Power and Politics

SESSION 9-11 – ORGANIZATIONAL PROCESSES

Announcements
• First assignment deadline
• 20th September 2022

• Second assignment – Group assignment

• Make groups of 4-6 individuals
• Analyze movies/series/web-series for concepts from three topics – Leadership, Power and Politics, and
Conflict and Negotiation.
• Deadline 16th October 2022
Power
“People who have power deny it, people who want it try not to look like they are seeking it, and
those who are good at getting it are secretive about how they do so”
Power – the capacity that A has to influence the behaviour of B so that B acts in accordance with
A’s wishes.
◦ It is a function of dependence
◦ Dependence: B’s relationship to A when A possesses something B requires
◦ The greater B’s dependence on A, the greater A’s power e.g. subordinate – boss; buyer – seller; etc.

• How is Power different than Leadership?

• Leader influences to achieve group goals, power does not require goal alignment.
• Research on leadership is concerned about downward influence; power research considers all -
downward, upward, and lateral.
• Support versus compliance.
Bases of power
Formal power
◦ Coercive power – power base that depends on fear of the negative results
from failing to comply
◦ If you don’t report on time, you might lose that day’s salary; if you make errors in your work, you
might be suspended (engineers, chef, doctors, etc.)
◦ Reward power – compliance achieved based on the ability to distribute
rewards that others view as valuable.
◦ Come on time for the three months and get 1.5 days extra leave; complete this project and promotion
is confirmed.
◦ Legitimate power – power a person receive as a result of his or her position in
the formal hierarchy of an organization.
◦ Broader than coercive or reward power; controls and uses organizational resources
◦ Derives power from acceptance of the authority of hierarchical position
Bases of power
Personal Power
◦ Expert power – influence based on special skills or knowledge.
◦ Surgeons, chartered accountants, design engineers

◦ Referent power – influence based on identification with a person who has desirable resources or
personal traits.
◦ Celebrities endorsing products

Which power base is most effective - Formal or Personal?

◦ Personal power

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyytdYzy3eA
Dependence
What creates dependence?
◦ Importance
◦ Degree of importance

◦ Scarcity: supply and demand relationship e.g. crude oil and onion prices
◦ Nonsubstitutability
◦ Easily substitutable or non-substitutable?
Power Tactics
Ways in which individuals translate power bases into specific actions
Power Tactics
Using Power Tactics
◦ Most effective – rational persuasion, inspirational appeals, and consultation
◦ Know the audience
◦ Use softer tactics (rational persuasion, consultation, etc.) relying on personal power and then move to
harder tactics (pressure, coalition, exchange, etc.) relying on formal power.
◦ Use two or more compatible tactics for better results

Cultural Preferences for Power Tactics

◦ Individualistic countries like USA see power use legitimate for individual growth whereas collectivistic
countries like China see power usage legitimate for social use i.e. helping others.
◦ USA manager will see rational approach suitable; Chinese managers will see coalitions legitimate.
◦ Reason is consistent with open communication where individuals like to confront each other
◦ Coalition tactics aligns with Chinese preference for meeting difficult requests.
Power Tactics
Applying Power Tactics
• Political skill – the ability to influence others so that one’s objectives are attained.

Think!!!
• Have you heard others (parents, siblings, relatives, etc.) saying that people play politics?
• Can politics be avoided at any place?
• Why there is no politics (dirty politics) with our parents (very close relatives)?

Benefits of high political skill

◦ High self-efficacy, high job satisfaction, and better career success.
◦ Less likely to be the victim of workplace aggression.
Politics: Power in Action
Why do people exert power?
◦ Organizational Politics: activities that are not required as part of a person’s formal role in the
organization but that influence or attempt to influence, the distribution of advantages or
disadvantages within the organization.
◦ Manifestations
◦ Withholding information
◦ Joining a coalition
◦ Whistle-blowing
◦ Spreading rumours
◦ Leaking confidential information
Politics: Power in Action
Why people play politics in organization?
Big Bang Theory - S12E7 – The Grant Allocation Derivation
◦ Limited resources
◦ Competition for resources
◦ Facts are open to interpretation
People may not have complete information so they will do whatever
they can to support their interests and goals. This is called
politicking.
◦ When can we have politics free organization?
◦ Unlimited resources
◦ Clear and objective measures for performance
Factors Contributing to Political
Behaviour
Individual factors
◦ Self monitoring
◦ Locus of control
◦ Question
◦ Organizational investment & perceived job alternatives
◦ Question
◦ Expectations of success
Factors Contributing to Political
Behaviour
Organizational Factors
◦ Reallocation of resources
◦ Promotion opportunities
◦ Trust
◦ Role ambiguity
◦ Unclear performance evaluation system
◦ Zero-sum reward practices
◦ High performance pressures
◦ Self-serving senior managers
Factors Contributing to Political
Behaviour
How people respond to organizational
politics?
•Stress
•Decreased job satisfaction
•Reduced performance
•Higher turnover
What can be done when organizational situation is such that there is high political behaviour?
◦ Explain the reason behind decisions
◦ Better understanding – opportunity
◦ Absence of understanding – perceived as threat – defensive behaviour

Defensive behaviours – reactive and protective behaviours to avoid action, blame, or change.
Defensive Behaviours (Exhibit 13-5)
Avoiding Action
◦ Overconforming. Strictly interpreting your responsibility by saying things like “The rules clearly
state...”or “This is the way we’ve always done it.”
◦ Buck passing. Transferring responsibility for the execution of a task or decision to someone else.
◦ Playing dumb. Avoiding an unwanted task by falsely pleading ignorance or inability.
◦ Stretching. Prolonging a task so that one person appears to be occupied—for example, turning a two-
week task into a 4-month job.
◦ Stalling. Appearing to be more or less supportive publicly while doing little or nothing privately.
Avoiding Blame
◦ Bluffing. Rigorously documenting activity to project an image of competence and thoroughness, known
as “covering your rear.”
◦ Playing safe. Evading situations that may reflect unfavorably. It includes taking on only projects with a
high probability of success, having risky decisions approved by superiors, qualifying expressions of
judgment, and taking neutral positions in conflicts.
◦ Justifying. Developing explanations that lessen one’s responsibility for a negative outcome and/or
apologizing to demonstrate remorse, or both.
Defensive Behaviours (Exhibit 13-5
Continued)
Avoiding Blame
◦ Scapegoating. Placing the blame for a negative outcome on external factors
that are not entirely blameworthy.
◦ Misrepresenting. Manipulation of information by distortion, embellishment,
deception, selective presentation, or obfuscation.
Avoiding Change
◦ Prevention. Trying to prevent a threatening change from occurring.
◦ Self-protection. Acting in ways to protect one’s self-interest during change by
guarding information or other resources.
Impression Management
The process by which individuals attempt to control the impressions
that others form of them.
◦ Conformity – agreeing
◦ Favours – doing a favour
◦ Excuses – failing to do something and then justifying that completion would not have made difference
◦ Apologies – apologizing when failing to do a task
◦ Self-promotion – talking about achievements and downplaying deficits
◦ Enhancement – your work is more valuable than others in the team/organization
◦ Flattery – complimenting others to make yourself likeable
◦ Exemplification – doing more than needed to show dedication and hardwork
Impression Management
◦ High self-monitors are good at IM
◦ Interviews and IM
◦ Structured interview reduces effect of IM
◦ Performance evaluation and IM
◦ Ingratiation is positively related to performance ratings
◦ Self promotion may work in interviews but may backfire in performance
evaluation
◦ Why?
◦ The ethics of behaving politically
◦ Outright lies
◦ Try to bring a sense of justice
Thank You!