14-1 Copyright © 2005 Prentice-Hall Chapter 15 Building a Power Base Management: A Skills Approach, 2/e by Phillip L. Hunsaker Copyright © 2005 Prentice-Hall

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Copyright © 2005 Prentice-Hall

Chapter 15Chapter 15Building a Power BaseBuilding a Power Base

Management: A Skills Approach, 2/eManagement: A Skills Approach, 2/eby Phillip L. Hunsakerby Phillip L. Hunsaker


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Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives

• Perform a Political Diagnostic Analysis• Enhance Your Power Base Through

Impression Management• Apply Power Tactics to Get What You

Need• Utilize Political Strategies to Enhance

Your Power• Appropriately Utilize Defensive Strategies

to Protect Your Power

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Why is Knowing About Power Why is Knowing About Power Important?Important?

• Learning how power is acquired and exercised in organizations will help you manage others and your own career more effectively.

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What is Power?What is Power?

• The capacity to influence individuals or groups to behave in ways they would not on their own

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• Power is a Function of Dependence.

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Why is Power Important?Why is Power Important?

It helps managers:It helps managers:• Attain Goals• Solve Problems• Create Strategy• Evaluate Performance

• Design Work• Motivate Others• Manage Teams

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Position PowerPosition Power

• Authority

• Rewards

• Punishments

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• Formal authority is the right to give orders and expect the orders to be obeyed.

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• Formal authority is often necessary to resolve complex differences of opinion.

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Personal Power BasesPersonal Power Bases

• Rewards• Punishments• Expertise• Charisma• Information• Association

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How Can Power Be Acquired?How Can Power Be Acquired?

• Creating Dependency

• Impression Management

• Politicking• How political

are you?

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How Political Are You?How Political Are You?

1. You should make others feel important through an

open appreciation of their ideas and work.

2. Because people tend to judge you when they first

meet you, always try to make a good first impression.

3. Try to let others do most of the talking, be sympathetic

to their problems, and resist telling people that they

are wrong.

4. Praise the good traits of the people you meet and

always give people an opportunity to save face if they

are wrong or make a mistake.

True

False

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Impression ManagementImpression Management

• Process of shaping the image you project during interactions with others in order to favorably influence how others see and evaluate you

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Impression Management Impression Management Techniques:Techniques:

• Agreeing with someone else’s opinion in order to gain his approval

• Making excuses to minimize the outcomes of mistakes

• Apologizing to get a pardon for negative actions

• Doing favors to gain a person’s approval

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PolitickingPoliticking

• Taking actions to influence the distribution of advantages and disadvantages within your organization

• Involves the use of strategies intended to tip the balance of power and influence decision outcomes in your favor

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PolitickingPoliticking

• Political Diagnostic Analysis• Assess the organizational culture• Assess the power of others• Assess your own power

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What Can You Do to Improve What Can You Do to Improve Your Political Effectiveness?Your Political Effectiveness?

• Frame Arguments in Terms of Organizational Goals

• Develop the Right Image• Gain Control of Organizational Resources• Make Yourself Appear Indispensable• Be Visible• Get a Mentor• Develop Powerful Allies• Avoid “Tainted” Members• Support Your Boss

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What Specific Power Tactics What Specific Power Tactics Can You Apply?Can You Apply?

• Reasoning• Friendliness• Coalitions• Bargaining• Higher Authority• Assertiveness• Sanctions

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Defensive Behaviors That Protect Defensive Behaviors That Protect Your Power Can Also:Your Power Can Also:

• Avoid Action

• Avoid Blame

• Avoid Change

• Have Positive or Negative Effects

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Consider the Consider the Cost-Benefit EquationCost-Benefit Equation

• Weigh potential costs of a political strategy against its potential benefits

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Check if Political Action is EthicalCheck if Political Action is Ethical

Documents

14-1 Copyright © 2005 Prentice-Hall Chapter 15 Building a Power Base Management: A Skills Approach, 2/e by Phillip L. Hunsaker Copyright © 2005 Prentice-Hall