Chapter 11: Power in Organizations PDF

**Chapter 11:** **Formal Power**: Based on one's position of the organization. - Ex: A manager at work. Because of their job title, they can make decisions. **Personal Power:** Based on the unique characteristics of the individual - Ex: Co-worker who is great at specific software might h...

**Chapter 11:** **Formal Power**: Based on one's position of the organization. - Ex: A manager at work. Because of their job title, they can make decisions. **Personal Power:** Based on the unique characteristics of the individual - Ex: Co-worker who is great at specific software might have an advantage because others will go to him for help. (comes with their abilities, not their job title.) - **Using Power:** - Ex: When a friend's excitement about a hobby inspires you to try it too. - Ex: When a manager tells team members to follow this direction because the manager has the right to do so since their a higher up level. - Ex: When a teacher asked students to submit their hw. The students do it without much thought, as they see it as a normal part of school orders. - **BASES OF POWER (FRENCH RAVEN, 1960):** - Ex: A project manager decides who get which tasks and assigns the necessary tools or budget to complete them. - Ex: A coach may bench a player or give them extra training as a punishment for not following team rules. - Ex: A principle at a school. Because of their position, they have the authority to set rules for students and teachers to follow. - **Intergroup Source of Power:** - Ex: A company controlling rare metals like lithium can influence the electric car industry, as those metals are essential for making batteries. **Strategic contingencies:** Activities that other groups depend on to complete their tasks - Ex: A firefighter leading effort to put out a dangerous fire holds influence because they are solving a critical problem. - Ability to cope with uncertainty - High degree of centrality - Non-substitutability Information power: Access to and control over important information. - Ex: A student who has all the answers to the test has influence because others want that information. Personal power (Selfish): Power used for personal gain. - Ex: A coworker who always takes credits for other's ideas to make themselves look good. Social power: Power used to create motivation or to accomplish group goals. - Ex: A well-connected person in a group who can rally others to support their ideas and get things done. - **Kanter's Symbols of Powerlessness:** 1. Overly close supervision. 2. Inflexible adherence to the rules. 3. Tendency to do the job themselves rather than training others to do it. - **Korda's Symbols of Power:** 1. Office furniture 2. Time power 3. Standing by 1. Ability to intercede for someone in trouble 2. Ability to get placements for favored employees 3. Exceeding budget limitations 4. Procuring above-average raises for employees 5. Getting items on the agenda at meetings 6. Access to early information 7. Having top managers seek out their opinion **Types of influence tactics:** - **Pressure**: The person uses demands, threats, or intimidation to convince you to comply with a request or to support a proposal. - Ex: "If you don't do this, you're fired. You have until 5:00 to change your mind, or I'm going without you." - **Exchange:** The person makes an explicit or implicit promise that you will receive rewards or tangible benefits if you comply with a request or support a proposal or reminds you of a prior favor to be reciprocated. - Ex: "You owe me a favor. I'll take you to lunch if you'll support me on this." - **Upward appeal:** The person seeks to persuade you that the request is approved by higher management or appeals to higher management for assistance in gaining your compliance with the request. - Ex: I'm reporting you to my boss. My boss supports this idea." - **Coalition:** The person seeks the aid of others to persuade you to do something or uses the support of others as an argument for you to agree also. - Ex: All the other supervisors agree with me. I'll ask you in front of the whole committee." - **Ingratiation:** The person seeks to get you in a good mood or to think favorably of him or her before asking you to do something. - Ex: Only you can do this job right. I can always count on you, so I have another request - **Rational persuasion:** The person uses logical arguments and factual evidence to persuade you that a proposal or request is viable and likely to result in the attainment of task objectives**.** - **Ex:** This new procedure will save us 150,000 dollars in overhead. It makes sense to hire John; he has the most experience." - **Inspirational appeals:** The person makes an emotional request or proposal that arouses enthusiasm by appealing to your values and ideals or by increasing your confidence that you can do it. - **Ex:** Being environmentally conscious is the right thing. Getting that account will be tough, but I know you can do it." **Consultation**: The person seeks your participation in making a decision or planning how to implement a proposed policy, strategy, or change. - **Ex:** This new attendance plan is controversial. How can we make it more acceptable? What do you think we can do to make our workers less fearful of the new robots on the production line. - **How to win friends and influence people:** 1. Avoid harmful criticism and engage in friendly and constructive feedback 2. Increase the likelihood of people liking you (smiling, names, listen) 3. Winning people to your way of thinking (Avoid an argument that gets out of hand, perspective take.) 4. Be a leader (Call out mistakes indirectly) - **How to increase influence:** - Build connections - Listen before you try to persuade - Mind your body language - Develop expertise - Give people what they want (when you can) - **Reciprocity:** (If someone helps you, it pays to return the favor) - **Liking/ Friendship:** (People like those who like them) - **Authority:** (Well-selected expert like (celebs) can provide valuable and efficient short-cut to good decision-making) - **Commitment/ Consistency:** (We want to appear consistent - This is a prime motivator of our behavior) - **Scarcity:** (The perception of limited availability increases an item's value and desire.) - **Social Validation**: (People follow the lead of similar others) A **charismatic person** is outgoing, energetic, and likeable who naturally draws others to them. **Political Skill:** - Getting things done outside of organizational by laws - Social astuteness - Interpersonal Influence - Networking ability - Sincerity