Chapter 8 Using Power and Influence (OB)

What is the best way to build reward power?

Actually reward people

_____ is a social influence weapon

Scarcity

Lucy receives a call from a cell phone marketer. The marketer starts with, "Don't you want to switch to Smart Networks? Your friends Tracy and Cindy did. They both said you would be interested in our options." Which social influence weapon was the marketer attempting to use on Lucy?

Social proof

When subordinates approach their managers, the best communication strategy starts with:

knowing and expressing the strategic importance of the issue.

According to research, three kinds of symbols are most dangerous in creating artificial authority: They are:

titles, clothing, and automobiles.

Michael, a college registrar, has scheduled a meeting with Patricia, his supervisor, to talk about low-course enrollments for the next semester. Which of the following is the best opener for that meeting?

"I know we need to maintain an enrollment minimum of 12 students per section, and I have a preliminary schedule to address the enrollment shortage for next semester."

Describe any four of the nine most common influence tactics.

A variety of different tactics are used to influence others. Some of the most common influence tactics include: • Rational persuasion: Using logical arguments and facts to persuade someone your request will result in beneficial outcomes. • Pressure: Using demands or threats to get what you want. • Personal appeal: Appealing to someone's loyalty or friendship with you to get him/her to do something. • Exchange: Offering an exchange of favors to get what you want. • Ingratiation: Using praise or flattery to put someone in a good mood prior to making a request. • Coalition: Seeking the help of other people to get someone to do what you want, or using the support of other people to get someone to agree with you. • Legitimizing: Establishing the legitimacy of a request by appealing to authority or pointing out its consistency with existing values or norms. • Consultation: Seeking someone's participation that he/she will ultimately need to buy into. • Inspirational appeal: Arousing an individual's enthusiasm by appealing to values, ideals, and aspirations.

James, Daniel, and Frank own an electronics shop, one-third each. James likes merchandise with snob appeal. Daniel wants to stock old, traditional items. Frank orders anything that is new. Which of the following weapons of social influence are the three trying to use?

Appeals to authority

Jacob, while hiring a college placement counselor for his son, asked himself, "Is this authority truly an expert?" How did this question provide a defense against the social influence weapon of appeals to authority?

D. It drew Jacob's attention to the reality of the authority status.

Which of the following statements is a myth of power and influence?

E. Rationality is the best form of influence.

Whenever George meets someone new at an investor's meeting, he immediately introduces (or tries to introduce) that person to three others. Which of Levy's name principles does George use?

Employ

Over-promising and over-delivering is a good strategy for creating positive relationships.

FALSE

Personal appeal and exchange are the most frequently used influence tactics.

FALSE

Strong ties grow exponentially when your immediate network grows.

FALSE

The "foot-in-the-door" technique is an example of the social influence principle of social proof.

FALSE

The most common ways for people to build their expert power is through disciplinary actions.

FALSE

When making introductions in the business world, defer to office seniority and social standing, not gender.

FALSE

Compliance is the most common outcome of this influence tactic.

Legitimizing

Should managers try to build their coercive power base?

No. That activity can significantly decrease referent power.

Which of the following statements is true of building a good social network?

Proactively seek reasons to contact the people in your network.

As a newly promoted manager, you have been asked to introduce new hires to their co-workers in your group. How will you do this in a professional manner?

Some people have a knack for bringing others together, and there clearly is an art to good introductions. However, introductions really are not hard to make if you follow three simple guidelines. • Aim to help facilitate easy and comfortable conversation between the people by weaving in information regarding their backgrounds or accomplishments. • Try to state each name at least a couple of times to give each the best chance of picking up on the name. • In the business world, defer to office seniority and age (not gender or social standing). This means that you introduce the younger person to the older person, and not the other way around.

Building good relationships at work includes regularly talking a little about your personal life

TRUE

Commitment is the most likely consequence of the use of an inspirational appeal.

TRUE

Compliance is characterized by doing only what is required by a request-and nothing more.

TRUE

Good business etiquette almost always includes a good, firm handshake with people who enter your office.

TRUE

In introductions, when positive information is given first, people are more likely to ignore later information.

TRUE

Managers damage relationships with their employees when they take credit for the work of others.

TRUE

To effectively manage your boss, try to communicate in his/her preferred style.

TRUE

To more effectively manage your boss, come prepared with a recommendation whenever you present a problem.

TRUE

When introducing others, try to state each name several times to give each person the best chance of picking up on the name.

TRUE

What is the key principle behind the social influence weapon of commitment and consistency? Explain with one example how this weapon can be used in an unethical way.

The key principle behind the social influence weapon of commitment and consistency is that once we make a choice, we are more likely to remain consistent with that choice. One classic example of how commitment and consistency can be used as influence weapons is what is known as the "foot-in-the-door" technique. Here a small request is made and granted, and is then followed by a larger request. This technique has been used by salespeople to get your commitment to buy first because they know once you've made the commitment to buy, you are far more likely to continue to buy. This is why nasty and unethical sales techniques like lowballing (i.e., you agree to an offer and the salesperson then adds unattractive details) and the "bait and switch" (i.e., you've shown up at the store ready to buy the advertised sale item only to learn it no longer exists, but the upgraded model is in stock) are so effective.

Discuss the three possible outcomes of influence tactics. What are the most likely outcomes of the nine influence tactics?

The relative effectiveness of tactics can be defined as the reaction of the influence target in one of three ways: resistance, compliance, or commitment. • Resistance. The influence target is opposed to carrying out requests and will resist accomplishing what is being requested. Rational persuasion, pressure, ingratiation, and coalition are most likely to lead to resistance. • Compliance. The target is willing to do what the influencer asks, but is not enthusiastic about it. Compliance is characterized by doing only that which is required by a request—and nothing more. Exchange and legitimizing are most likely to lead to compliance. • Commitment. The target agrees with a request or decision from the agent and strives to carry out the request or implement the decision with energy and engagement. The target complies with the request and will often go beyond and do more than is requested. Personal appeal, consultation, and inspirational appeal are most likely to lead to commitment.

Discuss how people are able to influence without any real legitimate or formal authority.

The study of social influence provides a solid, research-backed series of tools to help people influence others in the absence of formal authority. To better understand how people are able to influence without authority, the work of Robert Cialdini is considered to be "state of the art." Cialdini has summarized more than 50 years of research to better understand the basic principles of influence which include: • Friendship/liking • Commitment and consistency • Scarcity • Reciprocity • Social proof • Appeals to authority

Much of your first business impression will be based on:

clothing and handshake.

Jessica trains people in a consumer awareness workshop titled, "Lowballing, foot-in-the-door, and bait-and-switch." She prepares her students to guard against the social influence weapon of:

commitment and consistency