ORGANIZATIONAL

POWER
Presented by
Iqra Syed 12032720-090
Haji Saif Ullah 12032720-091
Kousar Parvez 12032720-092
Rabia Nazar 13061020-024
 Iqra Syed
12032720-090
Definition
• A “five letter word” (POWER)
• Influence
• Control over others
• Being able to get things done
The Meaning of Power
Power is the capacity of a
person, team, or organization
to influence others.
• The potential to influence others

• People have power they don’t

use and may not know they
possess
• Power requires one person’s
perception of dependence on
another person
Southland Times, New Zealand
Abraham Lincoln
says that ….

Nearly all men can

stand adversity.
If you want to test a
man’s character give
him Power.
Definition
• Power is the ability to influence the behavior of
others with or without resistance by using a
variety of tactics to push or prompt action.
Power, authority and influence
• The ability to influence other behavior
• Authority is the right to direct others (legitimate)
• Influence is alter actions of other people in general ways
by changing their satisfaction criteria
• Leadership:
leadership is broader than power and indicates a
willingness on the part of the follower to follow in the
absence of authority.
 Contingent Explanations of Power
• Power comes to people from being in the right place.

1. Power comes to people who have control over

resources such as budgets, physical facilities and can
allocate them with discretion.
2. Control over access to information
3. Formal authority and legitimate power comes from
organizational positions.
The goal?
• Overcome feelings of powerlessness
• Convert power effectively into interpersonal influences in
ways that avoid the abuse of power
To empower yourself
To facilitate the empowerment
of others
Relationship Among Social Influence, Power,
and Politics
Capacity to
exert influence
Successful

Power Social influence

Unsuccessful
Power and Dependence
Person B’s
counter Person
power over A
Person A

Person Person
B B’s Goals
Person A’s
power over
Person B
KOUSAR PARVEZ
12032720-092
Sharing Power: Empowerment
Empowerment:
To Give someone authority or
power to do something and
increase the strength of individual most of used in
work or legal environment.
Employee Empowerment:
Given a chance to an employee to take risk
without compromising the organizational goals,
mission and vision
Benefits Of Empowerment
Guidelines for Empowering
• Express confidence in
employees
• Set high performance
expectations
• Create opportunities for participative decision
making
• Remove bureaucratic constraints that suppress
autonomy
• Set inspirational and meaningful goals
Why does having power matter?

With power you can…

• Intercede favorably on behalf
of someone in trouble
• Get a desirable placement for a talented
subordinate
• Get approval for expenditures beyond
the budget
Cont.
• Get items on and off agendas
• Get fast access to decision makers
• Maintain regular, frequent contact with
decision makers
• Acquire early information about
decisions and policy shifts
 Power dynamics
• Dynamic not static; rises and falls for people
and groups
• Shifts in environment can change power of
person or group
• Marketing: successful product--power goes up;
lose market share--power goes down
• Technology: as it increases in importance,
people who know it become more powerful.
The opposite happens as importance of
technology drops
Rabia Nazar

13061020-024
Source of power:
• Five source of leader’s power.

• Expert Power: When a leader has significant

domain knowledge/skills.

• Positional Power: Comes when a leader has a

legitimately held position of authority
Cont….
 Reward Power: Is evident when a leader can give, or
take away, a reward.
 Coercive Power: This is felt when leader creates the
perception of a threat.
 Referent power: involves feelings of liking, affection,
and loyalty toward the manager of followers.
 Cont…
Research indicates that expertise
reward and referent power are
more likely to be tapped by
effective managers than any other
sources of power
Effective leaders use power
• Effective leaders rely more on personal
power than job title.
• Leaders become more powerful as they
nurture the power of others.
• Effective manager who empowers others,
will act as a colleague more than a boss.
Cont.
• Leaders who use power effectively care
about people and their interests.
• They depend on deftness, rather than
flexing their muscle.
• They choose respect over friendship, and
want truth rather than deception.
Cont.
• power reveals how leaders gain and use
power in ethical ways within the context
of organization. If leaders exercise
authority over others with sensitivity,
avoid dominating or threatening them,
and rely on their expertise and
personality to influence them, they can
enhance their effectiveness.
Cont.
• Effective leaders do not engage in
unethical conduct nor display the
characteristics associated with an
abrasive personality, which would
cause them to under-utilize the
talents of their employees..
HAJI SAIF ULLAH
12032720-091
Influence tactics
Intentional behavior used to change the behaviors of other

1. Rational persuasion (use of logical argument)

2. Apprising (explain the benefits)
3. Inspirational appeals (appeal to values)
4. Consultation (encourage input)
5. Collaboration (offer to provide assistance)
Cont.
6. Ingratiation (use of praise)
7. Personal appeals (as a personal favor)
8. Exchange (offer an incentive)
9. Coalition tactics (seek the aid of others)
10. Legitimating tactics (verify authority)
11. Pressure (use of threats)
Factors Influencing Power Tactics
• Choice and effectiveness of influence tactics are
moderated by:
• Sequencing of tactics
softer to harder
• Political skill of the user
• Whom to influence
• The culture of the organization
• Culture affects user’s choice of tactic
Misuse of Power
• Dictatorial and bullying behavior
• Sexual Harassment
• Disrupt the work environment
• Inflict mental, physical and emotional stress on
the victim
• Lower productivity, high employee turnover,
• Harm the company’s reputation.
How to reduce misuse of power
• Code of Conduct
• Intervention Levels
• Disciplinary Measures
• Leadership Training
• Support System
THANK YOU