organizational, political, and personal power
TRANSCRIPT
22/11/2020
1
Organizational, Political, and Personal Power
By Dr. Ali Saleh
School of Nursing The University of Jordan
1
Introduction
Power
• The capacity to act or the strength potency to accomplish goals
• Ability to change the attitudes & behaviors of individuals & groups to achieve goals
Authority
• The right to act or command actions of others = source of legitimate power
2
22/11/2020
2
Understanding Power
Gender and Power
• Be aware of your views of the use and abuse of power.
• Women’s negative view of power as they have been socialized – Dominance versus submission
– Associated with personal qualities, not accomplishment
– Dependent on personal or physical attributes, not skill.
3
Gender and Power
• Women do not believe they inherently possess power & depend on others to acquire it
• Feel that power manages them rather than feeling capable of achieving and managing it
• The historical view of women as less powerful than men appears to be changing
• Indeed, skills that have often been linked to female characteristics such as political skill in developing consensus, inclusion, and involvement are now viewed as strengths
4
22/11/2020
3
Understanding Power
Power and Powerlessness • Individuals who feel powerless become:
• Bossy and rules-oriented
– Ineffective, dictatorial, and rule-minded management style
– Oppressive leaders
– Punitive
– Rigid in decision making, or they withhold information from others.
– Difficult to work with
• Power brings more power & powerlessness brings more powerlessness
5
Understanding Power
• Truly powerful individuals:
– Are more credible to support their actions.
– Have greater capacity to get things accomplished
• The negative face of power is the “I win, you lose’’ aspect of dominance versus submission
• The positive face of power occurs when someone exerts influence on behalf of rather than over someone or something
6
22/11/2020
4
Types of Power Reward power
– Is obtained by the ability to grant favors or reward others with whatever they value. (to meet org. goals)
– Positive leadership through rewards tends to develop a great deal of loyalty and devotion toward leaders
Punishment or coercive power • Is based on fear of punishment if the manager’s
expectations are not met. Through threats (often implied) of: – Transfer – Layoff (suspend) – Demotion (downgrading) – Dismissal
Also – Shunning or ignoring – Berate or belittle
7
Types of Power
Legitimate power • Is position power (authority). It is the power
gained by a title or official position within an organization. – Socialization and culture of subordinate employees
will influence legitimate power.
Expert power • Is gained through knowledge, expertise, or
experience. – It is limited to a specialized area – It is fundamental for any profession.
8
22/11/2020
5
Types of Power
Referent power is power a person has because others identify with that leader or with what that leader symbolizes (e.g. Physicians). – Feelings of personal acceptance or approval – Association with the powerful – The organizations to which he or she belongs – The people with whom he or she associates
Personal charisma – Others perceive them as powerful – The way the leader talks or acts
• Charisma is a type of personal power, whereas referent power is gained only through association with powerful others.
9
Types of Power
Informational power
• Is obtained when people have information that others must have to accomplish their goals.
10
22/11/2020
6
Types of Power
Type Source
Referent Association with others
Legitimate Position
Coercive Fear
Reward Ability to grant favors
Expert Knowledge and skill
Charismatic Personal
Informational The need for information
11
Authority-Power Gap
• Authority–power Gap: the gap that sometimes exists between a position of authority and subordinate response.
• The term manager power may explain subordinates’ response to the manager’s authority.
• The more power subordinates perceive a manager to have, the smaller the gap between the right to expect certain things and the resulting fulfillment of those expectations by others.
• Negative effects: – Organizational chaos may develop. – Little productivity if every order were questioned
12
22/11/2020
7
Interdependency of Response to Authority
13
Bridging the Authority–Power Gap
• Overt displays of authority should be used as a last resort.
• The leader should make a genuine effort to know and care about each subordinate as a unique individual.
• The manager needs to provide enough information about organizational and unit goals to subordinates
14
22/11/2020
8
Bridging the Authority–Power Gap
• The manager will have bridged the authority–power gap if followers:
– Perceive that the manager is doing a good job
– Believe that the organization has their best interests in mind
– Do not feel controlled by authority
• The manager must be seen as credible e.g. future promising???
15
Empowering Subordinates
• To empower means to enable, develop, or allow
• Empowerment is decentralization of power.
• An interactive process by which a manager or leader shares power with others. It develops, builds and increases power through cooperation, sharing, and working together.
• Hallmark of transformational leadership.
16
22/11/2020
9
Empowering Subordinates
• Empowerment occurs when leaders communicate their vision; employees are given the opportunity to make the most of their talents; and learning, creativity, and exploration are encouraged
• Empowerment plants seeds of leadership, collegiality, self-respect, and professionalism
17
Empowering Subordinates
• Complex process that consists of three components: – Practitioners have professional traits, e.g.
responsibility for continuing education. – Environment that encourages empowerment. – Effective leadership style.
• Leaders empower subordinates when they delegate assignments to provide learning opportunities and allow employees to share in the satisfaction derived from achievement
• Frees staff from mechanistic thinking & encourages critical thinking and problem-solving.
18
22/11/2020
10
Empowering Subordinates
• Barriers – Not having a commitment to empowerment. – Rigid organizational beliefs about authority and status. – A manager’s personal feelings regarding
empowerment’s potential effect on the manager’s own power.
• Strategies to empowerment: – Be a role model of an empowered nurse. – Assist staff in building their personal power base. – Involving subordinates in planning and implementing
change.
19
Mobilizing the Power of the Nursing Profession
• Right timing – Consumers and legislators are willing to listen to
nurses as an attempt is made to fix the current health-care crisis
• Size of the nursing profession – The nursing profession’s size is its greatest asset
• Nursing’s referent power – As a result of the high degree of trust and
credibility the public places in them
20
22/11/2020
11
Mobilizing the Power of the Nursing Profession
• Increasing knowledge base and education for nurses – There are more nurses being awarded master’s and
doctoral degrees than ever before
• Nursing unique perspective – Having a strong caring component
– Scientific knowledge and critical thinking
– Blend of art and science
• Desire of consumers and providers for change – The flaws of the health-care system are no longer secret,
and nursing has the opportunity to use its expertise and influence to help create a better health-care system for the future.
21
Action Plan for Increasing the Power of the Nursing Profession
1. Place more nurses in positions that influence public policy.
2. Increase level of nurses’ understanding regarding all health-care policy efforts.
3. Build coalitions within and outside of nursing.
4. Promote greater research to strengthen evidence-based practice.
5. Support nursing leaders.
6. Pay attention to mentoring future nurse-leaders and leadership succession.
7. Stop nurses from acting like victims.
22
22/11/2020
12
Strategies for Building a Personal Power Base
• Maintain Personal Energy
• Present a Powerful Picture to Others
• Work Hard and Be a Team Player
• Determine the Powerful in the Organization
• Learn the Language and Symbols of the Organization
• Learn How to Use the Organization’s Priorities
• Increase Professional Skills and Knowledge
23
Strategies for Building a Personal Power Base
• Maintain a Broad Vision
• Use Experts and Seek Counsel
• Be Flexible
• Develop Visibility and a Voice in the Organization
• Learn to Accept Compliments
• Maintain a Sense of Humor
• Empower Others
24
22/11/2020
13
The Politics of Power
• Politics is the art of using legitimate power wisely. It requires: – Clear decision making – Assertiveness – Accountability – Willingness to express one’s own views. – Being proactive rather than reactive
• Leader-managers in power positions in today’s health-care settings are more likely to recognize their innate abilities that support the effective use of power.
25
The Politics of Power
• The following political strategies will help managers:
– Become an expert handler of information and communication
– Be a proactive decision-maker
– Expand personal resources
– Develop political alliances and coalitions
– Be sensitive to timing
– Promote subordinate identification
– View personal and unit goals in terms of the organization
– Leave your ego at home in a jar
26
22/11/2020
14
Integrating leadership roles and management functions when using authority and power in
organizations
• Maintain a small authority–power gap.
• Empower subordinates whenever possible.
• Use authority in such a manner that subordinates view what happens in the organization as necessary.
• When needed, implement political strategies to maintain power and authority.
27