power and influence in the workplace mcgraw-hill/irwin copyright © 2013 by the mcgraw-hill...
TRANSCRIPT
Chapter 10
Power andInfluence in the Workplace
McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2013 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
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The Power of Managing Your Boss
Managing your boss is the process of improving the relationship with your manager for the benefit of both of you and the organization. It includes developing bases of power that enable you to influence the manager and thereby achieve organizational objectives. Most executives say it is a key factor in everyone’s career success.
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The Meaning of Power
Power is the capacity of a person, team, or organization to influence others.• Potential, not actual use• People have power they don’t
use -- may not know they possess
• A perception, not necessarily reality
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Power and Dependence
Person B’sGoal
Person B’s countervailing
power over Person A
Person A
Person B
Person A’s power over Person B
Person A is perceived as controlling resources that help or hinder Person B’s goal achievement.
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Model of Power in Organizations
Contingenciesof Power
Powerover others
Sourcesof Power
Legitimate
Reward
Coercive
Expert
Referent
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Deference to Authority:Le Jeu de la Mort
French reality television recently
revealed how far people are willing
to submit to authority. Only 16 of
the 80 contestants refused to
administer the strongest shocks
(460 volts – enough to kill a
person) when another contestant
gave the wrong answers.
Fortunately, the other contestant
was an actor whose screams were
fake; he did not actually receive
the shocks.
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Legitimate Power
Agreement that people in certain roles can request certain behaviors of others
Based on job descriptions and mutual agreement
Legitimate power range (zone of indifference) varies across national and org cultures.
Norm of reciprocity – legitimate power as a felt obligation to help others who helped you in the past
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Legitimate Power: Right to Control Information Flow
This person has high information control
These people individually have low information control
Wheel formation
All-channels formation
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Reward and Coercive Power
Reward Power• Ability to control the allocation of rewards valued
by others and to remove negative sanctions
Coercive Power• Ability to apply punishment
• Peer pressure is a form of coercive power
Reward and coercive power exist upward as well as downward in hierarchies.
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Expert Power
The capacity to influence others by possessing knowledge or skills that they value
Coping with uncertainty• Organizations operate better in predictable
environments• People gain power by using their expertise to:
- Prevent environmental changes- Forecast environmental changes- Absorb environmental changes
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Referent Power
Occurs when others identify with, like, or otherwise respect the person
Associated with charismatic leadership
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Contingencies of Power
Contingenciesof Power
Substitutability
Centrality
Discretion
Visibility
Powerover others
Sourcesof Power
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The Power of NonsubstitutabilityYour personal brand improves career success when you offer something that is valued and nonsubstitutable. “Be unique about something. Be a specialist in something. Be known for something,” advises Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu CEO Barry Salzberg (center).
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Increasing Nonsubstitutability
Few/no alternatives to the resource
Increase nonsubstitutability by controlling the resource• exclusive right to perform medical procedures• control over skilled labor• exclusive knowledge to repair equipment
Differentiate resource from others (i.e. be unique)
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Centrality
Degree and nature of interdependence between the powerholder and others (reflects the person’s importance to others)
Centrality is a function of:• How many others are affected by you• How quickly others are affected by you
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Discretion and Visibility
Discretion• The freedom to exercise judgment• Rules limit discretion, limit power• Also a perception – acting as if you have discretion
Visibility• Make others aware of your presence –more face
time, locate office near busy routes• Symbols communicate your power source(s)
- Educational diplomas- Clothing etc (stethoscope around neck)
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Power and Influence ThroughSocial Networks
Social networks – people connected to each other through forms of interdependence
Generate power through social capital -- goodwill and resulting resources shared among members in a social network
Three power resources through social networks• Knowledge sharing• Visibility• Referent power
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Social Network Ties
Strong ties:• Close-knit relationships (frequent interaction,
high volume sharing, multiple roles)• Offer resources more quickly/plentifully,
but less unique
Weak ties• Acquaintances• Offer unique resources not held by us or
people in other networks
Many ties• Resources increase with number of ties• Limits on number of weak/strong ties one can create
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Social Network Centrality
Person’s importance in a network Three factors in centrality:
1. Betweenness – extent you are located between others in the network (i.e. information gatekeeper)
2. Degree centrality -- Number of people connected to you
3. Closeness – stronger relationships (faster/plentiful resources)
Example: “A” has highest network centrality due to all three factors; “B” has lowest centrality
A
B
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Influencing Others
Influence -- any behavior that attempts to alter someone’s attitudes or behavior
Applies one or more power bases
Process through which people achieve organizational objectives
Operates up, down, and across the organizational hierarchy
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Assertiveness • Actively applying legitimate and coercive power (“vocal authority”)
• Reminding, confronting, checking, threatening
Silent Authority
• Following requests without overt influence• Based on legitimate power, role modeling• Common in high power distance cultures
more
Types of Influence
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Coalition Formation
• Group forms to gain more power than individuals alone
1. Pools resources/power 2. Legitimizes the issue3. Power through social identity
more
Types of Influence (con’t)
Information Control
• Manipulating others’ access to information • Withholding, filtering, re-arranging
information
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Upward Appeal
• Appealing to higher authority• Includes appealing to firm’s goals• Alliance or perceived alliance with higher
status person
more
Types of Influence (con’t)
Persuasion • Logic, facts, emotional appeals• Depends on persuader, message content,
message medium, audience
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Types of Influence (con’t)
Exchange • Promising or reminding of past benefits in exchange for compliance
• Includes negotiation and networking
Ingratiation/ Impress. Mgt.
• Increase liking by, or perceived similarity to the target person
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Consequences of Influence Tactics
people oppose the behavior desired by the influencer
motivated by external sources (rewards) to implement request
identify with and highly motivated to implement request
Resistance Compliance Commitment
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Consequences of Influence Tactics
Resistance Compliance Commitment
Persuasion
Ingratiation &impression mgt
Exchange
Soft Influence Tactics
Hard Influence Tactics
Silent authority
Upward appeal
Coalition formation
Information control
Assertiveness
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Contingencies of Influence Tactics
“Soft” tactics generally more acceptable than “hard” tactics
Appropriate influence tactic depends on:• Influencer’s power base• Organizational position • Cultural values and expectations
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Organizational Politics
Behaviors that others perceive as self-serving tactics for
personal gain at the expense of other people and
possibly the organization.
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Conditions that Encourage Organizational Politics
• Scarce resources – to safeguard own resources
• Ambiguous resource allocation decisions
• Organizational change – due to uncertainty, ambiguity
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Minimizing Political Behavior
Introduce clear rules for scarce resources Effective organizational change practices Suppress norms that support or tolerate
self-serving behavior Leaders role model organizational
citizenship Give employees more control over their
work Keep employees informed
Chapter 10
Power andInfluence in the Workplace