Transcript Power Types - Oklahoma State University–Stillwater

Power And Influence Tactics
Coercive Power
• The target person complies in order to avoid
punishments he or she believes are
controlled by the agent.
Coercive Power
• Commitment
– Very Unlikely
• Compliance
– Possible
• If used in a helpful, non-punitive way.
• Resistance
– Likely*
• If used in a hostile or manipulative way.
•
* Indicates most common outcome
Reward Power
• The target person complies in order to
obtain rewards he or she believes are
controlled by the agent.
Reward Power
• Commitment
– Possible
• If used in a subtle, very personal way.
• Compliance
– Likely*
• If used in a mechanical, impersonal way.
• Resistance
– Possible
• If used in a manipulative, arrogant way.
•
* Indicates most common outcome
Legitimate Power
• The target person complies because he or
she believes the agent has the right to make
the request and the target person has the
obligation to comply.
Legitimate Power
• Commitment
– Possible
• If request is polite and very appropriate.
• Compliance
– Likely*
• If request or order is seen as legitimate.
• Resistance
– Possible
• If arrogant demands are made or request does not appear
proper.
•
* Indicates most common outcome
Expert Power
• The target person complies because he or
she believes that the agent has special
knowledge about the best way to do
something.
Expert Power
• Commitment
– Likely*
• If request is persuasive and subordinates share leader’s task
goals.
• Compliance
– Possible
• If request is persuasive but subordinates are apathetic about
task goals.
• Resistance
– Possible
• If leader is arrogant and insulting, or subordinates oppose task
goals.
•
* Indicates most common outcome
Referent Power
• The target person complies because he or
she admires or identifies with the agent and
wants to gain the agent’s approval.
Referent Power
• Commitment
– Likely*
• If request is believed to be important to leader.
• Compliance
– Possible
• If request is perceived to be unimportant to leader.
• Resistance
– Possible
• If request is for something that will bring hardship to
leader.
•
* Indicates most common outcome
Influence Tactics
Rational Persuasion
• The agent uses logical arguments and
factual evidence to show a proposal or
request is feasible and relevant for attaining
important task objectives
• Do your homework and get your ducks in a
row.
Apprising
• The agent explains how carrying out a
request or supporting a proposal will benefit
the target personally or help advance their
professional life.
• Let me tell what’s in this for you.
Inspirational Appeals
• The agent makes an appeal to values and
ideals or seeks to arouse the target person’s
emotions to gain commitment for a request
or a proposal.
• I have a dream for you and for me
Consultation
• The agent encourages the target to suggest
improvements in a proposal, or to help plan
an activity or change for which the target
person’s support and assistance are desired.
• So how do you think we can make this even
better?
Exchange
• The agent offers an incentive, suggests an
exchange of favors, or indicates willingness
to reciprocate at a later time if the target
will do what the agent requests.
• The classic quid pro quo
Collaboration
• The agent offers to provide relevant
resources and assistance if the target will
carry out a request or approve a proposed
change.
• You know with my brains and your brawn
we can make this happen.
Personal Appeals
• The agent asks the target to carry out a
request or support a proposal out of
friendship, or asks for a personal favor
before saying what it is.
• Will you do me a favor?
Ingratiation
• The agent uses praise and flattery before or
during an influence attempt or expresses
confidence in the target’s ability to carry out
a difficult request.
• One catches more flies with honey than
with vinegar.
Legitimating Tactics
• The agent seeks to establish the legitimacy
of a request or to verify authority to make it
by referring to rules, formal policies, or
official documents.
• It is clearly written and it has always been
done this way.
Pressure
• The agent uses demands, threats, frequent
checking, or persistent reminders to
influence the target person.
• “Bugging” people works.
Coalition Tactics
• The agent seeks the aid of others to
persuade the target to do something or uses
the support of others as a reason for the
target to agree.
• The train is coming down the track hop on
or get run over.