Power and PoliticsPresented By

Fatima ZahoorIqra AmeenAmmara FarooqZain ul AbideenMuhammad Ghufran Samad A. PirzadaFahad Butt

Power

A capacity that A has to influence the behavior of B so that B acts in accordance with A’s wishes.Dependency

B’s relationship to A when A possesses something that B requires.

Contrasting Leadership and PowerLeadership

Focuses on goal achievement.

Requires goal compatibility with followers.

Focuses influence downward.

Research FocusLeadership styles

and relationships with followers

PowerUsed as a means for

achieving goals.Requires follower

dependency.Used to gain lateral

and upward influence.

Research FocusPower tactics for

gaining compliance

Coercive PowerA power base dependent on fear.Reward PowerCompliance achieved based on the ability to distribute rewards that others view as valuable

Formal Power

Is established by an individual’s position in an organization; conveys the ability to coerce or reward, from formal authority, or from control of information.

Legitimate Power

The power a person receives as a result of his or her position in the formal hierarchy of an organization.

Expert Power

Influence based on special skills or knowledge.Referent Power

Influence based on possession by an individual of desirable resources or personal traits.

Dependency: The Key To PowerThe General Dependency Postulate

The greater B’s dependency on A, the greater the power A has over B.

Possession/control of scarce organizational resources that others need makes a manager powerful.

Access to optional resources (e.g., multiple suppliers) reduces the resource holder’s power.

What Creates DependencyImportance of the resource to the organizationScarcity of the resourceNonsubstitutability of the resource

Influence Tactics:

• Legitimacy

• Rational persuasion

• Inspirational appeals

• Consultation

• Exchange

• Personal appeals

• Ingratiation

• Pressure

• Coalitions

Influence Tactics:

• Legitimacy

• Rational persuasion

• Inspirational appeals

• Consultation

• Exchange

• Personal appeals

• Ingratiation

• Pressure

• Coalitions

Power Tactics

Ways in which individuals translate power bases into specific actions.

Upward Influence Downward Influence Lateral Influence

Rational persuasion Rational persuasion Rational persuasion

Inspirational appeals Consultation

Pressure Ingratiation

Consultation Exchange

Ingratiation Legitimacy

Exchange Personal appeals

Legitimacy Coalitions

Defining of Organization Politics

Political Behavior

Activities that are not required as part of one’s formal role in the organization, but that influence, or attempt to influence, the distribution of advantages or disadvantages within the organization.Legitimate Political BehaviorNormal everyday politics.

Illegitimate Political BehaviorExtreme political behavior that violates the implied rules of the game.

“Political” Label “Effective Management” Label

1.Creating conflict vs. Encouraging change and innovation

2. Whistle blowing vs. Improving efficiency

3. Scheming vs. Planning ahead

4. Overachieving vs. Competent and capable

5. Ambitious vs. Career-minded

6. Cunning vs. Practical-minded

7. Arrogant vs. Confident

Which factor contributing to political behavior:Recent researches show that number of

factors that appear to encourage political behavior.

Both are individuals and organizational factors can increase political behavior and provide favorable outcomes.

In individual factors researches found certain personality trait, needs and other factors likely to be related to the political behavior.

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved. 13–13

How employees respond to organization politics:We know that the most people who have the

modest political skill or un willing to play the politics game. And have a response is negative.

Organizational politics may threaten employees and it causes these following effects.

When both politics and understanding are high, performance is likely to increase because the individual will see political actions as an opportunity.

But when understanding is low, individuals are more likely to see political threaten, which would have a negative effect on job performance.

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved. 13–15

IM Techniques:

• Conformity

• Excuses

• Apologies

• Self-Promotion

• Flattery

• Favors

• Association

IM Techniques:

• Conformity

• Excuses

• Apologies

• Self-Promotion

• Flattery

• Favors

• Association

Impression Management

The process by which individuals attempt to control the impression others form of them.

Avoiding Action:

• Overconforming

• Buck passing

• Playing dumb

• Stretching

Avoiding Action:

• Overconforming

• Buck passing

• Playing dumb

• Stretching

Avoiding Blame:

• Playing safe

• Justifying

• Scapegoating

• Misrepresenting

Avoiding Blame:

• Playing safe

• Justifying

• Scapegoating

• Misrepresenting Avoiding Change:

• Prevention

• Self-protection

Avoiding Change:

• Prevention

• Self-protection

A major theme of this chapter is that power and political behavior are natural process in any group or organization given that you need to know how power is acquired and exercised if you are to fully understand organizational behavior although you may heard the phrase POWER CORRUPTS AND ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ASLOUTELY Power is not always bad as one author has noted that medicine can kill if taken in the wrong amount. Moreover learning how power works in organization you will be better able to use your knowledge to become a more effective manager