Reflection - Power/Politics/Ethics

POWER, POLITICS, AND ETHICS What is power? Individual power

• Legitimate, reward, coercive, referent, and expert power How do people gain power? Empowerment Influence: Leveraging power

• Influence tactics Who wants power? Subunit power structures

• Strategic contingencies • Conditions of controlling contingencies

Organizational politics (use/abuse of power) Facets of political skill The “dark triad”

• Machievellianism, psychopathy, narcissism Ethics in organizations Causes of unethical behavior Whistle blowing Employing ethical guidelines What do you need to know?

• What are different forms of power, how is it gained, and how is it used? • What are the different facets of organizational politics and political skill? • Why is consideration of ethics in organizations important, and what are some of

the key causes of, and solutions to, ethical lapses?

Why do you need to know it? • All social interactions involve some power dynamic, and understanding the

influence of power on behavior is important. • Organizations of all kinds involve politics and politicking. Understanding these

dynamics will be useful for navigating issues around influence. • Ethical and unethical behaviors have clear causes and solutions.