power & political

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MBA C003: Organisational Behaviour

Unit 4: Power & PoliticsSession 1: Oct 20, 2010


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Learning Objectives

After you have successfully completed this module you should be able to:

Understand the concept & ingredients of organizational power & politics

Appreciate the difference between leadership and Power

Get a reasonably balanced overview of the basis and influence of powerExamine uses and abuses of power and strategies for obtaining power,

Have an awareness of political behaviour in organizations

Explore the reasons for and effects of political behaviour

Outline the managerial implications of power and politics

Identify possible ways of managing power and political behaviour


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3

What Do they Say about Power

An honest man can feel no pleasure in the exercise of powerover his fellow citizens --------------------------------T. Jefferson

The attempt to combine wisdom and power has only rarely

been successful and then only for a short while ---A. Einstein

It is not the misuse of power that is evil; the very existence ofpower is evil ------------------------------------------Charles Reich

Power is Americas last dirty word. It is easier to talk about

money --and much easier to talk about sex --than it is to talk

about power. -------------------------------------Rosabeth Kanter Power corrupts. Knowledge is power. Study hard. Be evil. ------

------------------------------------------------------------Anonymous


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Power

Power is the potential ability to influence behavior, to change the course of

events, to overcome resistance and to get people to do things that they

would not otherwise do.

Power and influence are the processes, the actions, the behaviors through

which this potential power is utilized and realized. Power is not the property of one person. It is relational, having power over someone

Power is based on consensus between power holders and subordinates.

Conflict will take place either to gain or to hold onto power.

Leaders interest in group members and their activity is related to

members willingness to have him continue as leader.

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Power & Decision Making

1. Authority is an expression of the legitimate position of an individual or

group. It is the code within which power is used in the organization.Power is the capacity to establish collective commitment to performancetoward a collective goal.

2. Authority is twofold: position and personal. The superior controls and iscontrolled. Subordinates may question problems and bargain, andsometimes even question the legitimacy of the distribution of power, or

experience conflict and discontent.4 Leaders power is based upon resources, opportunities, acts, and objects

that he can use to affect the behaviour of his subordinates. Sometimescompromise may occur - exchanging power with co-operation.

5 Power may be exercised in the opposite direction if subordinates holdinformation, knowledge , expertise to diffuse a felling of uncertainty.

Opposite power depends on how it is used and its base strength (e.g.engineers, doctors, lawyers).

6. The expert position in the organization and the communication structurewill affect his power to control and direct others. Leaders may balancethis with their power to hire and fire, depending on others in theleadership group.


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Power v/s Leadership

Intertwined

Leaders use power as a means

But Power does not require goal compatibility

merely dependence

Leadership is usually thought of downward, butpower is also sideways and upwards.

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Power & Leadership

1. Legitimate Power

2. Reward Power

3. Expert Power

4. Referent Power

5. Coercive Power

yieldPOWER(a force)

When

activated is

INFLUENCE

OR

LEADERSHIP

BAESE OF POWER


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Sources of Power

Personal Personal Characteristics( energy , physical stamina, focus, sensitivity to

others, flexibility, ability to tolerate conflict)

Skills, knowledge (expert power)

Admiration, being liked (referent power)

Personality, interpersonal style (charismatic power)

Who you know and what you can get done (network power)

Reputation

Positional

Control over resources, provision, allocation, use Control over punishment (coercive power)

Control over rewards (reward power)

Control over information

Right to issue directives (legitimate power)

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Bases of Organisational Power

Legitimate

Power

ExpertPower

CoercivePower

THE

INDIVIDUAL

RewardPower

ReferentPower


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Conditions of subordinatesacceptance

Acceptance of Organizational Power

Is the directive

understood?

Is the person capable of

carrying it out?

Is the directive in the

best interest of the

organization?

Is the directive

consistent with the

persons values?

Managerissues a

directive

or makes

a request

Person

accepts &

responds as

desired

Person

doesnt

accept &

respond asdesired

Manager

has power

Manager

doesnt

havepower


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How is Power Lost ?

Times change and people do not, what gave you power before

might not continue to give you power

Power not earned is easily lost, not building a network or

understanding what is needed

Pride, thinking you are always right

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Manage Your Power

Create resources, find new domains

Build alliances by using reciprocity

Build your network: be a bridge, be central

Build your reputation: be careful of first impressions

Be in the right unit

Gather information,

Learn, know what is going on

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Politics

Organisational politics include those activities engaged in by people in order toacquire, enhance and employ power and other resources to achieve preferred

outcomes in organisational settings.

Political behaviour is the general method for getting and using power for personal

gain.

Poli in Latin means many and tics means blood-sucking creatures!

An executive is a tactician and a philosopher who must live by his wits, his competitive

instincts, his understanding of social forces and his ability as a leader

Office politics and bureaucratic gamesmanship is part of the everyday power practice

in every organization.

Organizations are political systems striving for resources and working towards their

objectives, lobbying to get support for their demands.

Individuals can play a part in a system according to their ability to exert power on

others through the control of resources, manipulations and also dependency

Politics is the process of mobilization of power being attempted by each party in

support of its own demands.


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Reasons For Political Behaviour

Ambiguous Goals

Scarce Resources

Technology &

Environment

Non-programmed

decisions

Organisational

Change

Personal Gain Disguised as

Pursuit of Goals

Pursuit of Maximum

Share of Resources

Personal Gain via

Uncertainty

Narrow Decision Making

Pursuit of Political Ends

During Reorganization

REASONS POLITICAL BEHAVIOUR POSSIBLE RESULTS


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Strategies For Obtaining Power

Strategiesfor

Obtaining

Power

Networking

Coalescing

Co-opting

Accepting right

projects


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Strategies and Tactics

Framing: setting the context Timing: first mover, delay, deadlines

Strategic presentation of information

Change the structure: divide and conquer, expand, build

coalitions

Language, symbols, ceremonies

Flattery, friendliness

Assertiveness

Bargaining

Influence

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Limiting the Effects of Political Behaviour

PoliticalBehaviour

Effects ofPolitical

Behaviour

Constraining

Techniques

Open communication

Reduction of

Uncertainty

Awareness

Influe

nce


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Managing Political Behaviour

Successful management of organisational politics demands the clear

understanding of three factors:

1. The reasons behind political behaviour

2. The common methods of political behaviour

3. The strategies for limiting the effects of political behaviour


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Summing Up

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Multiple Interests, Power, Conflict

Universal features of organizational life

Needed to get things done

Learn to map stakeholdersRespect power but dont give upfind options and use

alternative sources of power

Use power respectfullystay true to your values

or :

live by the sword, die by the sword


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Next Session

Work Stress


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Best of Luck

Thank You

power & political

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