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Organizational Political Savvy
It is a fact of organizational life: politics influence
virtually everything that happens in an organization. Leaders,
especially change leaders, must develop political savvy. I am
not advocating unethical behavior, but I am recommending that
leaders consciously fine tune their political awareness.
In organizations, individuals and groups are continually vying
for scarce resources. Each one is attempting to maintain or
enhance its self interests. Many leaders and consultants
underestimate these powerful forces.
Any attempt to implement organizational change will invariably
threaten one of these individuals or groups. Organizational
change is frequently accompanied by conflicting interests,
unethical behavior, and emotional turmoil. Change leaders must
learn to navigate these dangerous waters.
Power and Change
The word "power" has positive and negative connotations. In this
chapter, we will concentrate on the positive, ethical uses of
power. Burke (1982) believes "for change to occur in an
organization, power must be exercised" (p.127).
Let's take a brief look at Richard Emerson's Power-Dependency
Theory. Emerson's (1962) theory depicts a social relationship
between two parties in which scarce resources (commodities and
rewards) are controlled by one party and desired by another.
Thus, power is inherent in any social relationship in which one
person depends on another.
"Commodities" in power-dependency theory can include social
commodities, such as respect, praise, influence, and
information. French and Bell (1999) state, "We enter into and
continue in exchange relationships when what we receive from
others is equivalent to or in excess of what we must give to
others" (p.284).
Bases of Power
Managers and consultants should be able to recognize the bases
of power individuals, groups, and coalitions exert in
organizations.
French and Raven (1959) suggest five bases of power:
1. reward power - based on the ability to reward another
2. coercive power - based on the ability to
punish another
3. legitimate power - based on the holder's position
4. referent power - based on charisma (i.e. popularity)
5. expert power - based on knowledge or expertise
Mintzberg (1983) also speaks of five bases of power:
1. control of a critical resource
2. control of a critical technical skill
3. control of a critical body of knowledge
4. legal prerogatives (e.g., exclusive rights)
5. access to any of the other four bases
Additionally, Mintzberg believed the influencer must have both
the "will and skill" to use his or her base(s) of power.
Salancik and Pfeffer (1977) also contribute some valuable
insights into our understanding of power in organizational
settings. They view power as a positive and necessary force for
change and progress in organizations. They believe power bases
can be created by the placement of allies in key positions.
Using Political/Power Skills
For change efforts to succeed, managers/change agents must
develop and use power skills. The first skill required is the
ability to analyze the current political situation. Failure in
this assessment phase invariably leads to frustrated change
efforts.
French and Bell (1999) believe, "one gains a quick understanding
of the overall political climate of an organization by studying
its methods of resource allocation, conflict resolution, and
choosing among alternative means and goals" (p.286).
Greiner and Schein (1988) believe change agents must be able to
assess their own power and to identify key stakeholders. Only
after assessing their own power base(s) can they determine how
to use it/them to influence others. This assessment will also
reveal areas where enhancement of power is necessary. Some of
these weak areas can be strengthened by developing allies in the
organization.
About the author:
Dr. Mike Beitler is the author of "Strategic Organizational
Change." Read 2 free chapters of the book online at
http://www.strategic-organizational-change.com/
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