reflection 111
tao
class23-politics.pptxResources, Movements, & Timing
Designing Effective Organizations
BUAD 422
Nathan A. Bragaw, PhD
1
Administrivia
11/19 – Renfield Farms Case
11/21 – Test 3
12/3 – Guest Speaker; final grades
2
Current Star
Future Star
PRoMPT Model of Org Change
Persuasion
Resources
Moves Toward Alignment
Politics
Timing
3
Politics
Diagnose key parties
What are the current or emergent coalitions?
Understand the stakes to each?
Anticipate and manage the inevitable politics of change.
down across up outside
Source material for today’s discussion:
Pfeffer, J. (1994) Managing with power: Politics and influence in organizations. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press.
Pfeffer, J. (2010) Power: Why some people have it–and others don’t. New York, NY: HarperCollins.
4
The Case for Political Awareness
Link between job performance and job outcomes are weak
“Just world hypothesis”
The believe that the world is a just place
“Self-handicapping”
In order to maintain self-esteem, people will preemptively surrender or do things to put obstacles in their own way
5
Politics
Organizational politics
a variety of activities associated with the use of influence tactics to improve organizational interests
Individual politics
a variety of activities associated with the use of influence tactics to improve one’s personal interests
Political skills
Increase personal power
Influence organizational outcomes
Manage stress and job demands
organizational interests
6
Sources of power
Formal authority
Demonstrate competence
Get results
Seek out opportunities
Control over resources
Make your resources available to others
Promote your resources
Help others gain access to resources not under your control
Ties to powerful others
Do favors
Seek out interdependence opportunities
Physical presence
7
Traits of Powerful People
Ambition
Energy
Focus
Self-knowledge
Confidence
Empathy
Tolerate conflict
Advocate for yourself
don’t be afraid to ask
willing to put in the work
attention to detail
ability to reflect and learn
believe in yourself
sensitivity to others
task vs. personal conflict
let others know
As with all things… don’t go overboard.
8
Reputation
Begins being formed quickly… first impressions matter
Try to be…
Reliable, predictable, gets things done
Influential and powerful
Avoid being…
Difficult, argumentative, temperamental
They signs of powerlessness
Tips on building a strong reputation
Be early
Dress better than expected
Remember names… take notes & review them
Be a little more formal than necessary
Offer solutions… hold opinions
9
Organizational considerations
Which subunits/teams hold power?
Which people hold power?
How will this change effort impact those in power?
For those powerful people, what is the source of their power?
Formal position?
Deliver news from someone higher in command
Resource control?
Frame the benefits; WIIFT
Ties to powerful others?
Get those others on board with the change
10
Key Takeaways from Class
For managers, success is often a function of politics and power… performance is not enough
Political power is gained more than bestowed… it is a skill to be acquired and developed
Organizational change requires an astute understanding of an organization’s power dynamics, to ignore it is to suffer it’s wrath
11
For Next Class
Read Renfield Farms Case
Reflection 5 due
12
