Power and Politics

The issue of power and politics is important to managers in both the private and the public sector. We are all players in this field whether we are in total denial or ignorant of our external context. Pfeffer (2011) argues that ‘consciously seeking power is related to both managerial performance and career success’ pp. 101- 103. Hardy and Clegg defined power (1996, p.623) ‘as the ability to get others to do what you want them to do’. Power is closely related to politics which Pfeffer (1992) compares with control over resources and formal authority.

 The field of power and politics has in the past been subject to criticism from Pfeffer’s (2011) recent mistrust of modern day leadership literature and its disregard for broader social theory as well Mintzberg’s (1983) misplaced assumptions about the legitimacy of organisational politics.  

 Pfeffer (2011) argues that most leaders are great at self preservation; telling people what they want to hear; and in coming cross as noble and good. He notes that what most leadership books fail to mention frequently is the path of power and the role power played in enabling these individuals to get to the top. Furthermore the tendency for leaders to overemphasise (Pfeffer, 2011) their positive attributes need to be taken with a pinch of salt. An example is seen in Jack Welch’s winning which describes the management wisdom that Welch built during his reign at GE and how he transformed it successfully into a $4 billion operation. But the book also overlooks Welch’s self quest for power and prestige through a strategy ofmergers and acquisitions that was sometimes not in the interest of GE shareholders.

 Mintzberg’s dislike for organisational politics is seen in the way he describes it as ‘illegitimate, sanctioned neither by formal authority, accepted ideology, nor certified expertise'. pp. 172. Mintzberg however seems to confuse personal behaviour with organisational politics as later studies by Ferris et al (1996) articulated that self serving behaviour was a common theme in the definition of organisational politics. It will therefore be reasonable to argue for the separation of ‘self -serving behaviour’ and its attendant negative connotations from organisational politics which takes place around questions of priorities, policies and practices (Blackler, 2011).

 Other authors note the necessity of organisational politics. Morgan (1997) explains the importance of politics in providing ‘a means of allowing individuals to reconcile their differences through consultation and negotiation’, pp. 154.  Ammeter et al (2002) described political behaviour as activities designed to minimise the ambiguity that occurs in organisations and gives meanings to organisational life where uncertainty exists. In other words, politics enables one to navigate the complex corridors of organisational life which comes with a degree of messiness.

 Ultimately politics is power in action, Hardy (1996) cited in Hope (2010). Whilst it is tempting to jump on the politics bashing bandwagon, it is important to acknowledge the role of politics in influencing stakeholders and enabling managers to practice sensemaking (Gioia and Chittipeddi, 1991). Without a political process in organisational life, it is highly probable that individuals will be unable to resolve conflicts.

References

 Pfeffer, J. (2011) ‘Power: why some people have it – and others don’t’, Rotman Magazine, spring 2011, pp. 101-103.

 Pfeffer, J. (1992) Managing with Power: politics and influence in organizations, Cambridge, MA, Harvard Business School Press

 Hardy, C., & Clegg, S. (1996). Some dare call it power. In C. Hardy, S. Clegg, & W. Nord (Eds.), Handbook of organization studies (pp. 622–641). London, UK: Sage

 Mintzberg, H. (1983), Power in and around organizations. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

 Ferris, G.R., D.D., Galang, M.C, Zhou, J., Kacmar, K.M and Howard, J.L. (1996) ‘Perceptions of organisational Politics: Prediction, Stress-Related Implications and Outcomes’, Human Relations, Vol 49, Issue 2, pp. 233-266.

 Blacker, F. (2011) ‘Power, politics, and intervention theory: Lessons from organization studies’, Theory and Psychology, October 2011, Vol 21, Issue 5, pp. 724-734

 Morgan, G. (1997), Images of organisations, Sage. London.

 Ammeter, A.P., Douglas, C., Gardner, W.L., Hochwarter, W.A and Ferris, G.R (2002), ‘Towards a political theory of leadership’, The Leadership quarterly, Vol 13, pp. 751-796

 Hope, O. (2010), ‘The politics of middle management sensemaking and sensegiving’, Journal of Change Management, Vol. 10, No.2, pp. 195-215

 Gioia, D.A and Chittipeddi, K. (1991), ‘Sensemaking and Sensegiving in strategic change initiation, Strategic Management Journal, Vol 12, Issue 6, pp. 433-448.