Definition of Power PDF

230 Part 3 Interacting Effectively What is power? Power refers to a capacity that A has to influence the behaviour of B, so that B acts in accordance with A's wishes.2 This definition implies that there is a potential for power if someone is dependent on another. But one can have power and not imp...

230 Part 3 Interacting Effectively What is power? Power refers to a capacity that A has to influence the behaviour of B, so that B acts in accordance with A's wishes.2 This definition implies that there is a potential for power if someone is dependent on another. But one can have power and not impose it. Probably the most important aspect of power is that it is a function of dependency. The more that B depends on A, the more power A has in the relationship. Dependence, in turn, is based on the alternatives that B perceives and the importance that B places on the alternative(s) that A controls. A person can have power over you only if he or she controls something you desire. If you are attending college or univer- sity on funds totally provided by your parents, you probably recognize the power that your parents hold over you. You are dependent on them for financial support. But once you are out of school, have a job, and are making a good income, your parents' power is reduced significantly. Who among us, though, has not known or heard of the rich relative who is able to control a large number of family members merely through the implicit or explicit threat of "writing them out of the will ? Within larger organizations, the information technology (IT) group often has considerable power, because everyone, right up to the CEO, is dependent on this group to keep computers and networks running. Since few people have the technical expertise to do so, IT personnel end up being viewed as irreplaceable. This gives them a lot of power within the organization. Power makes people uncomfortable.3 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. Commenting on a recent study, one researcher noted, "A person's sense of power is an extremely pervasive feeling in everyday life."5 Bl I: Part of the discomfort about power may have to do with how people perceive those in power. A 2011 study found that people who behave mdely—putting their feet up on a chair, ordering a meal brusquely—were believed by those watching this behaviour to be more likely to "get to make decisions" and able to "get people to listen to what [they] say than people who behave politely. The researchers concluded that "norm violators are perceived as having the capacity to act as they please."6 As a result, they seem more powerful. A 2010 study found that people who have power judged others much more negatively for speeding, dodging taxes, and keeping a stolen bike than if they engaged in this behaviour themselves. The researchers found that those who had legitimate power were even more likely to indulge in moral hypocrisy than those who did not feel personally entitled to their power. Power should not be considered a bad thing, however. "Power, if used appropri- ately, should actually be a positive influence in your organization," says Professor Patricia Bradshaw of the Schulich School ofBusiness at York University. "Havingmore power doesn't necessarily turn you into a Machiavellian monster. It can help your team and your organization achieve its goals and increase its potential/ The positive benefits of power (and politics) have also been explored by professor Tom Lawrence ofSFU Business (at Simon Fraser University) and his colleagues.9 A major theme of this chapter is that power and political behaviour are natural processes in any group or organization. By learning how power works in organizations, you will be better able to use your knowledge to become a more effective manager. How does one get power? { power A capacity that A has to influence the behaviour of B, so that B acts in accordance with A's wishes. dependency B's relationship to A when A possesses something that B needs. Where does power come from? What is it that gives an individual or a group ii over others? The answer to these questions was developed by social scientists French and Bertrand Raven, who first presented a five-category classification of sources or bases of power: coercive, reward, legitimate, expert, and referent. subsequently added information power to that schema (see Exhibit 7-1). Chapter 7 Power and Politics 231 •-[: Exhibit 7-1: Measuring Bases of Power Does a person have one or more of the six bases of power? These descriptions help identify the person's power base. Power Base Statement Coercive The person can make things difficult for people, and you want to avoid getting him or her angry. Reward The person is able to give special benefits or rewards to people, and you find it advantageous to trade favours with him or her. Legitimate The person has the right, considering his or her position and your job responsibilities, to expect you to comply with legitimate sa requests. Expert The person has the experience and knowledge to earn your respect, and you defer to his or her judgment In some matters. Referent You like the person and enjoy doing things for him or her. Information The person has data or knowledge that you need. Source; Adapted from G. Yukl and C. M. Falbe, "Importance of Different Power Sources in Downward and Lateral Relations," Journal of Applied Psychology, June 1991, p. 417. Coercive power is defined by French and Raven as dependent on fear of the negative results that might occur if one fails to comply. It rests on the application, or the threat of the application, of physical sanctions such as the infliction of pain, the generation of frustration through restriction of movement, or the controlling by force of basic physiological or safety needs. At the organizational level, A has coercive power over B if A can dismiss, suspend, or demote B, assuming that B values his or her job. Similarly, if A can assign B work activities that B finds unpleasant or treat B in a manner that B finds embarrassing, A possesses coercive power over B. The opposite of coercive power is reward power. People will go along with the wishes or directives of another if doing so produces positive benefits; therefore, one who can distribute rewards that others view as valuable will have power over those others. These rewards can be either financial—such as controlling pay rates, raises, and bonuses—or nonfinancial, including offering recognition, promotions, interesting work assignments, friendly colleagues, important information, and preferred work shifts or sales territories.12 As with coercive power, you don't have to be a manager to be able to exert influence through rewards. Rewards such as friendliness, acceptance, and praise are avail- able to everyone in an organization. To the degree that an individual seeks such rewards, your ability to give or withhold them gives you power over that individual. coercive power Power that is based on fear. reward power Power that achieves compliance based on the ability to distribute rewards that others view as valuable, In formal groups and organizations, probably the most frequent access to one or more of the bases of power is through a person's structural position. This is called legiti- legitimate power Power that a mate power. It represents the power a person receives as a result of his or her position person receives as a result of his or her position in the formal hierarchy of in the formal hierarchy of an organization. an organization, Part 3 Interacting Effectively Legitimate power is broader than the power to coerce and reward. Specifically, it includes acceptance by members of an organization of the authority of a position. We associate power so closely with the concept of hierarchy that just drawing longer lines in an organization chart leads people to infer that the leaders are especially powerful, and when a powerful executive is described, people tend to put the person at a higher position when drawing an organization chart. When school principals, bank presidents, or generals speak (assuming that their directives are viewed as within the authority of their positions), teachers, tellers, and privates listen and usually comply. You will note in Exhibit 7-2 that one of the men in the meeting identifies himself as the rule maker, which means that he has legitimate power. Expert power is influence based on expertise, special skills/ or knowledge. Expertise has become one of the most powerful sources of influence as the world has become more technologi- •a • In India, Naina Lal Kidwai is a powerful woman in the cally oriented. While it is generally acknowledged that physicians banking industry. She derives her power as managing have expertise and hence expert power—most of us follow the director and vice chairman of HSBC Securities and Capital Markets, a group within the Hongkong and Shanghai advice that our doctors give us—you should also recognize that Banking Corporation. Kidwai's formal power is based on computer specialists, tax accountants, economists, and other spe- her position at the bank. cialists can have power as a result of their expertise. Young peo- pie may find they have increased power in the workplace these 1' u^ji^-. "/ was just going to say 'Well, I don't make the rules' But, of course, I do make the rules." expert power Influence based on special skills or knowledge, Source; © Leo Cullum/ The New Yorker Collection/ www.cartoonbank.com Chapter 7 Power and Politics 233 days because of the technical knowledge and expertise that their Baby Boomer managers may not have. Referent power develops out of admiration of another and a desire to be like that person. Sometimes teachers and coaches have referent power because of our admira- tion of them. Referent power explains why celebrities are paid millions of dollars to endorse products in commercials. Mississauga, Ontario-based Alexis Life Sciences uses endorsements from Don Cherry of Hockey Night in Canada and popular athletes such as Alexandre Bilodeau, Clara Hughes, and Joannie Rochette to convince people to buy COLD-FX, its cold and flu product. Similarly, Nike Canada uses sports celebrities, such as Montreal Canadiens defenceman P. K. Subban, to promote its products. Information power comes from access to and control over information. People in an organization who have data or knowledge that others need can make those others dependent on them. Managers, for instance, because of their access to privileged sales, cost, salary, profit, and similar data, can use this information to control and shape subordinates' behaviour. Similarly, departments that possess information that is criti- cal to a company s performance in times of high uncertainty—for example, the legal department when a firm faces a major lawsuit or the human resource department dur- ing critical labour negotiations—will gain increased power in their organizations until those uncertainties are resolved. Withholding information can result in poor-quality performance by those who need the information. The Working with Others Exercise on pages 252-253 gives you the opportunity to explore the effectiveness of different bases of power in changing someone s behaviour. Generally, people will respond in one of three ways when faced with the people who use the bases of power described above: ® Commitment. The person is enthusiastic about the request and shows initiative and persistence in carrying it out. ® Compliance. The person goes along with the request grudgingly, puts in minimal effort, and takes little initiative in carrying out the request. • Resistance. The person is opposed to the request and tries to avoid it with such tactics as refusing, stalling, or arguing about it.15 A review of the research on the effectiveness of these forms of power finds that they differ in their impact on a person's performance. Exhibit 7-3 summarizes some of this research. Coercive power leads to resistance from individuals, decreased satisfaction, and increased mistmst. Reward power results in compliance if the rewards are consistent with what individuals want as rewards, something the Ethical Dilemma Exercise on page 254 shows clearly. Legitimate power also results in compliance, but it does not generally result in increased commitment. In other words, legitimate power does not inspire individuals to act beyond the basic level. Expert and referent powers are the most likely to lead to commitment from individuals. Research shows that deadline pressures increase group members' reliance on individuals with expert and information power. Ironically, the least effective bases of power for improving referent power Influence based on possession by an individual of desirable resources or personal traits. information power Power that commitment—coercive, reward, and legitimate—are the ones most often used by comes from access to and control managers, perhaps because they are the easiest to introduce. 8 over information,