Power and Social Influence Chapter 8 8-1

Definitions of Power and Social Influence Attempts to affect or change other people Power Capacity or ability to change the beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors of others Compliance vs. Acceptance Normative influence Informational influence 8-2

Definitions of Power and Social Influence Conformity Asch’s conformity study (1955) Group pressure can lead to bad judgments No direct pressure Informational influence Group size and unanimity Cohesive groups 8-3

Definitions of Power and Social Influence Obedience Milgram (1974) Obedience influenced by: Legitimacy of authority figure Proximity of authority figure Proximity to victim Presence of someone who disobeyed Obedience occurs without punishment or reward 8-4

Types of Power Bases of Power Personal or soft power Expert Referent Informational More effective than positional power Positional or harsh power Legitimate Reward Coercive 8-5

Types of Power Influence Tactics Use depends on: Vary by: Target Objective Vary by: Directness Cooperativeness Rationality 8-6

Status and the Corrupting Effect of Power Power Dynamics Status and the Corrupting Effect of Power 8-7

Power Dynamics Unequal Power in a Team Cause: Effects: Status Differences Effects: Mistrust Uneven communication Poorer decision-making Less satisfied and motivated members Conflicts Resolve using group norms 8-8

Power Dynamics Minority influence Impact of Interdependence Consistency Self confidence Belief in autonomy Relationship to group Impact of Interdependence Task interdependence Effective if have autonomy 8-9

Empowerment Dependent on organization’s willingness to share information and power with employees Benefits Employees: Motivation Sense of responsibility Confidence Company: More effective teams Greater organizational commitment Increased employee acceptance of change 8-10

Empowerment Degrees of Empowerment Programs Depends on: External leaders Responsibility given to team Human resources practices Social structure of the team Approaches to promote empowerment Sharing information is minimum requirement Breadth of empowerment activities Job content, job context 8-11

Empowerment Successful Empowerment Programs Limited by managerial beliefs about power Solution: Involve supervisors in design of empowerment programs Evaluate and define supervisors’ responsibilities Additional training as team leaders Related to organization’s structure and culture Decentralization Formalization at higher levels 8-12

Application: Acting Assertively Power Styles 8-13

Application: Acting Assertively Use of Power Styles Best approach varies on situation Differences in power style often attributed to: Personality Gender Race 8-14

Application: Acting Assertively Encouraging Assertiveness Active Listening Positive Recognition Clear Expectations Saying “no” Assertive Withdrawal 8-15

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