Power

Power and
and Politics
Politics
Power
The capacity that A has to influence the behavior
of B, so that B acts in accordance with As
wishes.
The definition implies a potential that need not be
actualized to be effective and a dependency
relationship. Power may exist but not be used. It
is, therefore, a capacity or potential.

Contrasting
Contrasting Leadership
Leadership and
and Power
Power
Leaders achieve goals, and power is a means of
facilitating their achievement
Leadership involves the goals of the leaders and
followers - Power does not
Leadership focuses on downward influence
(leader - subordinate) - Power does not

Bases
Bases of
of Power
Power

Bases
Bases of
of Power
Power

Personal
Personal Power
Power

Personal
Personal Power
Power

Dependency:
Dependency: The
The Key
Key To
ToPower
Power
The General Dependency Postulate
The greater Bs dependency on A, the greater
the power A has over B.

What Creates Dependency

Importance of the resource to the organization
Scarcity of the resource
Non-substitutability of the resource

Power
Power Tactics:
Tactics:
From
From Most
Most to
to Least
Least Popular
Popular

Sexual
SexualHarassment:
Harassment:Unequal
UnequalPOWER
POWERin
in the
the
Workplace
Workplace

Politics
Politics == Power
Power in
in Action
Action
Political behavior are those activities that are not required as
part of ones formal role in the organization, but that influence,
or attempt to influence, the distribution of advantages and
disadvantages within the organization.
Legitimate and illegitimate political behaviors are
common in organizations. Politics is a fact of life in
organizations!!
Factors contributing to Political Behavior
Individual factors (e.g., personality traits, needs)
Organizational factors (e.g., when organizational
resources decline, resources change, low trust exists,
high performance pressures, and the opportunity of
promotion exists = political behavior is likely)

How
How do
do People
People Respond
Respond to
to Organizational
Organizational
Politics?
Politics?

Decreased job satisfaction, increased anxiety, increased

turnover, and reduced performance

Defensive Actions:
Reactive and protective behaviors to avoid action, blame,
or change

Impression Management
The process by which individuals attempt to control the
impression others form of them. Techniques include
conformity, excuses, apologies, self-promotion, flattery,
favors, and association.

Politics
Politics Is
Is in
in the
the Eye
Eye of
of the
the Beholder
Beholder

Summary
Summaryand
andImplications
Implicationsfor
for Managers
Managers
Power is a two-way street
Few employees relish being powerless in their jobs and
organization.
People respond differently to various power bases.
Employees working under coercive managers are unlikely to
be committed, and more likely to resist the manager.
Expert power is the most strongly and consistently related
to effective employee performance.
The power of the boss may also play a role in determining
your job satisfaction.
The effective manager accepts the political nature of
organizations.
Regardless of level in the organization, some people are
more politically "astute" than others.
The politically naive and inept tend to feel continually
powerless....