CHAPTER EIGHT:
8. POWER AND POLITICS IN
AN ORGANIZATION
• 8.1 A Definition Of Power
• Power is ability to get others to do what one
wants them to do.
• Power refers to a capacity that A has to
influence the behavior of B so B acts in
accordance with A’s wishes.
• 8.2 Contrasting Leadership and Power
• I am more afraid of an army of 100 sheep led by a lion
than an army of 100 lions led by a sheep. —Talleyrand
• We define leadership as the ability to influence a group
toward the achievement of a vision or set of goals.
• Leaders use power as a means of attaining group goals.
• Leaders achieve goals, and power is a means of
facilitating their achievement.
• What differences are there between the two terms?
• Difference between leadership and power
Area of Leadership Power
difference
Goal requires some does not require goal
compatibility congruence between the compatibility, merely
goals of the leader and dependence
the led.
Direction of focuses on the downward It will focus on the
influence influence on one's down ward, lateral and
subordinates. up ward influence
Research emphasizes style encompass a broader
emphasis area and focus on
tactics for gaining
compliance/agreement.
• 8.3 Base and sources of Power
• 1. position power/ Legitimate Power
• Four bases of power are available to a
manager solely as a result of his or her
position in the organization:
1. reward,
2. coercive,
3. Expert power and
4. legitimate power.
1. Reward Power (carrot)
• It is derived from the person’s ability to control the allocation of
rewards valued by others and to remove negative sanctions (i.e.,
negative reinforcement).
2. Coercive Power(stick)
• It (in the organizational context) is the ability to apply
punishment
3. Expert power
• It is influence based on expertise, special skills, or
knowledge.
• Expertise has become one of the most powerful
sources of influence as the world has become more
technologically oriented.
4. Referent Power
•
8.3.1. Information and power
• There is an old saying that “information is power.” Having access to
relevant and important information gives power.
• One type of information power is based on control over the flow and
interpretation of data given to others.
• The other type of information power refers to the ability of the
individual or work unit to cope with organizational uncertainties.
– Three general strategies to help organizations cope with
uncertainty:
Prevention: The most effective strategy is to prevent
environmental changes & variations from occurring.
Forecasting: To be able to predict environmental changes or
variations.
Absorption: People & work units gain power by absorbing or
neutralizing the impact of environmental shifts as they occur.
8.3.2. Power tactics/Strategies
• Research has identified nine distinct tactics:
1. Rational persuasion: includes using facts, data, and logical
arguments to try to convince others that your point of view is the
best alternative.
2. Inspirational appeals: seek to tap into our values, emotions, and
beliefs to gain support for a request or course of action.
– When President John F. Kennedy said, “Ask not what your country can do for
you, ask what you can do for your country,” he appealed to the higher selves
of an entire nation.
3. Consultation: refers to the influence agent’s asking others for help in
directly influencing or planning to influence another person or group.
4. Ingratiation: refers to different forms of making others feel good
about themselves.
5. Personal appeal/request refers to helping another person
because you like them and they asked for your help.
6. Exchange: refers to give-and-take in which someone does
something for you, and you do something for them in return.
7. Coalition/Alliance: tactics refer to a group of individuals
working together toward a common goal to influence others.
8. Pressure: refers to exerting undue/too much influence on
someone to do what you want or else something undesirable will
occur.
9. Legitimating: tactics occur when the appeal/request is based on
legitimate or position power.
– “By the power vested/assigned in me…” This tactic relies upon
compliance/agreement with rules, laws, and regulations.
8.4. Power in group coalitions /Alliance
• Coalitions are clusters of individuals who temporarily
come together to achieve a specific purpose.
• What predictions can we make about coalition
formation?
coalitions in organizations often seek to maximize
their size,
coalitions relates to the degree of interdependence
within the organization.
Finally, coalition formation will be influenced by
the actual tasks that workers do.
8.5. Organizational politics
• Peffer (1992), defined
– Organizational politics as the processes, the actions, the
behaviors through which potential power is utilized and
realized.
• Power is a property of system at rest; politics is the
study of power in action.
– Lobbying others to get them to vote with you on a
particular decision is engaging in organizational politics.
• Generally, there may be legitimate political
behavior or illegitimate political behavior.
Legitimate political behavior is normal everyday
politics like complaining to supervisor, forming
coalitions….etc.
Illegitimate political behavior is extreme political
behavior that violates the implied rules of the game
like sabotage (doing damage), speaking bad about
the organization.
• 8.5.1Types of Political Activity
i. Attacking or blaming others: Used when trying to avoid responsibility for
failure.
ii. Using information: Withholding or distorting information, particularly to hide
negative information.
iii. Managing impressions: Bringing positive attention to one’s self or taking credit
for the positive accomplishments of others.
iv. Building support for ideas: Making sure that others will support one’s ideas
before they are presented.
v. Praising others: Making important people feel good.
vi. Building coalitions: Joining with other people to create a powerful group.
vii. Associating with influential people: Building support networks.
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