power and influence in the workplace mcgraw-hill/irwin mcshane/von glinow ob 5e copyright © 2010 by...
TRANSCRIPT
Power and Influence in the Workplace
McGraw-Hill/IrwinMcShane/Von Glinow OB 5e Copyright © 2010 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Power, Influence & Politics in the RCMP
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) human resources director Denise Revine and her boss Chief Superintendent Fraser Macauley, (see photo) had their careers derailed when they reported that pension funds had been misappropriated. A Canadian government report concluded the RCMP suffered from the “absolute power exercised by the Commissioner.”
10-2
The Meaning of Power
Power is the capacity of a person, team, or organization to influence others.
• Potential, not actual use• People have power they don’t
use -- may not know they possess
• A perception
10-3
Power and Dependence
Resource desired by person B
Resource desired by person B
Person B’s countervailing
power over Person A
Person APerson A Person A’s control of resource valued
by Person B
Person BPerson B
Person A’s power over Person B
10-4
Model of Power in Organizations
Contingenciesof Power
Contingenciesof Power
Powerover others
Powerover others
Sourcesof PowerSourcesof Power
Legitimate
Reward
Coercive
Expert
Referent
Legitimate
Reward
Coercive
Expert
Referent
10-5
Sources of Power
Agreement that people in certain roles can request certain behaviors of others
Based on job descriptions and mutual agreement
Legitimate power range (zone of indifference) varies across national and org cultures.
Legitimate
10-6
Sources of Power
Ability to control the allocation of rewards valued by others and to remove negative sanctions
Operates upward as well as downward
Reward
Legitimate
10-7
Sources of Power
Ability to apply punishment Exists upward as well as
downward Peer pressure is a form of
coercive power
Legitimate
Coercive
Reward
10-8
Sources of Power
The capacity to influence others by possessing knowledge or skills that they value
More employee expert power over companies in knowledge economy
Legitimate
Expert
Reward
Coercive
10-9
Sources of Power
Occurs when others identify with, like, or otherwise respect the person
Associated with charismatic leadership
Legitimate
Referent
Reward
Coercive
Expert
10-10
DeCourcy’s Trendspotting Power
Colleen DeCourcy has
developed a reputation as a
trendspotter, giving her
considerable information power
in the advertising industry. “Her
knowledge of the digital
landscape, grounded in
creativity, make her an
invaluable additional to TBWA,”
says DeCourcy’s boss.
10-11
Information and Power
Control over information flow• Based on legitimate power• Relates to formal communication
network
Coping with uncertainty • More power to those who can
help firms cope with uncertainty- Prevention- Forecasting- Absorption
10-12
Power Through Control of Information Flow
This person has high information control
These people individually have low information control
Wheel formation
All-channels formation
10-13
Contingencies of Power
Contingenciesof Power
Contingenciesof Power
Substitutability
Centrality
Discretion
Visibility
Substitutability
Centrality
Discretion
Visibility
Powerover others
Powerover others
Sourcesof PowerSourcesof Power
10-14
Increasing Nonsubstitutability
Few/no alternatives to the resource Increase nonsubstituability by controlling the
resource• exclusive right to perform medical procedures• control over skilled labor• exclusive knowledge to repair equipment
Differentiate resource from others
10-15
Centrality
Degree and nature of interdependence between powerholder and others
Centrality is a function of:• How many others are affected by you• How quickly others are affected by you
10-16
Discretion and Visibility
Discretion• The freedom to exercise judgment• Rules limit discretion, limit power• Also a perception – acting as if you have discretion
Visibility• Symbols communicate your power source(s)
- Educational diplomas- Clothing etc (stethoscope around neck)
• Salience- Location – others more aware of your presence
10-17
Social Networking and Power Cultivating social relationships with others to
accomplish one’s goals
Increases power through:• social capital• referent power• visibility and centrality contingencies
10-18
Influencing Others
Influence -- any behavior that attempts to alter someone’s attitudes or behavior
• Applies one or more power bases
• Process through which people achieve organizational objectives
• Operates up, down, and across the organizational hierarchy
10-19
AssertivenessAssertiveness • Actively applying legitimate and coercive power (“vocal authority”)
• Reminding, confronting, checking, threatening
Silent Silent AuthorityAuthority
• Following requests without overt influence
• Based on legitimate power, role modeling
• Common in high power distance cultures
more
Types of Influence
10-20
Coalition Coalition FormationFormation
• Group forms to gain more power than individuals alone
1. Pools resources/power 2. Legitimizes the issue3. Power through social identity
more
Types of Influence (con’t)
Information Information ControlControl
• Manipulating others’ access to information
• Withholding, filtering, re-arranging information
10-21
Upward Upward AppealAppeal
• Appealing to higher authority
• Includes appealing to firm’s goals
• Alliance or perceived alliance with higher status person
more
Types of Influence (con’t)
PersuasionPersuasion• Logic, facts, emotional appeals• Depends on persuader, message content,
message medium, audience
10-22
Types of Influence (con’t)
ExchangeExchange • Promising or reminding of past benefits in exchange for compliance
• Includes negotiation and networking
Ingratiation/ Ingratiation/ Impress. Mgt.Impress. Mgt.
• increaseliking by, or perceived similarity to the target person
10-23
Consequences of Influence Tactics
people oppose the behavior desired by the influencer
motivated by external sources (rewards) to implement request
identify with and highly motivated to implement request
ResistanceResistance ComplianceCompliance CommitmentCommitment
10-24
Consequences of Influence Tactics
ResistanceResistance ComplianceCompliance CommitmentCommitment
Persuasion
Ingratiation &impression mgt
Exchange
Soft Influence Tactics
Hard Influence Tactics
Silent authority
Upward appeal
Coalition formation
Information control
Assertiveness
10-25
Contingencies of Influence Tactics
“Soft” tactics generally more acceptable than “hard” tactics
Appropriate influence tactic depends on:• Influencer’s power base• Organizational position • Cultural values and expectations
10-26
Organizational Politics
Behaviors that others perceive as self-serving tactics for personal gain at the expense of other people and possibly the organization.
10-27
ConditionsConditionsSupportingSupporting
Organizational Organizational PoliticsPolitics
ScarceScarceResourcesResources
Complex andComplex andAmbiguousAmbiguousDecisionsDecisions
Tolerance of Tolerance of PoliticsPolitics
OrganizationalOrganizationalChangeChange
Conditions for Organizational Politics
10-28
Minimizing Political Behaviour
1. Introduce clear rules for scarce resources
2. Effective organizational change practices
3. Suppress norms that support or tolerate self-serving behavior
4. Leaders role model organizational citizenship
5. Give employees more control over their work
6. Keep employees informed
10-29
Power and Influence in the Workplace
10-30McGraw-Hill/IrwinMcShane/Von Glinow OB 5e Copyright © 2010 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.