motivational analysis of organizations

A second study by Keys and Case (1990) identified clusters of influence behaviors
that managers use with their bosses, their peers, and their subordinates. Keys and Case
found that when it comes to successfully persuading others to follow his or her
advice/suggestions/orders, a manager’s effectiveness is determined by that person’s
ability to match his or her influence behavior to the target individual’s organizational
level.
1. Effectiveness in influencing a boss depends on the subordinate manager’s ability
to accomplish things though his or her subordinates. When this ability is
combined with more assertive influence techniques (telling, arguing, talking,
rational explanations, presenting complete plans, persistence, repetition),
influence attempts are successful more than 50 percent of the time (Keys &
Case, 1990).
2. Effectiveness in influencing a manager’s peers depends on that person’s ability
to do so without formal authority in meetings and negotiations. Influential
managers must demonstrate an ability to develop and show support of their peers
(Keys & Case, 1990).
3. Effectiveness in influencing a manager’s subordinates depends on that person’s
ability to demonstrate upward influence with his or her superiors. Managers who
use formal authority alone greatly limit their options. They must learn to use
methods of influence other than formal authority (Keys & Case, 1990).
In a study of general managers carried out over a five-year period, Kotter (1982)
examined what his subjects “really” did, as distinguished from what management
trainers tell new managers they should concentrate on. After collecting a list of
apparently random behaviors within his subject group, Kotter discerned that only three
common tasks actually consumed most of the managers’ time. These three tasks mesh
very well with the seven influence behaviors of successful managers identified in Keys’
research:
1. Agenda development: Preparing loosely connected, largely unwritten, short-,
medium-, and long-range goals and plans. This process facilitates the
accomplishment of multiple goals through an incremental process.
2. Network building: Seeking out cooperative relationships with people who will
help implement the managers’ agendas. This is based on favors, lobbying, norm
setting, environment shaping, etc. Larger networks enhance a manager’s chance
for achieving successful outcomes.
3. Execution: Moving the agenda forward by influencing network members to pay
attention to multiple important items contained within that agenda. This process
allows managers to save time by getting their networks to accomplish the
managers’ agendas.
The Pfeiffer Library Volume 19, 2nd Edition. Copyright © 1998 Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer ❚❘ 197