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Politics: Power in Action
Politics refers to the ways people gain and use power in organizations. Political Behavior Activities that are not required as part of one’s formal role in the organization, but that influence, or attempt to influence, the distribution of advantages or disadvantages within the organization. -Stephen P Robbins
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Key Elements of Politics:
Outside one’s specified job requirements. Requires some attempt to use one’s power bases. Efforts to influence the goals, criteria, or processes used for decision making. Concerned with distribution of advantages or disadvantages within the organization.
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Forms of Politics Legitimate Political Behavior: Normal everyday politics. Illegitimate Political Behavior: Extreme political behavior that violates the implied rules of the game. Power tactics are viewed as organisational politics when observers perceive that the tactics are self-serving behaviours to gain self-interests, advantages, and benefits at the expense of others and sometimes contrary to the interests of the entire organisation or work unit.
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Political Tactics Political Tactics: Attacking or blaming others.
Amity Business School Political Tactics Political Tactics: Attacking or blaming others. Using information as a political tool Creating a favorable image. Developing a base of support. Praising others (ingratiation). Forming power coalitions with strong allies. Associating with influential people. Creating obligations (reciprocity).
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Levels of Political Action in Organizations
Amity Business School Levels of Political Action in Organizations Distinguishing Characteristics Cooperative pursuit of general self-interests Network Level Coalition Level Cooperative pursuit of group interests in specific issues Individual Level Individual pursuit of general self-interests
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Amity Business School Researchers have identified certain personality characteristics, needs, and other individual factors that are related to political behavior. Those who are authoritarian, have a high risk-propensity, or possess an external locus of control act politically with less regard for the organizational consequences. A high need for power, autonomy, security, or status is also a major contributor to an employee’s tendency to engage in political behavior.
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Individual Factors Which Contribute to Political Behavior
Amity Business School Individual Factors Which Contribute to Political Behavior Level of self monitoring Need for power Internal locus of control Investment in the organization Perceived alternatives Expectations of success
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Organizational Factors Which Contribute to Political Behavior
Amity Business School Organizational Factors Which Contribute to Political Behavior Low trust Democratic decision making High performance pressures Scarcity of resources Role ambiguity Self-serving senior managers Unclear evaluation systems Zero-sum allocations
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THE TECHNIQUES OF POLITICAL BEHAVIOR MOORHEAD & GRIFFIN
Reasons Political Behavior Possible Consequences 9
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WHY??? Reasons Political Behavior Possible Consequences
Ambiguous goals (stakes are high) Scarce resources Technology and environment Non-programmed decisions (goals and processes are unclear) Organizational Change (uncertainty)
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HOW??? Controlling information Building coalition
Reasons Political Behavior Possible Consequences TECHNIQUES Controlling information Building coalition Controlling lines of communication Controlling decision parameters Developing others Using outside experts Deal making Controlling the agenda Incurring obligation Playing games Building image
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WHAT??? Reasons Political Behavior Possible Consequences
Personal gain disguised as pursuit of goals Pursuit of maximum share of resources Personal gains via uncertainty Pursuit of political ends during reorganization
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Types of Organizational Politics
Managing impressions Attacking and blaming Types of Organizational Politics Controlling information Creating obligations Cultivating networks Forming coalitions
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Impression Management
Amity Business School Conformity Association Excuses Impression Management Favors Apologies Flattery Acclaiming
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Impression management
The process be which individuals attempt to control the impressions others form of them is called impression management. Various IM techniques are as follows: Conformity: agreeing with another’s opinion to get their approval Excuses: Explanations of a predicament-creating event aimed at minimizing the apparent severity of the predicament Apologies: Admitting responsibility for an undesirable event and simultaneously seeking to get a pardon for the action
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Acclamations: Explanation of favourable events to maximize the desirable implications for oneself.
Flattery: Complimenting others on their virtues in an effort to make oneself appear perceptive and likeable Favours: Doing something nice for someone to gain that person’s approval Association: Enhancing or protecting one’s image by managing information about people and things with which one is associated.
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Conditions Supporting Organizational Politics
Personal Characteristics Scarce Resources Conditions Supporting Organizational Politics Tolerance of Politics Complex and Ambiguous Decisions
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Employee response to organizational politics
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Controlling Political Behaviour
Provide Sufficient Resources Remove Political Norms Introduce Clear Rules Hire Low-Politics Employees Free Flowing Information Increase Opportunities for Dialogue Manage Change Effectively Peer Pressure Against Politics Controlling Political Behaviour
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Tips for Managing Organizational Politics
Amity Business School Don’t close your eyes to politics. Reduce System Uncertainty and Ambiguity. Reduce Competition Challenge political behaviors. Recognize that others may interpret your behaviors as political, even if you really weren’t being political. Reduce your own and others’ vulnerability to political behaviors.
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DISTINCTION OF POWER FROM POLITICS
POWER is the potential for influence POLITICS is the exercise of that power (Denhardt) POWER is a property of the system at rest. POLITICS is the study of power in action (Pfeffer)
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Ethical Guidelines for Political Behavior
Amity Business School Ethical Guidelines for Political Behavior Unethical Ethical Question 1 Is the action motivated by self-serving interests which exclude the goals of the organization? Question 3 Is the political activity fair and equitable? Yes Yes No No Unethical Yes Question 2 Does the political action respect individual rights? No Unethical
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