Examine how politics and power influence an organization and its culture.
In business, power, and politics greatly influence an organization's culture and may hinder organizational productivity. As you continue to explore ways to increase productivity in your department, you observed how power and politics influence the corporate culture and the need to address the overall challenges within the organization. Based on your research, you will develop a proposal for your manager on how politics and power can influence the organization's culture positively.
Instructions
Write a 5–7 page double-spaced paper that addresses the following:
Influence of Politics and Power:
Describe the importance of understanding the dynamic of power and politics within the organization.
Explain how politics and power may influence the organization's culture.
Sources of Power:
Discuss at least one source of power that could be applied to influence the department and improve organizational performance.
You will select and research one source of power to formulate your individualized approach to this question.
Do not submit the definition of all the sources of power.
Explain how management could use this influence to benefit the department and improve organizational performance.
Leadership Behavior and Culture:
Propose recommendations that support how the study of power and politics could influence leadership behavior and improve the organization's culture.
Leadership Influence:
Discuss the importance and complexity of leadership behavior and how it influences organizational structure and performance.
Sample Answer
In an organization, politics and power are inescapable forces that significantly shape its culture and can either propel or hinder productivity. Acknowledging and navigating these dynamics is crucial for effective leadership. While often viewed negatively, power and politics can be harnessed to positively influence an organization's culture by fostering collaboration, driving innovation, and improving performance.
The Influence of Politics and Power
Understanding the dynamic of power and politics within an organization is essential for any manager or leader. Politics, in a corporate context, is the use of power to influence decision-making and achieve personal or organizational goals. Power is the capacity to influence others' behavior. These two elements are intertwined; politics is the action of using power. Ignoring them can lead to being blindsided by rivalries, unaddressed conflicts, and resistance to change.
Politics and power can influence an organization's culture in several ways:
Decision-Making: The distribution of power determines who gets to make decisions and whose opinions are valued. A highly centralized power structure can lead to a culture where information flows one-way, stifling creativity and a sense of ownership among employees. Conversely, a decentralized power structure can foster a more collaborative and innovative culture.
Communication: Power dictates who communicates with whom and what information is shared. In a political environment, communication can become guarded and strategic, leading to silos and a lack of transparency.
Resource Allocation: Politics often influences how resources—like budget, personnel, and project assignments—are allocated. A culture where resources are distributed based on political alliances rather than merit can lead to resentment and low morale.
Behavior and Norms: The behavior of those in power sets the tone for the entire organization. If leaders engage in backstabbing or credit-stealing, it signals that this behavior is acceptable, creating a toxic culture.
Sources of Power
While many sources of power exist, expert power is a potent source that can be applied to influence a department and improve organizational performance. Expert power is derived from an individual's skills, knowledge, and experience. It is based on the perception that the person has a unique understanding or ability that others lack. This form of power is earned, not given, and is often highly respected.
To use expert power to improve our department's performance, management can:
Identify and Empower Experts: Managers should identify individuals within the team who possess unique skills or deep knowledge in specific areas. These individuals should be given the autonomy and platform to share their expertise. For example, a senior software developer with deep knowledge of a legacy system could be empowered to mentor junior developers and lead key projects related to that system.
Foster a Knowledge-Sharing Culture: Create a culture where expertise is valued and celebrated. This can be done through workshops, "lunch-and-learns," and cross-departmental collaboration projects. By encouraging experts to share their knowledge, management not only improves the skills of the entire team but also elevates the status of these individuals, reinforcing their expert power.
Align Expertise with Goals: Ensure that the expert's influence is directed toward achieving organizational goals. By giving an expert authority over a critical project, management leverages their knowledge to increase efficiency, innovate solutions, and ultimately boost departmental productivity. This aligns individual power with collective success.
Leadership Behavior and Culture
The study of power and politics offers valuable insights that can significantly influence leadership behavior and improve organizational culture.
From Positional to Relational Power: Leaders can learn to shift their reliance from positional power (derived from their title or rank) to relational power (based on trust, relationships, and influence). By understanding that true influence comes from building a strong network and fostering genuine relationships, leaders can create a more collaborative and supportive culture.