DB#7

Read Chapter 5 - Gaining Power and Influence

BOOK:

*Developing Management Skills

· Author: David A. Whetten and Kim S. Cameron

· Publisher: Pearson

· Edition: 9th edition

Gaining Power and Influence

A manager must establish a power base in order to obtain commitments to accomplish work objectives. Power without influence is not effective. Managers must learn to translate power into influence by selecting an appropriate influence strategy and implementing it in a way that minimizes resistance from others. Effective management within an organization includes both gaining power and exercising influence wisely.

Powerful managers can:

· Intercede favorably on behalf of someone in trouble.

· Secure a desirable placement for a talented subordinate.

· Gain approval for expenditures beyond the budget.

· Move items on and off the agenda at policy meetings.

· Get fast access to top decision makers.

· Maintain regular, frequent contact with top decision makers.

· Acquire early information about decisions and policy shifts.

Abuse of Power

In today's business environment of corporate corruption, reorganization, plant closings, layoffs or rifts, headlines in newspapers and business trade periodicals regularly convey abuse of power of corporate leaders such as Michael Kopper of Enron and Dennis Kozlowski of Tyco. The research of David McClelland identifies the "need for power" on two levels: to advance the goals of the organization called institutional power and to advance personal needs called personal power. Institutional power leaders tend to link efforts to organization objectives, whereas the personal power leaders use their subordinates' accomplishments to further enhance their own power base.

Characteristics that derail managers' careers can include:

· Insensitivity to others, abrasiveness and intimidation.

· Coldness, aloofness, and arrogance

· Betrayal of others' trust

· Excessive ambition; playing politics and always trying to move up

· Inability to delegate to others or to build a team

· Overdependence on others (e.g., a mentor)

Strategies for Gaining Organizational Power

A manager must establish a power base in order to get work accomplished and obtain commitments in order to meet important objectives. Two basic factors determine a person's power in an organization: personal attributes and position characteristics. Focus on the opportunities embedded in a position or job, not the level of authority attached to a position.

Translating power into influence should not only be directed downward through subordinates, but also upward toward superiors . Incompetent attempts to influence upward can quickly derail a manager's career. However, competent upward influence can markedly enhance a manager's career. By helping to set the agenda of senior managers (selling ideas) and by working for senior management's success (benefiting the boss), a manager's influence can increase significantly. When applying these two principles, managers should be motivated by an honest desire to benefit the company and strengthen their boss' position. Here's how to accomplish it:

· Select issues that are congruent with your position or role.

· Select an issue that is compatible with the culture.

· Select a solvable issue.

· Present the issue honestly and without being self-serving.

· Communicate the issue broadly.

· Clarify the payoff to be achieved.

· Identify the needed expertise.

· Point out senior managers' responsibility for the issue.

· Be succinct, use emotional imagery, and provide supporting data and novel information.

· Bundle the issue with other similar important issues.

· Find like-minded supporters.

· Use public forums.

Good managerial characteristics consist of high initiative, personal responsibility, and influence. They work within acknowledged constraints, but they figure out ways to do things right. They take full responsibility for their subordinates' performance, as well as for their commitment to their work and their membership in the organization.

Sources of personal power include:

Characteristics	Description	Basis of power
Expertise	Task-relevant knowledge or experience	Based on ability
Personal attraction	Desirable characteristics associated with friendship	Based on motivation
Effort	Higher-than-expected commitment of time	Based on ability
Legitimacy	Behavior consistent with key organizational values	Based on motivation

Enhance your personal power in the organization by:

· Developing your knowledge and skills to the point of becoming an acknowledged expert.

· Enhancing your attractiveness to others by fostering the attributes of friendship - genuineness, intimacy, acceptance, validation of self-worth, tolerance, and social exchange.

· Being extremely dependable and putting forth more effort than expected.

An effective manager will understand the boss' pressures and priorities, as well as assessing his own needs and strengths.

1. Managing the relationship with the boss might include:

· The boss' goals and objectives.

· The pressures on him or her.

· The boss' strengths, weaknesses, blind spots.

· His/her preferred work style.

2. Assess yourself, including:

· Your own strengths and weaknesses.

· Your personal style.

· Your predisposition toward dependence on authority figures.

3. Develop and maintain a relationship that:

· Fits the needs and styles of you both.

· Is characterized by mutual expectations.

· Keeps your boss informed.

· Is based on dependability and honesty.

· Selectively uses your boss' time and resources.

Sources of Position Power:

There are Four characteristics of a position account for its power potential in an organization:

Characteristic	Description
Centrality	Access to information in a communication network
Flexibility	Amount of discretion vested in a position
Visibility	Degree to which task performance is seen by influential people in the organization
Relevance	Alignment of assigned tasks and organization priorities

1. Increase the centrality of your position by:

· Expanding your network of communication contacts.

· Having information routed through you.

· Serving as the source of information for others.

2. Increase the latitude and flexibility of your job by:

· Reducing the percentage of routine activities.

· Expanding task variety and novelty.

· Initiating new ideas.

· Getting involved in new projects

· Participating in the early stages of decision-making processes.

· Seeking unusual and design-oriented jobs, rather than those that are repetitive and maintenance-oriented.

3. Increase the visibility of your job performance by:

· Expanding the number of contacts you have with senior people.

· Making oral presentations of written work.

· Participating in problem-solving task forces.

· Inviting senior managers to help you recognize important accomplishments within your work group.

· Sending personal notes of congratulations or cover notes accompanying reports or useful information.

4. Increase the relevance of your tasks to the organization by:

· Becoming an internal coordinator or external representative.

· Providing services and information to other units.

· Monitoring and evaluating activities within your own unit.

· Expanding the domain of your work activities.

· Becoming involved in activities central to the organization's top priorities.

Transforming Power Into Influence

Managers can translate power into influence by selecting an appropriate influence strategy and implementing it in such a way that resistance is minimized. Persuasion tends to build trust and encourage internalized commitment. Coercion and intimidation erodes trust, produces superficial compliance, and encourages servility. Some situations may require acting assertively, while other situations may empower employees to work more effectively. Influence strategies can work utilizing retribution, reciprocity or reason.

1. Use retribution strategies when:

· A substantial imbalance of power exists between the parties.

· The ongoing commitment of the other person is not critical.

· Quality and innovation are not important.

· Opposition is acceptable (when personnel replacement is possible, if necessary).

2. Use reciprocity strategies when:

· The parties are mutually dependent.

· Clearly specific rules govern interpersonal transactions.

· Long-term commitment to common goals and values is not important.

· Sufficient time is available to reach satisfactory agreements.

3. Use reason strategies when:

· Time constraints are few.

· Initiative and innovation are vital.

· Interpersonal trust is high.

· The relationship is long-term.

· Interpersonal conflict is not high.

· Personal goals are congruent and/or respected by both parties.

· It is important for the other person to understand why the request is being made.

The unbridled use of power tends to increase resistance among subordinates and erodes the manager's power base. It also transforms the nature of the manager's stewardship over subordinates. The more a manager dominates subordinates, the more dependent they become on management's initiatives. As a result, managers tend to overvalue their contribution to their workers' job-performance activities. This inflated sense of self-importance encourages abuse of power that weakens the manager's influence and leads others to demand the manager's resignation. The techniques to neutralize the three influence strategies discussed above are listed below.  Note that these strategies are not simultaneous, but sequential.  Number 1 is "plan A";  if that doesn't yield results desired, try Number 2 as "plan B".  As a last resort, Number 3 should be utilized, however one should realize that in each list, Plan C often may get desired results but it may also result in losing your job!!...because it is very assertive and threatening to the one you are attempting to resist!

1. To neutralize retribution influence strategies of others:

· Use countervailing power to shift dependence to interdependence.

· Confront the exploitative individual directly.

· Actively resist.

2. To neutralize reciprocity influence strategies of others:

· Examine the context of any gift- or favor-giving activity.

· Confront individuals using escalating or compromising tactics.

· Refuse to bargain with individuals using high-pressure tactics.

3. To neutralize reason influence strategies of others:

· Explain the negative consequences of compliance.

· Defend your rights.

· Firmly refuse to comply with the request.

Persuasion tends to build trust and encourage commitment, while coercion and intimidation erodes trust. Both traits produce only superficial compliance and encourage servility. In general, use reason strategies more often than reciprocity strategies, and reciprocity strategies more than threats of retribution. Use open, direct approaches in preference to indirect, manipulative approaches.