Strategies for Gaining Organizational Power

• Potential to Influence • “being able to get things done”

Need for Power?

• Organizations are becoming more flatter – Fewer Managers, more potential to influence • Decentralized flow of Information – More discretion to employees • “Boundaryless” organizations – Rapid shift in authority relationships • More people work in small industries – Highly visible work and again potential to influence

How to get Power?

• Personal attributes – Personal Power • Position Characteristics – Positional Power

Personal Power

• Expertise – Task relevant knowledge or experience • Bill Gates, Steve Jobs • Personal Attraction – Friendship, charisma, agreeable behavior, physical characteristics • John F Kennedy, Bill Clinton, Lady Diana • Effort – Higher than expected commitment of time • Gordon McGovern (CEO Campbell Soup), Herb Kelleher (SW) • Legitimacy – Behavior consistent with organizational values • Steve Ballmer (CEO Microsoft)

Personal Power

• Basically boils down to – Ability • Expertise, Effort (Reliable, Dependable) – Motivation • Attraction, Legitimacy (Likable, Acceptable)

Position Power

• Centrality – Expanding network of communication – Information routed through you – Serving as source of information to others • Alan Brewer (HP)

Position Power

• Flexibility – Reducing routine tasks – Expanding task variety and novelty – Initiating new ideas – Getting involved in new projects – Participating in early stages of decision making – Seeking unusual and design oriented jobs • Research Labs (Xerox PARC)

Position Power

• Visibility – Expanding contact with senior people – Making oral presentations of work – Inviting senior managers to help recognize important accomplishments within group – Sending personal congratulatory messages • Jean C. Jones (Intel) • Kathleen Kallmer (Beartrice Company) • Winston Churchill (UK)

Position Power

• Relevance or Criticality – Expanding domain of work – Becoming involved in activities central to organization’s top priorities • Udi Manber Head, Search@Google