Power and Influence in the Workplace – Chapter 10
power
The Meaning of Power the capacity of a person, team, or
organization to influence others
Three features
1. power is not the act of changing someone’s attitude or behavior; it is only the potential to do so
2. power is based on the target’s perception
3. power involves asymmetric dependence of one party on the other
DEPENDENCE MODEL OF POWER
countervailing power
the capacity of a person to keep
a more powerful person in the
Person A exchange relationship
(power holder) Person A is perceived as e.g manager needs employees’ skills
controlling resources that to keep customers happy
countervailing help or hinder Person B’s
power goal achievement
power
Person B’s
Person B
goal
Sources and Contingencies of Power
Sources of power
- legitimate
- reward Power over
- coercive others
- expert
- referent Contingencies
of power
- substitutability
- centrality
- visibility
- discretion
Five sources of power in organizations legitimate power
1. Legitimate power an agreement among organizational
members that people in certain roles
- this perceived right or obligation originates from formal can request certain behaviors of others
job descriptions as well as informal rules of conduct
- legitimate power has restrictions; it gives the power holder only the right to as others to
perform a limited domain of behaviors
→ “zone of indifference” – the set of behaviors that individuals are willing to engage in at
the other person’s request; increases with the level of trust in
the power holder
norm of reciprocity
a felt obligation and social expectation of helping or
otherwise giving something of value to someone who
has already helped or given something of value to you
power
The Meaning of Power the capacity of a person, team, or
organization to influence others
Three features
1. power is not the act of changing someone’s attitude or behavior; it is only the potential to do so
2. power is based on the target’s perception
3. power involves asymmetric dependence of one party on the other
DEPENDENCE MODEL OF POWER
countervailing power
the capacity of a person to keep
a more powerful person in the
Person A exchange relationship
(power holder) Person A is perceived as e.g manager needs employees’ skills
controlling resources that to keep customers happy
countervailing help or hinder Person B’s
power goal achievement
power
Person B’s
Person B
goal
Sources and Contingencies of Power
Sources of power
- legitimate
- reward Power over
- coercive others
- expert
- referent Contingencies
of power
- substitutability
- centrality
- visibility
- discretion
Five sources of power in organizations legitimate power
1. Legitimate power an agreement among organizational
members that people in certain roles
- this perceived right or obligation originates from formal can request certain behaviors of others
job descriptions as well as informal rules of conduct
- legitimate power has restrictions; it gives the power holder only the right to as others to
perform a limited domain of behaviors
→ “zone of indifference” – the set of behaviors that individuals are willing to engage in at
the other person’s request; increases with the level of trust in
the power holder
norm of reciprocity
a felt obligation and social expectation of helping or
otherwise giving something of value to someone who
has already helped or given something of value to you
