mgt. 667 – leadership week 8 rex mitchell spring 2006

Mgt. 667 – LeadershipMgt. 667 – LeadershipWeek 8Week 8

Rex MitchellRex MitchellSpring 2006Spring 2006

22ndnd Reflection Papers Reflection Papers

Good work!Good work!

Almost all:Almost all:

– Showed new learningShowed new learning

– Demonstrated insightsDemonstrated insights

– Had good emergent questionsHad good emergent questions

– Made this useful for youMade this useful for you

Many identified Many identified specificspecific actions actions

PowerPower: potential ability to influence : potential ability to influence behavior, events …get people to do things behavior, events …get people to do things they would not do otherwisethey would not do otherwise

Influence, politicsInfluence, politics: processes & actions : processes & actions through which potential power is usedthrough which potential power is used

LeadershipLeadership: art of mobilizing others to : art of mobilizing others to want to struggle for shared aspirationswant to struggle for shared aspirations

Engaging with ReadingsEngaging with ReadingsWhat are my reactions to this: thoughts, feelings?

What do I agree with, like, want to remember and use? Why?

What do I disagree with, wish were different, would change, would expand on...? Why?

What connections & expansions can I make from my experience?

Strategies & Tactics for Using Strategies & Tactics for Using Power EffectivelyPower Effectively

Using Power EffectivelyUsing Power Effectively

FramingFraming

Information and analysisInformation and analysis

Interpersonal influenceInterpersonal influence

TimingTiming

StructureStructure

Symbolic actionsSymbolic actions

Strategies for Using Power EffectivelyStrategies for Using Power Effectively

FramingFraming



TimingTiming

StructureStructure


FramingFraming

In addition to our earlier points, consider In addition to our earlier points, consider Pfeffer ch. 10Pfeffer ch. 10

Anchoring effectsAnchoring effects

– Gordon Liddy example (ch. 10, p.189)Gordon Liddy example (ch. 10, p.189)

– SalesSales

– Charity fund-raisingCharity fund-raising

Counteracting commitmentCounteracting commitment

– Twelve Angry MenTwelve Angry Men film film


FramingFraming



TimingTiming

StructureStructure


Information & AnalysisInformation & Analysis

Pfeffer ch.13, p.Pfeffer ch.13, p.247) There is little doubt that information, and the certainty that it can provide, is a source of power... and can be used as part of a very important political strategy–getting one's way through analysis.

Information & Analysis As aInformation & Analysis As a Political Tactic Political Tactic

Need for appearance of rationality: Using information and analysis to justify decisions, even after the fact

Limits of facts and analysis: In complex decisions, it is very unlikely that analysis will clearly resolve the issue of what to do

Selective use of information (framing again): Leaving room for the advocacy of criteria and information that favor one's own position

Why there is often no learning or evaluation: The discovery of decision quality is both difficult and often avoided

Information & AnalysisInformation & Analysis

(262) Many decisions have remote or highly indirect connections to the outcomes that are measured

(265) The connection between results and what happens to people is quite tenuous

(265) We should probably not hesitate to use information and analysis to exercise power in organizations, since the strategy is an effective one and the likelihood of our being called to account for our actions is not very great


FramingFraming



TimingTiming

StructureStructure


Interpersonal Influence As a Interpersonal Influence As a Political TacticPolitical Tactic

Three topics in Pfeffer ch. 11:

– Social proof (we are influenced by what our colleagues are saying and doing)

– Use of ingratiation

– The role of emotions

What else?

Interpersonal Influence: Social ProofInterpersonal Influence: Social Proof

Momentum is very important in affecting a decision or accomplishing something. Once a social consensus begins to develop in one direction, it is difficult to change

It may be more appropriate to think of decisions as unfolding rather than being made

It is invaluable to have allies or supporters to provide social consensus re a particular position

Interpersonal Influence: IngratiationInterpersonal Influence: Ingratiation

We prefer to say yes to the requests of people we know and like

(216) Flattery or ingratiation is a very effective technique of interpersonal influence– Sincere and accurate– Instrumental

(218) One of the more subtle but effective forms of flattery is being responsive and attentive to others

(220) ...importance of working through friends or mutual acquaintances to influence third parties

Interpersonal Influence: EmotionsInterpersonal Influence: Emotions

Using expressed or displayed emotion can be an effective technique of interpersonal influence

However, it is not something everyone can do

There is... some skill involved in the strategic display of emotions.


FramingFraming



TimingTiming

StructureStructure


TimingTiming

Timing Is (Almost) Everything

(ch. 12, p.227) Actions that are well-timed may succeed, while the same actions, undertaken at a less opportune moment, may have no chance of success

TimingTimingBeing early and moving firstDelayThe waiting gameDeadlinesOrder of consideration – Anchoring effects– Sequence of decisions & resulting

commitments– Interdependence of decisions

Propitious moments


FramingFraming



TimingTiming

StructureStructure


Using Structure As a TacticUsing Structure As a TacticSome managers use structure for tactical advantage

Although organizational design should be used to ensure efficient operation

(ch. 14, p.268) Divide and conquer

(271) Expansion of one's domain

(274) Use task forces and committees to institutionalize your power and diffuse responsibility for decisions, co-opt others


FramingFraming



TimingTiming

StructureStructure


Symbolic Actions As aSymbolic Actions As aPower TacticPower Tactic

Language, Ceremonies, and Settings

(ch. 15, p.279) Given the choice of influencing you through your heart or your head, I will pick the heart

Using political language, settings, and ceremonies effectively elicits powerful emotions in people, and these emotions interfere with or becloud rational analysis

Instrument 6, Use of Influence Instrument 6, Use of Influence TacticsTactics

Review your self-assessment, particularly Review your self-assessment, particularly noting relatively high or low usage itemsnoting relatively high or low usage items

Identify two or more tactics with which you Identify two or more tactics with which you would like to experiment – increasing or would like to experiment – increasing or decreasing usagedecreasing usage

Make some notes for yourselfMake some notes for yourself

Share with a neighborShare with a neighbor

Power DynamicsPower Dynamics

How Power is Lost & How How Power is Lost & How Organizational Dynamics ChangeOrganizational Dynamics Change

Even the Mighty FallEven the Mighty Fall

Pfeffer ch. 16Pfeffer ch. 16

In groups, each identify and summarize In groups, each identify and summarize

one point you particularly want to agree or one point you particularly want to agree or

disagree with, or expand ondisagree with, or expand on

Case 7, Opportunity LostCase 7, Opportunity Lost

Three questions at end of case:Three questions at end of case:

– Who had power in this organization? What Who had power in this organization? What type of power did Harry Walden have?type of power did Harry Walden have?

– Do you think Roger played company politics Do you think Roger played company politics well? If so, why didn’t he get the job?well? If so, why didn’t he get the job?

– What would you do now, if you were Roger? What would you do now, if you were Roger? What political strategies could he use?What political strategies could he use?

Report back & discussReport back & discuss

PoliticsPolitics

The Organization as Political Arena, The Organization as Political Arena, The Leader as PoliticianThe Leader as Politician

www.csun.edu/~hfmgt001/politics.docwww.csun.edu/~hfmgt001/politics.doc

Organizational PoliticsOrganizational PoliticsProcesses, actions, behaviors through which potential power is utilized and realized

Used to achieve power, either directly or indirectly

Informal approaches to gaining power through means other than merit or luck

Way to reconcile differences through consultation and negotiation

Neither good nor bad, intrinsically

Necessary for effective leadership

Factors Contributing to PoliticsFactors Contributing to Politics

Pyramid-shaped organization design

Subjective performance standards

Environmental uncertainty and turbulence

Emotional insecurity

Greed and manipulative tendencies

Lack of congruence in goals & strategies

Some Political S & TsSome Political S & Ts1. Develop power contacts & relationships

2. Make a good early showing

3. Keep informed

4. Control vital information

5. Control lines of communication

6. Provide favors (ingratiation)

7. Display loyalty

8. Develop reputation as expert

9. Rational persuasion

10. Manage your impressions

11. Bring in outside experts

12. Consult with & ask advice

13. Ask customers to tell your boss

14. Be courteous, pleasant, & positive

15. Thank-you notes

16. Flatter others sensibly

17. Develop allies & coalitions

Some Usually Unethical TacticsSome Usually Unethical Tactics

Back stabbing

Purge all but loyalists

Set others up for failure

Exert undue pressure

Divide and conquer (sometimes)

Play self-serving territorial games

Avoid Political BlundersAvoid Political Blunders

Embarrassing boss in public

Surprising boss

Bypassing boss

Declining offers from top management

I believe use of organizational politics is necessary for a leader to acquire and retain power and to accomplish major goals

This use should be:– Appropriate– Skillful– Ethical– And should contribute to a balanced set of

interests, not just that individual’s

Case 8: Comparison of Two Case 8: Comparison of Two LeadersLeaders

Each group discusses one of Q.1-3 plus Each group discusses one of Q.1-3 plus Q.4Q.4

Report back & discussReport back & discuss

Leaders don't create followers, they Leaders don't create followers, they create more leaders [Tom Peters]create more leaders [Tom Peters]

Leadership development is self-Leadership development is self-development [K&P]development [K&P]

Love and power need not be in Love and power need not be in competition, unless we organize our competition, unless we organize our thinking to make it sothinking to make it so

We must become the change weWe must become the change we

wish to see in the worldwish to see in the world [Mahatma Gandhi][Mahatma Gandhi]

Leadership is not an affair ofLeadership is not an affair of

the head.the head.Leadership is an affair of the heart.Leadership is an affair of the heart.

mgt. 667 – leadership week 8 rex mitchell spring 2006

Documents

information analysis

great slide

potential power

source of power

angry men film slide

processes actions

specific actions

strategies tactics