Power & Influence Flashcards
(17 cards)
What is power?
The capacity of a person, team, or organization to influence others.
What are 5 sources of power?
- legitimate
- reward
- coercive
- expert
- referent
What is legitimate power?
- agreement that people in certain roles can request certain behaviours of others
- norm of reciprocity – felt obligation to help someone who has helped you
- information gatekeepers also hold legitimate power
What is reward power?
- ability to control the allocation of rewards valued by others and to remove negative sanctions
What is coercive power?
- ability to apply punishment
- peer pressure is a form of coercive power
What is expert power?
- the capacity to influence others by possession knowledge or skills they value
- perceived ability to cope with uncertainty by using their expertise to:
- prevent change
- forecast change
- absorb impact of change
What is referent power?
- occurs when others identify with, like, or otherwise respect the person
- associated with charismatic leadership
What are four contingencies of power?
- substitutability
- centrality
- discretion
- visibility
What is substitutability?
- availability of alternatives
- more power when few/no alternatives
What is centrality?
- degree and nature of interdependence between power holder and others
Centrality is a function of:
- how many others are affected by you
- how quickly others are affected by you
What is discretion?
- the freedom to exercise judgment
- also a perception – acting as if you have discretion
What is visibility?
- make others aware of your presence – more face time, locate office near busy routes
- symbols communicate your power source(s)
- education diplomas
- clothing, etc.
What are social networks?
- consist of people connected to each other through forms of interdependence
- generate power through social capital
Regarding social network ties, what is the contrast between strong and weak ties?
Strong ties:
- close-knit relationships
- offer resources more quickly/plentifully, but less unique
Weak ties:
- acquaintances
- offer unique resources not held by us or people in other networks
What is influence?
- any behaviour that attempts to alter someone’s attitudes or behaviour
- applies one or more power bases
- process through which people achieve organizational objectives
- operates up, down, and across the organizational hierarchy
Types of Influence (8)
1) silent authority
2) assertiveness
3) information control
4) coalition formation
5) upward appeal
6) persuasion
7) impression management
8) exchange
What is organizational politics?
Behaviours that others perceive as self-serving tactics for personal gain at the expense of other people and possibly the organization.
