Homework answers / question archive / Appreciating Power – Positioning and Politics When I use the word “power”, what does it bring to mind for you? Do some words like ruthless, strong, ruler, corruption, control and manipulation come to mind? How about lead, persuade, give direction, and influence? It’s important for us to start this discussion about power by emphasizing the second group of words – words that demonstrate the use of positive power in personal and business relationships

Appreciating Power – Positioning and Politics When I use the word “power”, what does it bring to mind for you? Do some words like ruthless, strong, ruler, corruption, control and manipulation come to mind? How about lead, persuade, give direction, and influence? It’s important for us to start this discussion about power by emphasizing the second group of words – words that demonstrate the use of positive power in personal and business relationships

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Appreciating Power – Positioning and Politics When I use the word “power”, what does it bring to mind for you? Do some words like ruthless, strong, ruler, corruption, control and manipulation come to mind? How about lead, persuade, give direction, and influence? It’s important for us to start this discussion about power by emphasizing the second group of words – words that demonstrate the use of positive power in personal and business relationships. Developing power is necessary to accomplish goals and objectives, and the cultivation of power requires deliberate planning and practice. The reason we look at “power” is to help us develop an awareness of the positive side of power and to investigate ways in which we can develop our own power base. Our society generally views power in a negative light; the many positive applications are frequently overlooked. People often ignore the importance of power or deny the fact that they are exercising power. A more thorough understanding of power and its potential benefits allows us to use it to our advantage. 1. What Is Power? Power is the ability to influence others to do what we want or need them to do. It gives us the means to accomplish tasks and can help in reaching goals and objectives. A fine distinction exists between influence and power and should be made clear. Influence is the application of power through actions we take or examples we set that cause others to change their attitudes or behaviors. Very often, power is viewed as a negative term (synonymous with manipulation, domination, exploitation, coercion, etc.). However, power can be a healthy, desirable attribute when used in a positive way (for leadership, influence, authority, direction, etc.). These strong behaviors are necessary in both personal and professional settings. 2. What Are the Sources of Power? It is important to know and understand the types and sources of power and how to use them effectively. Individuals should also be aware of power being exerted and the possible results of those effects. The sources of power are generally described in the following terms. ? ? Reward power relies on the ability to give something of material or personal value to others. Coercive power is based on fear and punishment. ? Legitimate power is derived from the formal rank or position within an organizational hierarchy. ? Expert power develops when an individual possesses specialized skills, knowledge, or expertise. ? Referent power is based on respect and admiration for the individual. ? Derivative power is based on close association with a powerful person. ? Passive power is based on a display of helplessness. The first two types of power are probably the most familiar. Even as children we knew that our parents or teachers had the ability to change our behavior by either the promise of a reward or the threat of a punishment. When we go to work many of us experience the paradox of legitimate power – we don’t like or respect the person who holds the position, but they are “the boss” and that means we have to do what they tell us to do (within limits). An example of expert power in many companies is the computer expert. We hold those people in high regard because they can “fix” a problem that we can’t fix ourselves. The best example of referent power is basketball player Michael Jordan. We hold him in great respect – and buy lots of Nike shoes – because of the regard we have for him as a player. This type of power can be fleeting – once his skill has diminished his source of power will diminish also, however probably not to zero. Derivative power and passive power are not good long-term sources of power. With derivative power, if I am a friend of the boss, other workers may treat me with respect for fear that I might say something negative to the boss about them. There is a cost to this power, however, because others may resent the fact that I am “kissing up” in order to raise my own position in the company. And if my friend the boss leaves the company there may be a negative backlash towards me. Passive power is the weakest, and occurs when someone starts to cry or act helpless as a way of getting something – a raise, a day off, etc. Too much of this weakens a person’s overall image in a company, and can lead to punishment or dismissal. 3. Can You Combine Sources of Power? Power sources are most often linked. The more sources an individual has available, the more effective he or she may be in influencing others. The degree to which individuals can use power sources depends largely on the perception of those involved. They must believe the power source is genuine. Abusing your power weakens your credibility and diminishes your effectiveness. 4. What Is Your Power Personality? The need and desire for power varies greatly in individuals. Based on personal characteristics and personality traits, most individuals fall somewhere within the three basic power personalities: the power-shy, the power-positive, and the powercompulsive. How we choose to use our power personalities reflects our positive or negative motives in both our professional and personal lives. What is YOUR Power Personality? Take the test on page 325 and then use the Scoring Interpretation on page 326. If you are power shy, what might you change about your behavior in order to be a better user of positive power? If you are power compulsive what would you try? 5. How Do You Develop Power? Building power is an important means of achieving personal goals and is even more important for use in empowering others, building cooperation, gaining credibility, and developing leadership skills. Understanding power positioning, power politics, and power symbols will assist individuals in building and maintaining a strong power base from which to operate. ? Power Positioning – could be as simple as meeting as many coworkers as possible. I met an administrator at Seattle Central Community College who said that when she started working there she attended as many meetings as possible in order to “widen her power base”. People know her, and in many cases this gives her more power with a person than if they didn’t know who she was. ? Power Politics – in a similar way it is helpful for us to have a sense of who has power in an organization. Many people say they refuse to be “political” , but as writer Penelope Trunk says: There’s no getting around office politics, and mastering them is essential to being able to steer your own career. Don't take that as bad news, though, because mastering office politics is good for your soul. Really. * * BRAZEN CAREERIST: Office politics are not optional ? Power Symbols – a very old expression I used to hear is “clothes don’t make the man”, meaning that we shouldn’t take the measure of a person based on their clothes, car, house, etc. Unfortunately, in some situations people do make judgments about people based on what they wear or the car they drive. I am NOT saying to do this yourself – I am saying be aware that others may be judging you, and use this knowledge to help you gain power. Dressing for success is not a bad idea. 6. Why Is Empowerment of Others Important? As organizations continue to flatten, decision making is being pushed to lower levels in organizations. Empowerment allows others to make decisions and have influence in desired outcomes. Employees are often motivated if they feel they have been allowed to make significant contributions. Knowledge work, by its very nature, does not conform to authoritarian methods of leadership. Relinquishing power and giving it away will be a method of survival. Using the tool of empowerment is helpful in our day-to-day lives at work and at home. Case in Point General Electric Some years ago, in locations throughout GE, local managers were operating in an insulated environment with walls separating them, both horizontally and vertically, from other departments and their workforce. Employee questions, initiatives, and feedback were discouraged. In the new knowledge-driven economy, Jack Welch, CEO, General Electric, "viewed this as anathema. He believed in creating an open collaborative workplace where everyone's opinion was welcome." He wrote in a letter to shareholders: "If you want to get the benefit of everything employees have, you've got to free them - make everybody a participant. Everybody has to know everything, so they can make the right decisions by themselves." 7. What Pitfalls Should You Avoid? A number of behaviors can impede the development of power. Individuals who are so eager to be liked that they bend over backward to please others or who are unwilling to face a conflict will find the development of power difficult. Also, those individuals who come on too strong at inappropriate times can find their power decreased. Additionally, refusing to share power can be viewed negatively. KEY TERMS DEFINITIONS Power Ability to influence others to do what we want them to do even if we are not a formal leader. Influence Ability to change the attitude or behavior of an individual or group; the application of power through actions we take or examples we set that cause others to change their attitudes or behaviors. Reward power Power based on the ability to give something of material or personal value to others. Coercive power Power based on fear and punishment. Legitimate power Power derived from formal rank or position within an organizational hierarchy. Expert power Power based on having specialized skills, knowledge, or expertise. Referent power Power based on respect or admiration.