Power & politics in the organization

Power is the capacity of a person, team, or organization to influence others

Politics is competition between competing interest groups or individuals for power and leadership.

EMPOWERMENT- PUTTING POWER WHERE ITS NEEDED

Generally top level management had the most power but when more and more power is trickling down to lower level positions in companies it is called empowerment Employees who are empowered have a strong sense of self worth. They are confident in their capabilities of being able to do required duties efficiently

CONTROLLING STRATEGIC CONTINGENCIES---HOW SUBUNITS OBTAIN POWER

Scarcity

Uncertainity
Centrality Substitutability

For example lets consider an IBM computer programmer and a software packager. Now the programmer is not very likely to be substituted for, but on the other hand if the union goes on strike and the packager goes than IBM can easily replace that person with some one else because of his/her nontechnical background.

Types of Organizational Politics

Managing impressions Attacking and blaming

Creating obligations

Types of Organizational Politics

Controlling information

Cultivating networks

Forming coalitions

ORGANIZATIONAL POLITICS -- USING AND ABUSING POWER

NETWORKING- THE SOFTER SIDE OF POLITICS:

It is necessary to have political influence to enable organizational members to achieve their goals Network is a system that links together people and departments within or among an organization

DEFENSIVENESS-REACTIVE POLITICS : Political behaviour is more reactive in that it concerns the defence or protection of self-interest. Some of defensive behaviours are : stalling, overconforming, buck passing, playing dumb, and depersonalizing.

Organizational Politics: More Likely at the Top

Extent to Which Political Activity is Likely (range 0-3) 1.3 1.2 1.1 1.0 .9 .8 .7

Political activity is perceived to increase at higher organizational levels

(1.22) (1.07)

(.73)

.6
.5 .4 .3

(.50)

(.54)

(.18)

.2
.1 Production and Clerical and Technical and Lower Middle Upper blue collar white collar professional management management management

Organizational Level

THE LEADERS ROLE IN MANAGING ORGANIZATIONAL POLITICS FROM 1.CONTROLLING EVENTS TO ORCHESTRATING ALIGNMENT

2.ENSURING CONFORMANCE
3.RESOURCE ALLOCATION

ENSURING ACTIVATION
RESOURCE MOBILIZATION

4.FOCUS ON PROBLEMS 5.CONTAINING ANXIETY

FOCUS ON LEARNINGS CHANNELING ANXIETY

The power to influence others comes with a price; the responsibility to act ethically. While the use of political power for selfish ends may seem beneficial to the individual in the short term, it is ultimately self-defeating, as it erodes trust, commitment, and loyalty. Ethical use of political power can motivate people to work together to accomplish goals that provide individual and collective benefits.

By Reshma Wadhwani