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Power and Politics in Organizations

Dr. Fred Mugambi MwirigiJKUAT

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"Man is by nature a political animal."-- Aristotle

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Key Points Power and bases of power Power tactics Power in groups: coalition Politics, factors contributing to political

behaviours Impression management Ethics and politics

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Politics Power play to influence a position or assert

ones influence the interrelationships between the people,

groups, or organizations in a particular area of life especially insofar as they involve power and influence or conflict

Calculated psycho-political activities The use of tactics and strategies to gain

power in a group or organization

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A Definition of Power Power

– A capacity that A has to influence the behaviour of B so that B acts in accordance with A’s wishes

Dependency– Bs relationship to A when A possesses something that B

requires A

B

Influence

Dependency

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Contrasting Leadership and Power

Leadership– Focuses on goal

achievement

– Requires goal compatibility with followers

– Focuses influence downward

Power– Used as a means for

achieving goals

– Requires follower dependency

– Used to gain lateral and upward influence

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Bases of Power: Formal PowerFormal Power

1. Coercive Power– A power base dependent on fear – It rests on the application, or the threat of

application, of physical sanctions such as the infliction of pain, the generation of frustration through restriction of movement, or the controlling by force of basic physiological or safety needs

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Formal Power contd. 1. Reward Power

– The opposite of coercive power– Compliance achieved based on the ability to distribute

rewards that others view as valuable

3. Legitimate Power– The power a person receives as a result of his or her

position in the formal hierarchy of an organisation– In formal groups and organisations, the most frequent

access power is one’s structural position. – It represents the power a person receives as a result of

his/her position in the formal hierarchy.– Legitimate power, however, is broader than the power to

coerce and reward. It includes acceptance of the authority of a position by members of an organisation.

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Bases of Power: Personal Power

Personal Power4. Expert Power

– Influence based on special skills or knowledge– Expertise has become a powerful source of

influence as the world has become more technological. As jobs become more specialised, we become increasingly dependent on experts to achieve goals.

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Personal Power contd.

5. Referent Power– Influence based on possession by an individual of

desirable resources or personal traits

– Its base is identification with a person who has desirable resources or personal traits. If I admire and identify with you, you can exercise power over me because I want to please you.

– Develops out of admiration of another and a desire to be like that person; it is a lot like charisma.

– Explains why celebrities are paid millions of dollars to endorse products in commercials.

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The General Dependency Postulate

When you possess anything that others require but that you alone control, you make them dependent upon you and, therefore, you gain power over them.

Dependency is inversely proportional to the alternative sources of supply.

This is why most organisations develop multiple suppliers rather using just one.

It also explains why so many of us aspire to financial independence.

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What Creates Dependency?1. Importance

– To create dependency, the thing (s) you control must be perceived as being important.

2. Scarcity– A resource needs to be perceived as scarce to create

dependency.– Low-ranking members in an organisation who have

important knowledge not available to high-ranking members gain power over the high-ranking members.

3. Non-substitutability– The more that a resource has no viable substitutes, the

more power that control over that resource provides.

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Power TacticsResearch has identified nine distinct influence tactics:

1. Legitimacy – relying on authority position, stressing that the request is in accordance with organisational policies or rules

2. Rational persuasion - Use of facts and data to make a logical or rational presentation of ideas

3. Inspirational appeals – Developing emotional commitment by appealing to a target’s values, needs, hopes and aspirations

4. Consultation – Increasing the target’s motivation and support by involving him or her in making decisions

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Power Tactics contd.

5. Exchange - Use of negotiation through the exchange of benefits or favours

6. Personal appeals – Asking for compliance based on friendship or loyalty

7. Ingratiation – Using flattery, praise or friendly behaviour prior to making a request

8. Pressure – Using warnings, repeated demands and threats

9. Coalitions – Enlisting the aid of other people to persuade the target

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Factors Influencing the Choice and Effectiveness of Power Tactics Sequencing of tactics Skillful use of a tactic Relative power of the tactic user The type of request attaching to the tactic How the request is perceived The culture of the organisation Country-specific cultural factors

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Power in Groups: Coalitions

Coalitions:

Clusters of individuals who temporarily come together to achieve a specific purpose

• Seek to maximise their size to attain influence

• Seek a broad and diverse constituency for support of their objectives

• Occur more frequently in organisations with high task and resource inter-dependencies

• Occur more frequently if tasks are standardised and routine

• Seek to maximise their size to attain influence

• Seek a broad and diverse constituency for support of their objectives

• Occur more frequently in organisations with high task and resource inter-dependencies

• Occur more frequently if tasks are standardised and routine

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Politics: Power in ActionPolitical behaviour

– Activities that are not required as part of one’s formal role in the organisation, but that influence, or attempt to influence, the distribution of advantages or disadvantages within the organisation

Legitimate Political behaviour– Normal everyday politics

Illegitimate Political behaviour– Extreme political behaviour that violates the implied

rules of the game

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Factors that Influence Political Behaviours

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Employee Responses to Organisational Politics

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Impression Management (IM)

The process by which individuals attempt to control the impression/ perception others form of them

IM Techniques:• Conformity• Excuses• Apologies• Self-Promotion• Flattery• Favours• Association

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Politics and Ethics

should managers be political in their organizational management?

At what point does a political mind become a liability to the firm?

How does a manager balance between objectivity and politics to get results?

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The Ethics of Behaving Politically

Three ethical decision criteria used to gauge this are:

1. Utilitarianism (self-interest versus organisational goals. Ethical actions are consistent with the organisation’s goals)

2. Rights (the rights of other parties)

3. justice (whether or not the political activity conforms to standards of equity and justice)

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Conclusions

If you want to get things done in a group or organisation, it helps to have power. Power is maximised through others’ dependence on you.

You can increase your power by developing knowledge or skills for which there is no ready substitute.

People respond differently to power.

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Conclusions Contd. Because people are more likely to enthusiastically

accept and commit to an individual whom they admire or whose knowledge they respect – the effective use of power should lead to higher employee motivation, performance, commitment and satisfaction.

The power of your boss plays a role in determining your job satisfaction and progression.

An effective manager accepts the political nature of his organisation and plays a professional proactive role in them

Some people are significantly more politically astute than others.

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Conclusions Contd. Those who are good at playing politics can be

expected to get higher performance evaluations and hence larger salary increases and more promotions than the politically naïve

The politically astute/smart are also likely to exhibit higher job satisfaction.

Employees with poor political skills or those unwilling to play the ‘game’ are likely to play ‘victim’ are likely to have lower job satisfaction levels and lower performance levels.

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Thank you