Chapter 8 power and
politics in an organization
Definition of power
Power can be defined as the ability of person A to
influence the actions and behavior of person B according to A's desires.
·
This concept
suggests that power exists when one person is dependent on another. The crucial
aspect of power is its direct relationship with dependency.
·
Dependency
serves as the foundation for power dynamics.
·
The level of
dependency is heightened when the resource controlled by person A is
significant, rare, and irreplaceable.
Contrasting leadership and power
Power refers to the ability to influence or control
others, often through the possession of authority, resources, or control over
decision-making processes.
Leadership, on
the other hand, is the ability to inspire, guide, and influence others towards
a common goal. It involves the use of interpersonal skills, vision, and
influence to motivate and engage individuals or teams.
Base and source of power
1.
Position Power: Within
an organization, managers possess three bases of power solely due to their
position:
A.
Coercive Power: This
power is based on the ability to evoke compliance through the fear of negative
consequences that may arise if one does not comply with the manager's
directives.
B.
Reward Power: It
involves the ability to provide desirable outcomes or rewards, such as money,
positive performance evaluations, promotions, interesting assignments,
supportive colleagues, important information, and preferred work conditions
like shifts or territories.
C.
Legitimate Power: Legitimate
power stems from a person's structural position within the organization. It
represents the manager's authority and the extent to which they can utilize
their "right of command" to control others.
2.
Personal Power: Personal
power resides in an individual and is not tied to their position within the
organization.
A.
Expert Power: is
acquired by individuals who possess specialized knowledge, skills, or expertise
within a particular field or area.. It allows individuals to exert influence
based on their expertise and the respect they command due to their knowledge.
B.
Referent Power: emerges
from the admiration and desire to emulate another person. It develops when
individuals are inspired by someone's qualities, characteristics, or charisma,
leading them to seek to align their behavior with that person's.
Organizational politics
According to Pfeffer
(1992), organizational politics refers to the processes, actions, and behaviors
through which potential power is utilized and realized within an organization.
Ø Power, in this context, is seen as a characteristic
of a system at rest, while politics is the study of power in action.
Ø Engaging in organizational politics can involve
activities such as lobbying others to secure their support or votes for a
particular decision.
Ø Political behavior often extends beyond an
individual's formal role and job responsibilities, seeking to influence or
alter the allocation of advantages and disadvantages within the organization.
Organizational politics
can be categorized into legitimate and illegitimate political behavior.
Ø Legitimate
political behavior encompasses everyday politics, such as expressing
concerns to a supervisor or forming coalitions.
Ø Illegitimate
political behavior, on the other
hand, involves extreme political actions that violate the implicit rules of the
game, such as sabotage or speaking negatively about the organization.
Types of Political Activity
Within organizations,
individuals engage in various political activities to navigate power dynamics.
Some of these activities include:
1.
Attacking or blaming others: This
tactic is used to shift responsibility and avoid being held accountable for
failures or mistakes.
2.
Using information: Withholding
or distorting information, especially negative information, can be employed as
a means to manipulate perceptions and gain an advantage.
3.
Managing impressions: Individuals
may strategically present themselves in a positive light or take credit for the
accomplishments of others to enhance their reputation and visibility
4.
Building support for ideas: Prior
to presenting their ideas, individuals may work behind the scenes to gather
support from others, ensuring that their proposals are well-received.
5.
Praising others: By
offering praise and recognition, individuals can create positive relationships
and influence important stakeholders.
6.
Building coalitions: Joining
forces with other individuals to form influential groups or alliances can
increase collective power and influence within the organization.
7.
Associating with influential people: Establishing
connections and relationships with influential individuals can provide access
to resources, information, and opportunities.
8.
Creating obligations: By
doing favors for others, individuals can create a sense of indebtedness,
potentially leveraging these favors in the future to garner support or
assistance.
Techniques of Building or Acquiring a
Political Base
According to Mintzberg,
there are several techniques individuals can employ to build or acquire a
political power base within an organization.
A.
Sponsorship: In
sponsorship, an individual aligns themselves with someone who already holds a
high position, typically a superior.
Ø By aligning with a powerful figure, they can gain
influence and support.
B.
Empire Building: Empire
building involves building a power base with subordinates.
Ø Managers seek to surround themselves with capable
individuals or functions that can enhance their importance. This can be
achieved by attracting, rewarding, and retaining highly skilled individuals and
giving them autonomy.
Ø Another strategy is power grabbing, where a manager
assumes responsibility for additional units or departments to acquire excellent
subordinates.
C.
Alliance Building: This
technique focuses on forming alliances, coalitions, or networks with peers.
Ø By collaborating and working collectively,
individuals and the group as a whole can benefit from combined actions and
increased influence.
D.
Budgeting: Gaining
control over important resources, particularly financial resources, is a
powerful strategy for building political power.
Ø By having control over budgets and resource
allocation, individuals can improve their position and leverage their
influence.
E.
Expertise: Emphasizing
one's skills, knowledge, and expertise is another effective approach.
Ø By showcasing their expertise and highlighting the
importance of their unit or area of knowledge within the organization,
individuals can gain influence and recognition.
F.
Lording: This
approach involves misusing legitimate authority. Managers may engage in
bluffing, faking, or other manipulative tactics to exert influence far beyond
what is authorized to them.
Factors contributing to political
behavior in organizations
A. Individual
Factors:
1.
Political Skill: Refers
to an individual's interpersonal style and ability to effectively navigate and
influence others in the organization.
2.
Internal Locus of Control: Individuals
with a high internal locus of control believe they have control over the
outcomes in the organization, making them more likely to engage in political
behavior.
3.
Investment in the Organization: When
individuals have a strong emotional or financial investment in the
organization, they are more likely to engage in political behavior because they
care deeply about its success.
4.
Expectations of Success: If
individuals believe they can successfully influence outcomes, they are more
inclined to engage in political behavior.
B. Organizational
Factors:
1.
Scarcity of Resources: When
resources are limited and competition for them is high, it creates a fertile
ground for political behavior as individuals seek to secure resources for their
own benefit.
2.
Ambiguity: Any
form of ambiguity, such as unclear roles, responsibilities, or decision-making
processes, can contribute to increased organizational politics as individuals
maneuver to clarify or manipulate the ambiguous situations to their advantage.
3.
Democratic Decision Making: In
organizations where decision-making involves multiple stakeholders and
individuals have a say, there is a higher potential for political behavior as
people attempt to influence decisions in their favor by leveraging
relationships and alliances.
4.
Promotion Opportunities: The
presence of limited promotion opportunities can intensify competition among
employees.
Power in-group coalition
Coalitions are temporary alliances or clusters of individuals
or groups who join forces for a specific purpose or goal.
1.
Size Maximization: Coalitions
in organizations are likely to seek to maximize their size.
2.
Interdependence: The
formation of coalitions is likely to be influenced by the degree of
interdependence within the organization.
3.
Task Relevance: The
actual tasks performed by workers will play a role in coalition formation.