2. Suggested topics
Describe a time when you had to deal with
―organizational politics‖.
Describe a situation where you saw
evidence of power or influence being used
in an organization
Describe a time when someone influenced
you to act a particular way or do a particular
thing that you would not of otherwise done.
ARISE ROBY
4. Definition
A ―four letter word‖?
Influence?
Control over others?
Being able to get things done?
??????
ARISE ROBY
5. A shifting definition…
Reflects the new ―reality‖ of organizations
A new definition of ―employee‖
ARISE ROBY
6. Southland Times, New Zealand
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
ARISE ROBY
7. 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
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
ARISE ROBY
8. The goal?
Overcome feelings of powerlessness
Convert power effectively into interpersonal
influences in ways that avoid the abuse of
power
ARISE ROBY
10. Relationship Among Social Influence, Power,
and Politics
Organizational
politics
Use of power for
personal interests
Capacity to
exert influence
Social influence
Unsuccessful
Successful
Power
ARISE ROBY
12. Types of Individual Power: A
Summary
Position Power
• Legitimate power
• Reward power
• Coercive power
Individual Power
Personal Power
• Referent power
• Expert power
ARISE ROBY
13. Model of Power in
Organizations
Power
over Others
Contingencies
Of Power
Sources
Of Power
Legitimate
Reward
Coercive
Expert
Referent
ARISE ROBY
14. Legitimate Power
One’s structural position
The power a person receives as a result of
his or her position in the formal hierarchy of
an organization
ARISE ROBY
15. The Limits of Legitimate Power
The Caine Mutiny illustrates
the limits of legitimate power
in organizations. Captain
Queeg (Humphrey
Bogart, seated left) asked his
crew to do more than they
were willing to follow, so
they staged a mutiny.
Archive Photos
ARISE ROBY
16. Reward and Coercive Power
Power that achieves compliance based on
the ability to distribute rewards that others
view as valuable
Coercive Power: the opposite of reward
power: the power that is based on fear of
negative results.
ARISE ROBY
17. Sources of Power
Archive Photos
Legitimate Power
Reward Power
Coercive Power
Expert Power
Referent Power
ARISE ROBY
19. Referent Power
Influence is based on possession by an
individual of desirable resources or personal
traits
The desire to please…
ARISE ROBY
20. Information and Power
Control over information flow
– Based on legitimate power
– Relates to formal communication network
– Common in centralized structures (wheel pattern)
Coping with uncertainty
– Those who know how to cope with organizational
uncertainties gain power
» Prevention
» Forecasting
» Absorption
ARISE ROBY
24. Sexual Harassment and Power
Harasser stereotypes the victim as subservient
and powerless
Harasser threatens job security or safety
through coercive or legitimate power
Hostile work environment harassment
continues when the victim lacks power to stop
the behaviour
ARISE ROBY
25. Office Romance and Power
Co-workers believe that employees in
relationships abuse their power to favour
each other.
Higher risk of sexual harassment when
relationship breaks off.
ARISE ROBY
26. Organizational Politics
Attempts to influence others using
discretionary behaviours to promote
personal objectives
– Discretionary behaviours — neither explicitly
prescribed nor prohibited
Politics may be good or bad for the
organization
ARISE ROBY
27. Organizational Politics: More Likely at
the Top
ExtenttoWhichPoliticalActivityisLikely(range0-3)
Production and
blue collar
Clerical and
white collar
Technical and
professional
Lower
management
Middle
management
Upper
management
1.3
1.2
1.1
1.0
.9
.8
.7
.6
.5
.4
.3
.2
.1
Organizational Level
(.18)
(.50)
(.54)
(.73)
(1.07)
(1.22)Political activity
is perceived to
increase at higher
organizational levels
ARISE ROBY
29. Impression management
Conformity: agreeing with another’s opinion to get their
approval
Excuses: Explanations of a predicament-creating event aimed at
minimizing the apparent severity of the predicament
Apologies: Admitting responsibility for an undesirable event and
simultaneously seeking to get a pardon for the action
Acclamations: Explanation of favourable events to maximize the
desirable implications for oneself.
Flattery: Complimenting others on their virtues in an effort to
make oneself appear perceptive and likeable
Favours: Doing something nice for someone to gain that
person’s approval
Association: Enhancing or protecting one’s image by managing
information about people and things with which one is
associated.
ARISE ROBY
33. Political Antics Top the ―Most Unethical
List‖: Survey Results
Gender discrimination
in recruitment or hiring
Arrangements with vendors
leading to personal gain
Nonperformance factors
used in appraisals
Gender discrimination
in compensation
Not maintaining
confidentiality
Using discipline
inconsistently
Gender discrimination
in promotion
Sexual
harassment
Allowing differences in pay
due to friendships
Hiring, training, or promoting
based on favouritism
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Situation
Percentage Responding with a 4 or 5 on a five-Point Scale
Measuring Degree of Seriousness (where 5=―very great‖)
(22.6)
(23.1)
(23.5)
(25.8)
(26.4)
(26.9)
(26.9)
(28.4)
(30.7)
(30.7)
Potentially
political
behaviours
ARISE ROBY
34. Controlling Political Behaviour
Peer Pressure
Against Politics
Remove
Political Norms
Free Flowing
Information
Manage Change
Effectively
Provide
Sufficient
Resources
Introduce
Clear Rules
Hire
Low-Politics
Employees
Increase
Opportunities
for Dialogue
ARISE ROBY
