Power and Politics Flashcards
What is Power?
The capacity that A has to influence the behavior of B so that B acts in accordance with A’s wishes
Potential: power does not need to be actualized to be effective
Dependency: based on the available alternatives and their desirability
How can one increase dependency?
→ To increase the dependency of others on you, you need to:
○ Control things viewed as important.
○ The resources must be viewed as scarce.
The resource must have few or no substitutes (non-substitutability).
What is the difference between leadership and power?
Goal Compatibility: Leadership requires goal congruence, where as power only needs dependence
Direction of Influence: Leadership focuses on downward influence, where as power is concerned with influence in all directions
Research Topics: Leadership research emphasizes style, where as research on power focuses on tactics used by individuals and groups
What are the bases of power and how will people respond to them?
→ Formal (Due to organizational position):
○ Coercive Power: Coercive power is derived from the use of punishment and threat
○ Reward Power: Reward power is derived from the ability to provide positive outcomes and prevent negative outcomes
○ Legitimate Power: Legitimate power is power derived from a person’s position or job in an organization.
→ Personal (Stems from an individual’s unique characteristics):
○ Expert: Expert power is derived from having special information or expertise that is valued by an organization
○ Referent: Referent power is derived from being well liked by others - stems from identification with the power- holder (charismatic leaders).
→ Expert and referent power are positively related to performance and commitment
→ Use of reward and legitimate power are unrelated to organizational outcomes
→ Coercive power is negatively related to employee satisfaction and commitment
People will respond in one of three ways:
1. Commitment: The person is enthusiastic about the request and carries the task out.
○ Expert & Referent
2. Compliance: The person goes along with the request grudgingly, putting in minimal effort.
○ Reward and Legitimate
3. Resistance: The person is opposed to the request and tries to avoid it.
○ Coercive
Power and Influence Tactics
→ Used to translate power bases into specific actions that influence others → More immediate than power bases → Can result in the accumulation of a power base → Nine Influence Tactics: ○ Legitimacy ○ Rational persuasion ○ Inspirational appeals ○ Consultation ○ Exchange ○ Personal appeals ○ Ingratiation ○ Pressure ○ Coalitions → Most effective: ○ Rational Persuasion ○ Inspirational Appeals ○ Consultation → Least effective: ○ Pressure → Combining tactics increases effectiveness → Sequencing (soft to hard) and individual skill can impact effectiveness
Politics, legitimacy of political behaviors, why politics arise in organizations
→ Politics occur when employees convert power into action
→ Organizational Politics: Activities not required as part of one’s formal role in the organization, but that influence, or attempt to influence, the distribution of advantages and disadvantages within the organization
○ Outside of job requirements
○ Requires the use of power
→ Legitimacy of Political Behaviors
○ Based on sticking to the implied rules
○ Legitimate: Normal everyday politics, such as complaining
○ Illegitimate: “Hardball” activities such as sabotage, whistle- blowing, and symbolic protests
→ Politics arise in organizations because of:
○ Conflicting interests
○ Limited resources
Ambiguity in decision making
Politicking
Twisting facts to support one’s own goals and interests
Individual factors contributing to political behavior
Machiavellianism: A set of cynical beliefs about human nature, morality, and the permissibility of using various tactics to achieve one’s ends
High need for power
Organizational factors contributing to political behavior
Organizational resources declining or distribution shifting
Opportunity for promotion exists
Organizational culture issues
