Chapter 8: Power and influence tactics

guideline for using coercive power

1. explain rule and requirements, and insure people understand consequence of violations 2. respond to infraction promptly and consistently without favoritism 3. investigate the fact before using reprimand or punishment 4. provide sufficient oral and written warning before resorting to punshinment 5. administer warning in private 6. avoid rash threats 7. stay calm and avoid hostility 8. express a sincer desire to help the person comply 9. invite the person to suggest way to correct the problem 10. use punishmen that are legitimate fair and appropriate

guidelines for using expert power

1. explain the reason for a request or proposal and why it is important 2. provide evidence that a proposal will be sucessful 3. don't make rash careless statements 4. don't lie, exxagerate the facts 5. listen seriously to the person's concerns and suggestions 6. act confident and decisive in crisis

General type of influence tactics

1. impression management: get target to like or have favorable evaluation of agent ex. ingratiation, self promotion

guidelines for using legitimate power

1. make polite, clear request 2. explain the reason for a request 3. dont exceed your scope of authority 4. verify authority if neccesary 5. follow proper chnnale 6. follow up to verify compliance 7. insist on compliance if appropriate

guideline for using reward power

1. offer the type of reward that people desire 2. offer reward that are fair and ethical 3. don't promise more than you can deliver 4. explain the criteria for rewards and keep it simple 5. provide promised rewards if requirement are met 6. use reward symbolically not manipulative

Position vs Personal power

1. position related power: legitimate, reward, coercive, information, ecological power 2. personal power: referent and expert

guideline for using referent

1. show acceptance and positive regard 2. be supportive and helpful 3. use sincere form of ingratiation 4. keep promises and commitments 5. make self-sacrifices to benefit other 6. lead by example 7. explain the personal importance of a request.

Legitimate Power

1. source: formal authority 2. depend on 1. consent of target 2. target loyalty, compliance with org. 3. perceived legitmacy of agent 4. scope of formal authority 5. consistent with values, principles, traditions

political

influence organizational decision or gain benefits for individual/groups ex. manipulation, abuse of power

Authority

rights, prerogatives, obligations, and duties associated with particular positions

Institutionalization of Power

Having power makes it easier to use political tactics for influencing important decisions in the organization. A powerful subunit can get its members appointed to key leadership positions where they will promote the subunit's objectives. It may be possible to influence them indirectly by determining the procedures and criteria that will be used in making the decisions.

Reward Power

Souces: target perception that agent controls desired resources/rewards depend on 1. target perception that agent can will fulfill promise 2. authority relationship: raises, bonuses 3. constraints: formal policies and agreement upward reward power- subordinates generate rewards for leaders

Expert power

Source: task-relevant knowledge and skills depend on: 1. targets dependency on agent for advice 2. importance of issue to target 3. target perception that agent has reliable expertise 4. build over time, by experience

Strategic Contingencies Theory:

Subunits gain or lose power to influence decisions, depending on expertise in coping with important problems, centrality of the subunit within the workflow, and the extent to which the subunit's expertise is unique rather than substitutable

Internalization

Target person becomes committed to support and implement proposals espoused by the agent because they appear to be intrinsically desirable and correct in relation to the target's values, beliefs, and self-image. Commitment occurs regardless of whether any tangible benefit is expected and target's loyalty is to the ideas themselves.

Personal Identification

Target person imitates the agent's behavior or adopts the same attitudes to please the agent and to be like the agent Motivation probably includes the target person's needs for acceptance and esteem - to gain approval from manager

Personal Appeals:

The agent asks the target to carry out a request or support a proposal out of friendship, or asks for a personal favor before saying what it is.

Consultation:

The agent encourages the target to suggest improvements in a proposal or to help plan an activity or change for which the target person's support and assistance are desired.

Apprising:

The agent explains how carrying out a request or supporting a proposal will benefit the target personally or help advance the target person's career.

Inspirational Appeals:

The agent makes an appeal to values and ideals or seeks to arouse the target person's emotions to gain commitment for a request or proposal.

Exchange:

The agent offers an incentive, suggests an exchange of favors, or indicates willingness to reciprocate at a later time if the target will do what the agent requests.

Collaboration:

The agent offers to provide relevant resources and assistance if the target will carry out a request or approve a proposed change.

Coalition Tactics:

The agent seeks the aid of others to persuade the target to do something, or uses the support of others as a reason for the target to agree.

Legitimating Tactics:

The agent seeks to establish the legitimacy of a request or to verify authority to make it by referring to rules, policies, contracts, or precedent.

Pressure:

The agent uses demands, threats, frequent checking, or persistent reminders to influence the target to carry out a request.

Rational Persuasion:

The agent uses logical arguments and factual evidence to show a proposal or request is feasible and relevant for attaining important task objectives.

Ingratiation:

The agent uses praise and flattery before or during an influence attempt, or expresses confidence in the target's ability to carry out a difficult request.

Social exchange theory

power depends on the person's loyalty, demonstrated competence, and contribution to shared goals. Success resulting from innovation leads to greater credit, but failure leads to greater blame. The more engaged the employee are to their work, the greater amounts of cognitive, emotional, and physical resources they will devote to perform their job duties When the organization fails to provide economic or emotional resources, the employees are more likely to withdraw and disengage themselves from their roles

information power

source: agent controls over information access and distribution depends on: boundary role position- access to external info 2. must cultivate info network( to keep current) 3. unethical: distortion, cover up Upward information power- subordinates have info needed by leader ex. leader depend on subordinate for data analysis

Coercive power

source: agents authority over punishment depend on 1. military, political 2. constraint: legal and cultural prohibition and restriction upward coercive power- subordinate damage leaders reputation, remove leader ex. demonstration, revolution, recall votes

Ecological power

source: control over physical environment, technology, organization of work depends on : 1. target perception of opportunities and constraints 2. ability to change work quality

Referent power

source: target desires to please agent due to affection, admiration, loyalty. depend on 1. personal identification- seeking approval/acceptance target imitates agent 2. request must be appropriate to level of loyalty if too frequent to extreme target feel exploited which reduce the power

instrumental compliance

target person carries out a request action for the purpose of obtaining a tangible reward or avoiding punishment controlled by the agent. Level of effort is likely to be the minimum amount necessary to gain the rewards or avoid the punishment