Title: inspirational appeals and consultation are most
1Power and Politics
Essentials of Organizational Behavior,
9/e Stephen P. Robbins/Timothy A. Judge
2After studying this chapter, you should be able
to
- Contrast leadership and power
- Describe the five bases of power
- Explain which bases of power are most effective
- List and define nine influence tactics
- Distinguish between use and effectiveness of
influence tactics
3After studying this chapter, you should be able
to
- List the individual and organizational factors
that stimulate political behavior - Explain how defensive behaviors can protect an
individuals self-interest - Identify seven techniques for managing the
impression one makes on others - List the three questions that can help determine
if a political action is ethical
4Power
- Refers to a capacity that A has to influence the
behavior of B so that B acts in accordance with
As wishes - Two facets
- Its potential need not be actualized to be
effective - It requires a dependency relationship
5Leadership and Power
- Leaders use power as a way to attain group goals,
and power is a means for facilitating their
achievement - How they differ
- Goal compatibility
- Direction of influence
- Research emphasis
6Bases of Power
- Formal
- Coercive - One reacts to this power out of fear
of the negative results that might occur if one
failed to comply - Reward - People comply with the wishes or
directives of another because doing so produces
positive benefits - Legitimate - represents the formal authority to
control and use organizational resources
7Bases of Power
- Personal
- Expert - influence wielded as a result of
expertise, special skill, or knowledge - Referent - based on identification with a person
who has desirable resources or personal traits
8Which Power Bases are Most Effective?
- Personal sources of power are most effective
- Expert and referent power are positively related
to performance and commitment - Reward and legitimate power are unrelated
- Coercive power is negatively related to employee
satisfaction and commitment
9Influence Tactics
- Legitimacy
- Rational persuasion
- Inspirational appeals
- Consultation
- Exchange
- Personal appeals
- Ingratiation
- Pressure
- Coalitions
10Effectiveness of Influence Tactics
- Rational persuasion, inspirational appeals and
consultation are most effective - Pressure is least effective
- Using more than one compatible tactic at the same
time or sequentially increases chance of success - Softer tactics work better than harder tactics
11Coalitions
- An informal group bound together by the active
pursuit of a single issue - Coalitions in organization often seek to maximize
their size - More coalitions will likely be created when there
is a great deal of task and resource
interdependence - The more routine the task of a group, the greater
likelihood that coalitions will form
12Political Behavior
- Activities that are not required as part of
ones formal role in the organization, but that
influence, or attempt to influence, the
distribution of advantages and disadvantages
within the organization
13Factors Contributing to Political Behavior
- Individual factors
- High self-monitors
- Internal locus of control
- High need for power
- Large investment in the organization
- More perceived job alternatives
- High expectations of success
14Factors Contributing to Political Behavior
- Organizational factors
- Existing pattern of resources is changing
- Opportunity for promotion
- Subjective performance criteria
- Low trust
- Role ambiguity
- Zero-sum reward allocation practices
- High pressures for performance
- Politicking by top management
15How Do People Respond to Organizational Politics?
- For most people with modest political skills or
who are unwilling to play the politics game,
outcomes are negative, including low job
satisfaction, increased anxiety and stress,
feeling of losing ground to politickers, quitting
and demotivation - Moderated by individuals understanding of who
makes decisions and why they were selected - When perceived as a threat, people respond with
defensive behaviors
16Defensive Behaviors
17Impression Management (IM)
- The process by which individuals attempt to
control the impression others form of them - Techniques include
- Conformity
- Excuses
- Apologies
- Self-promotion
- Flattery
- Favors
- Association
18Impression Management
- Interview success when used in interviews it
works self-promotion and ingratiation work well - Performance Evaluations ingratiation works well
but self-promotion does not
19The Ethics of Behaving Politically
- Questions to consider
- What is the utility of engaging in the behavior?
- How does the utility of engaging in the political
behavior balance out any harm it will do to
others? - Does the political activity conform to standards
of equity and justice?
20Implications for Managers
- Accept the political nature of organizations
- Increase power by
- Acquire the bases of power that are most useful
(expert, referent) - Use the power tactics that are most effective
(consultation, inspirational appeal) - Avoid tactics that tend to backfire (coercion)
21Summary
- Contrasted leadership and power
- Described the five bases of power
- Explained which bases of power are most effective
- Listed and defined nine influence tactics
- Distinguished between use and effectiveness of
influence tactics
22Summary
- Listed the individual and organizational factors
that stimulate political behavior - Explained how defensive behaviors can protect an
individuals self-interest - Identified seven techniques for managing the
impression one makes on others - Listed the three questions that can help
determine if a political action is ethical