Leveraging Power and Politics

This text addresses power as a motive (good or bad) and power competition. The text contrasts rational processes with political processes and which decisions are subject to one or both of those processes. Leading with power is described with tips on the specific tactics to use. The loss of power is also discussed. Note that the upcoming sections are about change and change management in organizations. If leaders cannot leverage their power in the organization's political environment, they will not be able to change the status quo.

Conclusions

What are the key learning points in this chapter and what are the practical implications for strategic leaders and decision makers. Pfeffer has described learning about power most succinctly: "it is one thing to understand power--how to diagnose it, what are its sources, what are the strategies and tactics for its use, and how it is lost. It is quite another thing to use that knowledge in the world at large...In corporations, public agencies, universities, and government, the problem is how to get things done, how to move forward, how to solve the many problems facing organizations of all sizes and types. Developing and exercising power require having both will and skill. It is the will that often seems to be missing".

Leveraging Power and Politics in Strategic Decision Making:

Practical Implications

1. Power is not America's last dirty word. The existence of organizational politics is a reality to most organizations and successful strategic leaders must be good politicians.

2. In large, complex organizations with more centralized control and institutionalized power, the skills of using power and influence are critical to getting change accomplished.

3. It is critical to recognize that in almost every organization, there are clusters of interests, and leaders need to understand where they are located and what issues are of concern to them.

4. Leading and managing with power takes time, energy and effort.

5. Innovation and organizational change almost inevitably threatens the status quo. Consequently, implementing new ideas requires developing political will and the skillful use of power and influence.

6. Organizational change frequently creates organizational alignments that cause those in power to lose that power.

7. Employing power and influence tactics at the strategic level is more about method and process than exercising formal authority.

8. The use of power goes beyond exercising formal authority. It requires building and maintaining a reputation for being effective and it necessitates the skill in getting things done.

9. It is important to be able to recognize and assess the organization context of power if ideas and plans are to be implemented effectively.

10. To be effective in the implementation process, it is critical to know how to develop sources of power and how to employ that power strategically and tactically.

11. It's important to determine whether the most critical sources of power are personal attributes or location in the organization.

12. In evaluating personal attributes as effective sources of power, the key question is not whether they are attractive or unattractive, but whether they are useful.

13. It is important to have multiple bases of power to translate influence tactics into concrete results.