.

Self-interest: Developing and using political expertise to further the professions self interests.

Political sophistication: Moving beyond self-interests, recognizing the need for activism on behalf of the public.

Leading the way: Providing true leadership on broad healthcare interests.

Kalisch and Kalisch (1982)

Apathy: no membership in professional organizations; little or no interest in legislative politics as they relate to nursing and healthcare.

Buy-in: recognition of the importance of activism within professional organizations and legislative politics related to critical nursing issues.

Self-interest: involvement in professional organizations to further ones own career; the development and use of political expertise to further the professions self-interest.

Political sophistication: high level of professional organization activism (e.g., holding office at the local and state level) moving beyond self-interests; recognition of the need for activism on behalf of the public.

Leading the way: serving in elected or appointed positions in professional organizations at the state and national levels; providing true leadership on broad healthcare interests within legislative politics, including seeking appointment to policy-making bodies and election to political positions.

POLITICAL ANALYSES

Effective use of power and politics to facilitate strategy development for the policy process requires systematic analysis of the issues.

COMPONENTS OF POLITICAL ANALYSIS

Identify and analyze the problem

Outline and analyze proposed solution

Understand the background, including its history and attempts to solve the problem

Locate the political situation and its structure

Evaluate the stakeholders

Conduct a values assessment

Ascertain financial and personnel needs to attain goals

Analyze power bases

POLITICAL STRATEGIES

Persistence

Look at big picture

Frame issue adequately

Develop and use networks

Assess time

Collaborate

Prepare to take risks

Understand the opposition SKILLS AND TACTICS IN THE WORKPLACE

Build your own team

Choose your second-in command carefully

Establish alliances with superiors and peers

Use all possible channels of communication

.Do not be naive about how decisions are made

Know priority

Be courteous Maintain a flexible position and maneuverability

Disclose information judiciously

Use passive resistance when appropriate to gain time.

Project an image of confidence, status, power, and material success

Learn to negotiate and collaborate.

Meier (1999) recommended some basic strategies for political action

Join political organizations

Build a working relationship with a single legislator

Invite a legislator to a professional organization meeting

Invite a legislator or staff person from the legislators office to spend a day with you at work.

Brendtro and Schwerin offered additional strategies for political action to shape policy

Use power effectively

Always appear self confident

Empower others to work on policy issues

Build your visibility

Build relationships through coalitions and networks

Identify resources, human and physical, that can support your efforts.

Enhance the image of nursing in all policy efforts

Communicate message effectively and clearly

Develop expertise in shaping policy

Seek appointive positions or elective office to shape policy more effectively

Characteristics of Organizational Politics

The readiness of people to use power in their efforts to since others

To secure personal or collective interests

To avoid negative outcomes within the organization

Techniques Used in Organizational Politics

Controlling Information

Controlling Lines of Communication

Controlling the Agenda

Attacking and Blaming

Listing Outside Experts

Game Playing

Image Building

Building Coalitions

Factors/Conditions influencing Political Behaviour

Managing Organizational Politics

Knowledge about Political Behaviour

Eliminate the Factors Causing

Organizational politics

Provision of Sufficient Resources

Free Flow Information

Quick Action

Manage Change Effectively

Remove Political Norms

Hire Low Political staff

Have Peer Pressure against Politics

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