BUS272 TB

276 Part 3 Interacting Effectively
1 Define power.
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Power and Political Behaviour
A D e f i n i t i o n o f P o w e r
Power refers to a capacity that A has to influence the behaviour of B, so that B acts in
accordance with A’s wishes. 3 This definition implies that there is a potential for power if
someone is dependent on another. But one can have power and not impose it.
Probably the most important aspect of power is that it’s a function of dependence .
The greater B’s dependence on A, the greater A’s power in the relationship. Dependence,
in turn, is based on the alternatives that B perceives and the importance that B places
on the alternative(s) that A controls. A person can have power over you only if he or
she controls something you desire. If you are attending college or university on funds
totally provided by your parents, you probably recognize the power that your parents
hold over you. You are dependent on them for financial support. But once you are out
of school, have a job, and are making a good income, your parents’ power is reduced
significantly. Who among us, though, has not known or heard of the rich relative who
is able to control a large number of family members merely through the implicit or
explicit threat of “writing them out of the will”?
Within larger organizations, the information technology (IT) group often has considerable
power, because everyone, right up to the CEO, is dependent on this group to keep
computers and networks running. Since few people have the technical expertise to do
so, IT personnel end up being viewed as irreplaceable. This gives them a lot of power
within the organization.
Power makes people uncomfortable. 4 People who have power deny it, people who
want it try not to look like they are seeking it, and those who are good at getting it are
secretive about how they do so. 5 Commenting on a recent study, one researcher noted,
“A person’s sense of power is an extremely pervasive feeling in everyday life.” 6
Part of the discomfort about power may have to do with how people perceive those
in power. A 2011 study found that people who behave rudely—putting their feet up on
a chair, ordering a meal brusquely—were believed by those watching this behaviour
to be more likely to “get to make decisions” and able to “get people to listen to what
[they] say” than people who behave politely. The researchers concluded that “norm
violators are perceived as having the capacity to act as they please.” 7 As a result, they
seem more powerful. Another study found that people who have power judged others
much more negatively for speeding, dodging taxes, and keeping a stolen bike than if
they engaged in this behaviour themselves. The study also found that those who had
legitimate power were even more likely to indulge in moral hypocrisy than those who
did not feel personally entitled to their power. 8
Power should not be considered a bad thing, however. “Power, if used appropriately,
should actually be a positive influence in your organization,” says professor Patricia
Bradshaw of the Schulich School of Business at York University. “Having more power
doesn’t necessarily turn you into a Machiavellian monster. It can help your team
and your organization achieve its goals and increase its potential.” 9 Focus on Research
provides insight into the dynamics of power, choice, and personal control.
FOCUS ON RESEARCH
Power: It’s All About Control
power A capacity that A has to
influence the behaviour of B, so that B
acts in accordance with A’s wishes.
dependence B’s relationship to A
when A possesses something that B
requires.
Why is choice less important when you have a sense of
personal power? A 2011 study examining how people think
about power suggests that the desire for power is directly
related to control. 10 In one of the experiments that was part
of the study, subjects were asked to think about their feelings
about being in the role of a boss or an employee after reading a description of the role.
Subjects in the employee role read about being in a powerless situation, while those in
the boss role read about being in a powerful situation. Afterward, subjects were asked to