Power and Influence in the Organization - Research Paper Example

Critical thinking paper on Power and Influence in the organization Introduction One would think that having a certain set of skills, education and background would enable the person to achieve all the career goals that he had set out for himself. However, often this does not happen. While any number of reasons can be attributed to this, such as unfortunate timing or bad luck, there is another important aspect that can lead to this hindrance. This aspect – which can be very much in the control of the person steering his career - is effectively utilizing power and influence. These make up a very important component of the organizational culture and work life and can shed light on any number of such unexplained misfortunes. Case in point is a person who has been working as a fiber optic network technician for the past 13 years in the organization and feels ready and qualified to take the next step into a management role. Having the requisite work experience, background, education and passion, it does not make sense why the person has not been promoted yet. An interview reveals: “My education has given me the tools & skills to work as an effective manager. Given the company’s organizational structure it is very difficult to move up without relocating, but not impossible. Relocating is not an option for me. The company typically will not allow someone to supervise current peers”. This case shows an instance in the organization where a qualified person is facing a ceiling towards their steady career progression, with no obvious means at their disposal to help the situation. This raises the question of whether it is possible to utilize power and influence within the organization to get the promotion without having to relocate. Statement of the problem Despite having appropriate work experience and education in the field to be able to take on a management role at the company, a person is overlooked for promotion based on the inability of the person to relocate. Without the option of relocating, there are very limited chances of getting a promotion. Is it possible to use power and influence to get a promotion in the company without relocating? Purpose of the study This study is being carried out to identify ways in which a person can develop power and influence and hone the necessary skills to achieve (individual or group) career goals. Research Questions How does a person develop power and influence? What roles do power and influence play in the organization? What’s the most effective way to use power and influence to further one’s career goals in general and to get a promotion in particular? Literature Review Having power and influence in an organization means having access to more information, having control and influence over peers and subordinates and having a say in the decision making process. This power wielding can be done formally or informally. Therefore, power is in a way a product of ability and willingness to control other persons, important information and ‘instrumentalities’ (Mechanic 1962). To attain power, one must not only have the knowledge and the deep rooted information of the company, but also be able to develop a network of contacts and friendships in a variety of departments (Dilenschneider, 2007). Influence is often associated with being better and quickly able to get things done (Brass 1985). This is because this influence transcends the strict boundaries set by the company for departments and allows control over interdepartmental people and resources. Therefore, an influential manager is faster able to achieve complex things compared to a non influential one. Also, being central to influential and coalition groups is linked to better promotions (Brass 1985) and growth in the organization. Research has shown that managers who have a higher propensity towards acquiring and practicing power were better managers compared to those who preferred to be ‘liked’ by the peers and subordinates (McClelland & Burnham, 2003). This does not imply that powerful managers are not liked by their teams but that they do not seek being liked as a priority. Being in a position of power and influence allows them to have more rigid controls over their teams, their performance and outcomes. Contrarily, managers who seek to be universally liked end up trying to please everyone and lose focus of the actual goal; eventually their results and performance suffers. Power is not merely dependent on some learned or taught skills such as oration, but an amalgamation of many personal attributes such as ‘commitment, effort, interest, willingness to use power, skills and attractiveness’ (Mechanic, 1962). There is also a strong link between knowledge and power (Jangla n.d.; Pfeffer 1994): as an employee gains knowledge, he is allowed to proceed higher into the ranks of an organization. Knowledge, per se, allows a person to have power because it is a very important negotiating factor in gaining promotions and swerving decisions in one’s favor. One study shows that interdependence of any level enhances the need and use of influence (Pfeffer p39), especially when there is an expectation that the interdependent parties will not agree. Thus, power and influence play an even more crucial role in circumstances which are not necessarily in favor of a person’s preference: this means that he is faced with uncontrollable or unreasonable opposition or generally people one is interdependent on are prone to have a different point of view than him (Pfeffer p.39). in such a scenario, power and influence play a pivotal role. Limitations This paper is primarily based on the research work of authors and experts in this field, apart from the class notes and interviews. Conclusions drawn are based on this research and thus the same limitations that apply to their research work are applicable to this one. In addition to that, this report is limited to the number of resources available and used on the set topic, time allowed and the researcher’s own experiences and understanding of concepts. Procedures Characteristics of qualitative research (1-2 sentences for this paper) This research is a mixture of primary and secondary research, using interviews and guest speaker sessions as sources of primary data and journals, internet and books as secondary data sources. It is based on the conclusions drawn by other researchers and then the summations I have made myself. Qualitative research strategy (1-2 sentences for this paper) The adopted strategy for this research paper has been to identify and analyze the available literature available on the set topic of power and influence. Based on this primary review, a questionnaire was developed for personal interviews and then a thorough research was done for secondary research. Role of the researcher I’ll write this part Data collection and analysis procedures As both primary and secondary data needed to be consulted, a plan was made initially for the research. Conducting three personal interviews was the primary strategy and for that, relevant persons were approached and interviews were arranged. The interviews were then transcribed, coded and themed. Along the way, I conducted secondary research on the internet and through library resources. The conclusions and results were double-checked for accuracy by juxtaposing the different research results together and critically analyzing them. Strategies for validating findings The transcribed interviews were themed and then the conclusions were confirmed and matched with secondary sources. Credible sources of information – including journals, books and articles – were consulted to draw a well researched interpretation of the topic and findings were also matched with textbook and coursework. Anticipated ethical issues This study has been extensively researched and referenced to exclude any chances of significant ethical issues. There is, however, some chance of human error. Significance of the study This study has endeavored to research the concept of conflict resolution, its significance and importance in life. Conflict resolution is used and practiced by people at all levels and in all scenarios, a fact which makes this study all the more relevant and useful to anybody looking for some insight into the subject, or basis for further research. Findings The research has revealed some very interesting findings. First and foremost, the workplace environment of today, with cutthroat competition from people of all nationalities and backgrounds, ever increasing customer demands and economic challenges requires that managers are ‘skilled at the acquisition and use of power’ (Porter, Agle & Allen). This is necessary not just for their own survival but the survival of the corporation as well because these challenges require powerful rather than amiable managers to tackle them. However, the good manager’s higher affinity for power does not translate him into being unfair or selfish, where he misuses the power for personal gains. Though this might not be true one hundred percent of the time, this need for power is normally fuelled by devotion to the organization itself rather than hopes of self-aggrandizement (McClelland & Burnham, 2003) and self promotion. People with power and influence display these traits in a variety of ways. The assertion of this is also important to communicate to everyone who the person in charge is. ‘Powertalkers’ refrain from mincing words, do not display doubt in one’s own abilities and always show respect to the person with whom they are interacting (Huczynski, 2004). Confidence and tough negotiation are also crucial. Also, in the power structures, the informal process about always trumps over the formal process (Bistritz, 2010). Therefore, one must not get entangled in the formal decision structures so much that he ends up ignoring the informal decision processes. Often, the decision making authority on paper is different from the real one. Persons seeking to make use of power and influence must know who to target.   Discussion The power structure in every organization is different. The one at AT&T has a hierarchal form of organization and flow. The hierarchy can be based on position or power, or on function and utility (Fritz p.117). In the former, the power structures are easily identified as these are formally vested in the position. As a Technician at AT&T, I fit the lower ranks of the structure with little formal power or influence. I imagine myself in the future to be a good, reputable District Manager. Because I have not been formally bestowed with any power and influence does not mean that I cannot strive for the same. With more effort on my own, I can gain access to sufficient power to assist me in my career progression. The key to attaining influence and power in an organization is establishing strong relationships with people. These do not have to be restricted to one particular department, especially not the one I am currently in. building a network requires one to expand horizons and getting acquainted with as many people as possible. And these relationships need not be overly friendly but ones tinged with mutual respect and trust. Once the network is laid out, power and influence requires one to display relevant skills and a solid disposition. Acquiring knowledge is also very important, which must be very thorough. Displaying and using these qualities is very important because if power is not used, it is useless. Whenever possible, effort must be made to earn the respect of others and this can only be done by respecting them first. Achieving influence, any person will be better able to identify opportunities for himself or herself in departments and teams other than one is accustomed to. For example, if the technician becomes aware that there is just no vacancy in his department for the position he seeks, perhaps his influence over other teams will allow him to identify a similar vacancy elsewhere. This comes through having a strong, reliable link of contacts. A final point is that power and influence can take a person a long way but the person must also realize where he is fighting a useless cause. For example, if there are no managerial positions available at a place and no current manager is about to vacate his or her spot, then it is futile in hoping that power and influence will compel management to create a new position just to appease one person. Expecting such a thing is tantamount to misusing power and that raises the question of the dark side of power and influence to achieve one’s personal gains. Summing up, power and influence are essential tools that will help a person achieve his organizational goals, provided they are realistic. References Mechanic, David (1962). “Sources of Power of Lower Participants in Complex Organizations”. Administrative Science Quarterly, 7(3), pp. 349-364. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/pss/2390947  Pfeffer, Jeffrey (1994). Managing with power: politics and influence in organizations. MA: Harvard Business Press Jangla, Bhushan Indravadan (n.d.) “MODERN ORGANISATIONS by AMITAI ETZIONI” [Book Review]. HRFolks International. Retrieved 29 March 2010 from http://hrfolks.com/knowledgebank/Future%20of%20Mgmt/Modern%20Organisations.pdf McClelland, David C & Burnham, David H. (2003). Power is the Great Motivator. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved 29 March 2010 from http://management.uta.edu/Shumate/Cases/Power%20is%20the%20Great%20Motivator.pdf Brass, Daniel J. (1985). “Mens and Womens Networks: A Study of Interaction Patterns and Influence in an Organization”. The Academy of Management Journal, 28(2), pp. 327-343. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/pss/256204 Dilenschneider, Robert L. (2007). Power and Influence: The Rules Have Changed. NY: McGraw-Hill Companies Porter, Lyman W., Angle, Harold L. & Allen, Robert W. (). Organizational influence processes Bistritz, Steve (2010). “Target the Right Executive for Your Next Sale” [Blog]. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2010/03/target_the_right_executive_for.html Huczynski, Andrzej (2004). Influencing within organizations. NY: Routledge Fritz, Robert (1996). Corporate tides: the inescapable laws of organizational structure. CA: Berrett Koehler Publishers Read More