Understand how power is played out in organizational structures Evaluate what might be bases for authority in organizations Grasp some of the central ethical issues involved in managing power and authority relations 05-Clegg.qxd 6/7/2004 3:19 PM Page 151 You can do this through your choice of clothing, the avatars or photos you use to represent yourself online, the descriptions of yourself on a résumé or in an online profile, and so forth. That kind of impression management may help to achieve group cohesiveness and meet professional expectations. There are times to support each other and times to challenge—the end goal is to create better decisions and results for the organization and to hold each other accountable. Organisational Behaviour & Analysis - Power and Authority. What Is the Role of Ethics in Organizational Behavior? http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/an-introduction-to-organizational-behavior-v1.1/, CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Technology companies are often characterized by expert, rather than legitimate power. Academy of Management Journal, 35, 638–652. Referent power is often called charisma—the ability to attract others, win their admiration, and hold them spellbound. occurs when the target not only agrees to the request but also actively supports it as well. Legitimate power is power that comes from one’s organizational role or position. Within organizations, commitment helps to get things done, because others can help to keep initiatives alive long after compliant changes have been made or resistance has been overcome. Understand how power is played out in organizational structures Evaluate what might be bases for authority in organizations Grasp some of the central ethical issues involved in managing power and authority relations 05-Clegg.qxd 6/7/2004 3:19 PM Page 151 Wikibuy Review: A Free Tool That Saves You Time and Money, 15 Creative Ways to Save Money That Actually Work. One of the keys to these recommendations is to engage in them in a genuine manner. Power, on the other hand, encompasses both the authority and leadership ability, but the nature of authority is more personal than organizational. For example, imagine a manager who has the power to reward or punish employees. Power is a personal trait derived from knowledge and expertise, while authority is a formal title or position given by an organization or another personal. For example, you would probably use different influence tactics with your boss than you would with a peer or with employees working under you. Many of these firms utilize a flat or matrix structure in which clear lines of legitimate power become blurred as everyone communicates with everyone else regardless of position. Legitimate power is power that comes from one’s organizational role or position. Power is the potential or actual ability of a person to affect the behaviour of others. A great place to start is to recognize the items on the list above and think about ways to enhance them for yourself. Influence tactics are the way that individuals attempt to influence one another in organizations. Explain your answer. Why or why not? Ironically, Gore has more influence now as a private citizen regarding these issues than he was able to exert as a congressman, senator, and vice president of the United States. Compliance occurs when the target does not necessarily want to obey, but they do. Start-up organizations often have founders who use their legitimate power to influence individuals to work long hours week after week in order to help the company survive. Research also shows that the better the quality of the relationship between the subordinate and their supervisor, the more positively resistance to influence attempts are seen. It does so in two ways: by creating hierarchical levels, i.e., structural power, and; By dividing work among members resulting in specialization, i.e., functional power. Without leadership (power) in medical, political, technological, financial, spiritual and organisational activities, humankind would not have the standard of living as it does today. Having power and using power are two different things. How to Make Friends and Influence People was written by Dale Carnegie in 1936 and has sold millions of copies worldwide. This type of power is vested in the individual and is not derived from any other source. This type of power has nothing to do with the personality of the leader who may lack any exceptional leadership qualities. Authority is legitimate and formal, while power … If you scored 0–6: You do not engage in much effective influencing behavior. Coercive power often works through fear, and it forces people to do something that ordinarily they would not choose to do. But if you try to win social approval at work by being too different from your true self—contradicting your personal values—you might feel psychological distress. Researchers identified six sources of power, which include legitimate, reward, coercive, expert, information, and referent. Dr. ANANDA KUMAR Professor Department of Mgt. Carnegie specifically deals with enhancing referent power. President Lyndon Baines Johnson once told a White House staffer, “Just you remember this. Those who feel uncomfortable with power send those signals out unconsciously. Power relationships cannot be shown in organization charts. Do You Have the Characteristics of Powerful Influencers? By helping higher-ups be more effective, employees can gain more power for themselves and their unit as well. Now that you’ve learned a great deal about power and influence within organizations, consider asking yourself how comfortable you are with the three statements below: Discomfort with power reduces your power. Impression management behaviors include conforming, making excuses, apologizing, promoting your skills, doing favors, and making associations with desirable others known.