PREVIOUS : Leadership #2

SITEs : “Relationship between bases of power & job stresses: role of mentoring”

• Top 19 Leadership THEORIES

LEADERSHIP : The Contingency Theory is considered the best form, which states that good leaders are able to evaluate the needs of their followers, take actions & adapt to any situation. By definition, they have all the right qualities – charisma, confidence, intelligence, communication & social skills.

3 Leadership CULTURES : Operate from the belief —-> that:
‣ Dependent – only people in authority are responsible for leadership
‣ Independent – leadership grows out of individual expertise & heroic action
‣ Interdependent – leadership is a collective activity for the benefit of the organization as a whole.

One way to decode a leadership culture is to observe how leaders create shared direction, alignment & commitment (DAC).

COMMUNICATION
Frameworks like the following chart ⬇️ remind leaders that people process things differently, so they shouldn’t all be treated identically. “If you know what quadrant someone fits into, you can deal with them effectively. Understanding leads to compassion & empathy.” (Thought Ensemble)

Behavioral Leadership Styles fall within two broad categories:
🔹 Task-centered, which is about giving group members instructions & directions to accomplish goals more efficiently & effectively. The focus is on the objective analysis of what needs to be done, & the specific course of actions to be taken. Employees are seen as resources used to accomplish goals
OR
🔺Employee-centered (relationship-centered) leaders focus more on building relationships between themselves & employees. By encouraging & supporting them, the leader hopes to make them better qualified, more confident & productive. Attention is on inspiring employees to follow the vision as presented. 

👤 Analyticals – want to know “how” things work, & want to be accurate. They value numbers, statistics & ideas, love details
👤 Amiables – want to know “why”. They want to build relationships, love to give others support & attention, value suggestions from others

👤 Drivers – want to know “what”. They value results, want to save time, love being in control
👤 Expressives – want to know “who”. They value appreciation, love social situations & parties, like to inspire others

STRESS EFFECTS on Leadership
Having & using power comes with several positives – more action, optimism, abstract thinking & goal-directed behavior.

However, Professor Jennifer Jordan points out that stress can be caused :
🔆 by the ever-increasing demands & pressure to meet expectations that often come with powerful positions, OR
⚠️ when an executive (or any other leader) sees their power being threatened – but only if they value hierarchy. So, much of how stress is experiences coms from how they interpret the world around them. It also affect the quality of their leadership.  Reactions include:

a. Risk-taking – In general, powerful people are more likely to resort to risky negotiation tactics. Ignoring potential business dangers & an over-focus on rewards encourage risk-taking. And
research indicates that power-users in an unstable situation (under threat) and have a low tolerance for stress – engage in even riskier behaviors

b. No Power-sharing – When a leader feels at risk of losing their power, they interacts less with their staff, not allowing subordinates to influence or participate in decision making, because don’t trust  most people in the organization

c. Transformational – While some leaders under power-threat are motivated to inspire & motivate the troops, research suggests the greater the threat, the less likely most leaders will use transformational tools (lead by doing, encourage collaboration among team members….).  Instead, they may go into “survivor mode”, & actually stop leading – although this is less likely to happen with the Directive style. (SOLUTIONS…..)

DECISIONS
“All too often, people make the mistake of focusing too much on the content of their point / project-idea / concern…., & not enough on how they deliver their message. Far too many decisions go against the employ or leader because their presentation was ineffective or done poorly.

However, people can greatly improve their chances of having a proposal succeed by identifying who the chief decision-maker is they’re trying to persuade, & then tailoring their arguments to fit that executive’s style.” (More….)

NEXT: Leadership #2a

PREVIOUS: POWER – Manipulation #1

MANIPULATION TACTICS (cont)
⚡️3. Influencing the influencer
⚡️4. Lies, half-truths, evasion & denial

⚡️5. The Naked Emperor’s Tailors: These people – like the duplicitous tailors – try to convince you that, of course, someone with your credentials, position & experience can certainly recognize what’s so obvious to everyone – an “unbelievable opportunity,” or a life-changing product – that you can’t pass up! They cite research & experts with “documented proof” of their position.

BUT when examined, the ‘unassailable’ research is flawed or non-existent, & it’s only the con-artist promoting the position or product who gains from your agreement.
Reality: You do have experience & credentials, so trust your gut. Even if there is widespread acceptance of these ‘items’, the mob is not automatically right.

⚡️6. Nuances, implications & innuendoes: This employee always seems to be “in the know.” They casually mention random bits of tantalizing information, implying something’s happening that ‘everyone’ knows – except you, of course. Catch phrases are “Well, of course… It figures…” or a sarcastic, “What a surprise.”
Creating a version of reality, they can convincing you & others, & when confronted, they can “legitimately” claim they never said anything at all.
Your response: Answer with a gentle challenge  “That’s not what I heard. I disagree. That’s not really true.” Neutralize the manipulator.

⚡️ 7. Outrage & intimidation: You start a work discussion & are interrupted by a fist slammed on the table, a stack of papers tossed aside & scattered. This may be followed by the clenched fist, an indignant huff, or a head shake trying to clear away your ‘unbelievable ignorance’. They’re trembling with rage & disbelief. How can you be so oblivious to the truth?
Their goal is to get you to back down, to modify your point, even to apologize, while you anxiously try to calm them down.
Your response: Instead – wait quietly, holding your ground. When the smoke clears & the bully has run out of steam, repeat your position & go on from there.

⚡️8. Projection: The manipulator “only” wants what everyone else has or wants. Their typical argument is : “Well, Joe & the guys are saying that we absolutely need this, or Everyone in other departments gets this benefit….” When you look into it, Joe never said anything of the sort, & only one department made a special exception for an unusual circumstance.
Your response: Check it out. Don’t make promises, & don’t take action on the word of this manipulator.

⚡️9. Redirection: This person is a master of evasion. You approach them to correct a behavior or call out an error, & they quickly alert you to a crisis that requires your immediate attention : another employee is doing something so horrendous that the redirector’s minor flaw pales in comparison. The typical reaction will be: “Well, what about Susie? Are you just going to let that go?”

Of course, if you let yourself get sidetracked – then when you rush to correct the alleged ‘worse’ threat – you find out there’s no such issue! So the redirector has escaped punishment.
Your response: Don’t be misled & stay focused. Even if Susie’s a ‘bad-un’, it can wait until you’ve dealt with the redirector’s transgression.

⚡️10. Stonewalling: This most often occurs between peer managers. You have an assignment or a new project that involves another department, but all requests hit a brick wall – emails aren’t answered, calls or texts never returned.
You try to set up a meeting but their schedule never seems to be open. You see them in the corridor, but they’re rushing off to an important meeting, while assuring you they’ll get back to you soon. But of course, they never do.

As manipulation tactics go, this is one of the most frustrating. While the project at hand is critical to you, your peer sees it as either totally unimportant, or more likely, detrimental to them.
Your response: If there is a benefit to them, remind them of that. If this project is to their detriment, as, for example, if it means they’ll be fired, find an alternative ‘carrot’ for their cooperation. Otherwise, you’ll never get the help you need & may instead be sabotaged.   (FROM: 10 Traps and How to Avoid Them )

STATUS & POWER
Power corrupts when someone has a great deal of power but is not held accountable for its use, & results in using their power exclusively for personal gain. Since Power is it’s own reward, power-wielders often want more, which can have a corrupting influence.

NEXT : Power –

PREVIOUS: POWER – Persuasion

SITE : “8 Family Manipulation Tactics…..“

DEF: Manipulate – to negotiate, control, or influence something or someone cleverly, skillfully or deviously.

Almost all business – indeed almost all of life – includes elements of manipulation. In business, negative tactics can be subtle or blatant, part of cultural norms, or press uncomfortably into the unacceptable.  Sometimes manipulation data to get a point across clearly or using some other version – to influence an outcome for the good of those involved – are effective & acceptable maneuvers.

But when it concerns working relationships, manipulation depends on hidden agendas & is totally harmful to running a business successfully. A scheming boss or co-worker can easily stir a happy, enthusiastic workforce into a group of disconnected people who don’t trust each other, & end up disliking their jobs. Psychologically, aggression is disguised by manipulation as good intentions.

Power-hungry parents, teachers, bosses, CEOs, religious leaders….. choose to use negative behavior to maneuver & massage the system, working to gain more power & stay on top – for as long as they can get away with it.

Managers can get caught up in the drama of mind-games without realizing it. Manipulators having been successful using tactics honed to a fine art – for years if not decades – bend outcomes to suit private goals. Their tools have to be subtle & subversive, since outrageous & immediately obvious ploys are rarely effective.

When line-supervisors are taken in by corporate power-wielders, subordinates who recognize the tactics will become frustrated by the gullibility of management. Morale will sag, taking with it productivity & erosion of the corporate culture.

However, if the arrogant manipulator goes too far, their outrageous games becoming obvious, or there’s some kind of catastrophe – internally or from outside – then the self-serving impact of the puppeteer is exposed. Unfortunately, by that point, the damage is done.

GOOD NEWS : Leaning about the many exploitive tactics can help leaders & subordinates protect themselves – whatever age or position in life! You many notice how these ‘10 Traps….’ from Ellen Huxtable overlap with characteristics of NPDs & Pathological Narcissists.

⚡️1. Hyper-sensitivity: They meet every challenge with extreme ‘regret’ – eyes downcast, shoulders hunched, lower lip quivering, using tears as a tactic. Message : you’ve caused them such emotional grief & you’re the most evil person on earth.
Your response: Pause, hand over the box of tissues, wait for the tears to pass, & proceed with your talk. If there’s an actual problem, direct the individual to get psychological help.

⚡️2. Ingratiating behavior: They’re charming, understanding & supportive. Idealizing – they look at you with stars in their eyes. You can do no wrong – all your decisions are wonderful, so anyone who questions you is jealous or ignorant. They’re your protege or your pet. You obviously have superior insight about things.
So – when they shyly suggest something ‘helpful’ (which they want for themselves but won’t be good for you or the company), naturally they’ll seem to have “your & the organization’s best interests” at heart. Or not. Beware the flatterer.

⚡️3. Influencing the influencer: This employee has an agenda, a new product, service or process they want to promote. And your response is “no,” or “not right now.”
Not deterred, they’ll find someone they know can influence you – a peer, supervisor or customer, and suggest the idea to them instead.
Ideally, the employee gets them to think it was their idea all along. They approach you with it, but you recognize your employee’s fixation.
Your response: Tell both influencer & employee how interesting it is that they both happened to have the same idea at the same time, then repeat your “No.”

⚡️4. Lies, half-truths, evasion & denial: This manipulator  may or may not be deliberately manipulating – maybe just have a fanciful view of reality, living in their own twilight zone.

Regardless, they mix absolute, accurate, truthful statements with biased facts, misinterpretations & outright fabrications. When confronted or questioned, they shift position, or deny they ever said any such thing. They ‘helpfully’ clarify your ‘misunderstanding’ – which indicates deliberate dishonesty.
Your response : Carefully separate their facts from fiction, & be very cautious about taking action based on their claims, without substantiating them through one or more reliable other sources.

NEXT : Manipulation #2

PREVIOUS: POWER – Persuasion

SITE: Taxonomy of Influence Strategies identifies 23 ‘plays’ – basic strategies used in influence industries : communications, marketing,  media, military & government intelligence, politics & sales  (MORE….with chart )

INFLUENCE STRATEGY 
Def: “A social or rhetorical technique, irreducibly unique, used by a person, organization or surrogate, to improve mutual or competitive advantage, through means & methods of persuasion.”
EXP : A new Senior Manager adopts a new dress code, which others in the org. then start to copy

3 Leadership STRATEGIES which can transform POWER into INFLUENCE
(Angela Sinickas, 2016)
See also “Neutralizing” each of these strategies – when needed. Slides 18-20
AND See “Pros & Cons” slide 18-21

2 GOALS : a. to get others to work with you in reaching an objective
b. AND avoid feeling powerless, exploited or manipulated, in situations where you should be taking initiative rather than complying

1. Retribution though intimidation (pressure) or Coercion (threaten)
EXP a : Forcing all businesses to use new logo & brand themes
EXP b : Offer alternative strategies with fewer negative consequences bit still accomplish the original demand. Used WHEN:
‣ Commitment & quality not important
‣ Influencer had complete power
‣ Resistance to request if likely
‣ Specific, unambiguous requests
‣ There are serious violations
‣ Tight time constraints

2. Reciprocity through ingratiation (obligate) or Bargaining (exchange)
EXP a : Helping an executive in a crisis, the get them to recommend you earlier in the next emerging issue
EXP b: Ask questions, decline a ‘gift’, suggest an alternative exchange or refuse outright. Used WHEN :
‣ Commitment to values not critical
‣ Established exchange norms already exist
‣ Needs are specific & short term
‣ Parties mutually depend
‣ Parties viewed as trustworthy
‣ There’s enough time for negotiating

3. Reason through appeal to values (general principles) or Facts (merits & needs)
EXP a : Refer to expert opinions, use survey data. OR appeal to their ‘higher good’
EXP b : Acknowledge their need, but explain that the request won’t work at this time. Be firm when saying ‘no’.  Appeal to their sense of fairness or point out it’s inconsistency with the org’s values, & to not wait to the last minute for help
Used WHEN:
‣ Parties have common values and goals
‣ Parties share an ongoing relationship
‣ Parties share mutual respect
‣ There’s adequate time for extensive discussion

STRATEGIES – define long-term goals & the plans to achieve the org’s mission. They must include “premeditation, anticipating others’ behavior, & the purposeful design of coordinated actions.” Usually more important when someone else (individual or group) has the potential to thwart or disrupt actions, or where plans are at risk if practical steps are not actively taken

TACTICS – (“initiatives”) are much more concrete, using smaller steps & a shorter time frame for the process toward a goal. Involve ‘best practices’, specific plans, resources… Successful tactics can include an ‘implementation trigger’ that signals when they should be used, such as an “if this, then that” plan for Where, When & Why.

ANOTHER way to list Influence Strategies (the ‘Six Ps’)

♝Persuasion – gaining influence by appealing to reason via argument. Requires a mix of Expertise & Personal characteristics. Once persuaded, people will want to continue doing as the leader ‘suggests’.

♝Position – how authority is used in a particular org. depends on its corporate culture, on which forms of authority the org approves of, & the manager’s preferred management style

♝Preparatory – laying the ground for future attempt at influence – such as building a positive relationship with colleagues to make them more willing to cooperate in the future.  Acceptable strategies depends on context or else will seem like manipulation

♝Preventative – ways to prevent certain actions, such as holding back information, stop questions being asked, suppress dissent. Both Prep & Prev. can be either overt or covert. EXP: The way an agenda is structured may not be obvious to participants

♝Pull (Reward) – depends on the value to the Target. Usually a co. will set guidelines to ensure limitations & fairness. Unfair benefits will create resentments & reduce motivation in others

♝Push (Coercion) – imposing or threatening to use sanctions for non-compliance, a bullying approach which may include legal sanctions

NEXT: Power – Manipulation

PREVIOUS: Person BIZ POWER – 

SITE : “10 Ways To Persuade Someone to Your Point of View”

HARD POWER – uses treats & punishments

SOFT Power: INFLUENCE, which uses affirmations & encouragements

Influence as the POWER of PERSUASION
An ancient art – More than 2,000 years ago Aristotle outlined a formula on how to become a master of persuasion in his work “Rhetoric”. To be effective, his time-honored principles can be used to make a successful presentation or writing:
Ethos – ‘character,’ Logos – ‘to reason,’ Pathos – ‘suffering’ or ‘experience + Metaphor (verbal beauty) & Brevity.  (MORE…. )
Currently: Warren Buffett once told business students that improving their communication skills would boost their professional value by 50% — instantly.

DEF: Persuasion is a communicator’s effort to convince people to change their own attitudes or behaviors about a topic or issue. Changes must come from the listeners themselves, or they have the option to resist persuasion. It can only occur in an atmosphere of free choice, geared to autonomous individuals capable of changing their mind on a subject or of saying ‘No’.

Persuasion is one form of social influence on attitude, & represents the intersection of social thinking in everyday life. It’s symbolic – utilizing words, images, sounds….. verbally & nonverbally via TV, radio, Internet or face-to-face communication.

SAMPLE of Persuasion used to make a major work / company change —>
In a positive environment, employees not only understand why change is necessary, they’ll also be emotionally committed to making it happen, faithfully executing the required steps

TARGETED AT someone’s response to an object or issue:
✫ Attitude – to change someone’s opinion, within a wide range, from negative to positive
✫ Behavior – to change a person’s overt actions
✫ Cognition – a powerful tool to change individuals’ beliefs, which may include defining, interpreting, identifying qualities, observing outcome…. re. something

METHODS
Rational & emotional appeals
A rational appeal uses logical arguments, even factual evidence, to persuade individuals about the legitimacy of goals & the likelihood of reaching them. Success will depend on the strength & quality of arguments, provided the recipient (Target) is able to process the message correctly.

An emotional appeal is designed to arouse the recipient’s feelings. The most commonly used methods is the fear- or threat-appeal. Even guilt-appeal is considered highly persuasive

Source credibility
This involves 2 major criteria – expertise & trustworthiness. Along with these – physical attractiveness, similarity & non-verbal cues like facial expressions, posture, vocal sounds – all play a subtle role in influencing source-credibility, which can be bolstered by information about the source’s (Agent) background, education, formal training, legitimacy, personal experience…..

SOCIAL INFLUENCE
This occurs when a person’s thoughts & actions are consciously and unconsciously being affected by other people & groups.
EXP: Advertising, Coercion, Criticism, Enabling, Ethics, Ethnic values, Interpersonal influences, Mass media, Power, Prejudice, Propaganda, Self-brand, Social approval, Social desirability, Social norms, Social values, Superstitions, Taboos.

The effect of these influences can be seen in people’s reactions – in their style of
Conformity, Leadership, Obedience, Peer pressure, Socialization, Social change or Social control

3 broad RESULTS of social influence
• Instrumental Compliance – when people agree with others but hide their opinions. They carry out a request only to get a reward & avoid punishment
• Personal Identification – when people are influenced by someone they like & respect. Target imitates Agent’s attitudes & behaviors to get approval
• Internalization – when a belief or behavior is completely absorbed, being agreed to both publicly & privately. Agent’s requirements fit with the Target’s values, ideas & self-image

Factors AFFECTING social influence
‣ Charisma – the ability to influence people to follow one’s own will. People who have beauty, riches, good jobs… usually have more influence, since these things instill great confidence in others, which boosts their self-esteem

‣ Emotions – Strong emotions have a strong influence. Studies found that narratives trigger a rush of neuro-chemicals in the brain that connects people on a deeper, emotional level
‣ Reputation – This is the credibility factor in determining social influence, which can come from experience, attractiveness, word-of-mouth….

‣ Peer Pressure – People tend to do things they may not be personally interested in, just to keep up positive relationships
‣ Social Trends – They are great carriers of social influence, especially when they are creative & non-conforming, even though they are usually short-lived.

NEXT : Power – Influence Strategies

PREVIOUS : ACoA POWERLESSNESS

SITE : “Be Humble, and Proudly….”
☆ 8 Things that Cause your LACK of MOTIVATION (& how to fix them)

NOTE: Here are 3 lists of PERSONAL & LEADERSHIP POWER characteristics – with some overlaps.

A person who uses Power RESPONSIBLY considers it an unwritten psychological contract with a person or group – always to help & improve.

FROM “Power: Why Some People Have It – and Others Don’t“∼ Jeffery Pfeffer

❖ Ambition “Success requires effort & hard work as well as persistence.”
ACTION :  Be goal-oriented. Knowing where you want to end up makes it easier to overlook big frustrations & daily annoyances that could otherwise distract you

❖ Ability to Tolerate Conflict “If you can handle difficult conflict & stress-filled situations effectively, you have an advantage over most people.”
ACTION : Build your skill in dealing with conflict, positively & wisely. You’ll have the advantage, since most people are conflict-averse, & so avoid situations where they have to engage others in emotionally difficult conversations.

❖ Confidence “Because power usually allows someone to be acconfident, observers will associate mature behavior with actually having power.”
ACTION : Your title can represent power, but when you’re working with people who don’t know your background, actions speak loudest to prove i

❖ Empathy “Consider other people’s agendas & reactions by putting yourself in their shoes, not just being focused on the end goal & your own objectives.”
ACTION : To succeed at negotiations, assess where the other person or group is coming from

❖ Energy “Energy is contagious, like anger or happiness.”
ACTION : Inspire others by harness your energy, showing your commitment to the group or organization, & the willingness to put your time into achieving goals

❖ Focus “… you’re more likely to gain power by narrowing focus & applying your energies to a limited range of activities in a smaller number of areas.”
ACTION : Specialize when you can. It provides a depth of understanding & a substantial web of concentrated relationships

❖ Self-knowledge “There’s no learning & personal development without reflection.”
ACTION : Learn from experience what works & identify what you need to do differently next time
✴︎      ✴︎      ✴︎ 

🤓 PERSONAL MASTERY areas to develop for positive leadership (Alfred Chung) :
🥉 Character & attitude: Cultivate versatility, appreciating multiple world-views different from yours – with curiosity & gratitude, no matter how much you know.  This empowers you to manage yourself, so you can show up with humility, regardless of your role or status.
While Humility is not the boldest of personality traits, it’s an important one. And it’s hard to fake. To increasing your potential for success, work on your core motivations, as well as your personal blindspots.

🥉Emotional mastery: Learn to regulate your internal reactions & emotions, which will enhance your thought process & resourcefulness

🥉Mental rehearsal: Rehearse & refine your thinking with variations & possibilities, to see what will work best in each situation. Be innovative when changes are needed, like generating strategic winning moves in a chess game.

🥉Observational skills: Know what to watch out for. Hone your ability to read people & situations, especially subtle signs & cues. That will allow you to better understand what others are communicating by what they’re not saying.

🥉Sense of timing & rhythm: It’s counterproductive to rush through the process when you’re eager to achieve something.  Using observational skills & Developing multi-intelligences along with observational skills, you’ll know when to come in, when to step back or when to leave – to improve conditions for others to be in peak performance.

🥉Physical agility & resilience: Stay aware of your body posture, gestures, inner sensations, energy & movements – to better align & support the above abilities without burnout.

INVENTORY
❧ What does power mean to me?
❧ Is power important for me to have?
❧ Is there one most important quality to gain power?
❧ What qualities do I have that are my strengths?
❧ What qualities would I like to develop ?
❧ What am I already working on?

(FROM: Jennifer Stangl, Director of Professional Development at CUES)

NEXT : POWER

PREVIOUS: Manipulation in biz (#2)

NEGATIVE – RESPONSES
Managers & supervisors need to see employees’ (good or bad) reactions to organizational changes as a normal part of the restructuring process.

√ Anger
Some employees are so resistant to change they become frustrated & angry. a typical reaction when employees feel a loss of control over their work environment, or worry that their job security is being threatened. If they suppress the anger will  cause an increased stress level. If it’s overt, it can end up in emotional outbursts.

√ Gossip
Gossip, always an organizational challenge (& staple), will escalates during periods of change. Employees who experience a loss of power & control can respond with frustration, anger & disbelief, resorting to vicious gossip or “back-stabbing”, which obviously is detrimental to a positive forward movement toward restructuring

√ “Not me!”
Employees asked to do a different job or change the way they currently do a particular task may react with: “Not me!” They may deny being able make the proposed change &/or suggest that someone else is better suited for the job. Their initial reaction is from being satisfied with the status quo, & fear of the unknown.

√ “I quit!”
A few employees prefer to quit rather than make the required changes. Unfortunately for them, changes are going on in other organizations as well. Choosing to stand on one’s principles & fight the ‘new’ by quitting may make their point, but usually at their own expense, not the organization’s.

√ Panic!
Some employee find comfort in predictable routine, & panic at the mere mention of change. They worry about chow to deal with major shifts in the way they normally do their work. They’ll resist, not out of stubbornness, but rather out of fear about how the changes will affect them personally, & so unable to deal rationally with the “new regime”. Some may even become physically ill.

√ “What will this do to my job security?”
It’s natural for employees to first consider the impact of change on their own job security & the possible financial impact, & only secondly regard the needs of the organization. They can’t help wondering what will happen to their position if tech advances are added, or if downsizing creates losses. Will changes result in less work for them, or even do away with their job altogether?

√ “Who’s in charge here?”
When a company is restructuring, it’s natural for employees to question leadership. Working for a new supervisor may make it hard to change allegiance from one  manager to another. If employees have not been kept in the communication loop & so don’t see the benefits of the new policies, they’re likely to question the wisdom of the new leadership.

POSITIVE RESPONSES
These are people with a good amount of self-confidence & clear sense of personal competence. They’re open-minded, seeing change as a benefit – for everyone. When aligned with a supervisor, they can support & ‘sell’ organizational shifts to other employees.

√ Enthusiasm
Some employees naturally approach life’s challenges more enthusiastically than others, able to embrace newness. Instead of picking apart a proposed change to find all the ways it won’t work, they see it as a natural part of the organization’s growth. Supervisors lucky enough to have such employees need to support & nurture them, since their enthusiasm can ‘infect’ coworkers, which helps make implementing changes more palatable for everyone.

√ “Maybe I could adjust to this change . . . .”
Some employees watch from the sidelines, but stay open-minded. After observing for a while, they may agree to give required changes a chance. While not initially eager participants, they’re at least willing to consider adjusting. This includes learning new techniques & procedures, without sabotaging.

√ “This is a challenge!”
Employees who see change as a challenge can rise to the occasion, since they know they have what it takes to be a contributing team player. With a “can do” attitude, they’re open to new ideas, will ask relevant questions & feel confident in their ability to learn whatever new info or skill needed to complete projects. They may admit a new task is difficult, the procedure at first a bit cloudy, & the outcome unknown or questionable, but they’re committed to solving problems.

√ Positive Vision
A few employees look at the big picture & visualize possibilities.Their positive attitude toward change is based on a realistic awareness of the marketplace in their specific industry & the company’s competitive position in it, which helps them trust leadership. Feeling enthusiastic about the company’s future, these employees create a positive vision for their coworkers in a time of confusion, which encourages them to also consider future benefits.
(Modified from peterstark.com)

NEXT :

PREVIOUS: Power Bases

SITEs : Right Way to Respond to Negative Feedback 

• 5 Secrets to Giving Constructive Feedback

REVIEW : 2 main FORMS of Power
1. COERCION (‘Hard’) : threaten to use force, actual use it &/or use negative sanctions.  Pain or punishment is inflicted by person A, who possesses power —> toward B, who has less power

2. INFLUENCE (‘Soft’):  No threat or use of force. Most common & Most effective, esp. important when coercion is not possible.
EXP: political speeches, journalism, media & advertising, inter-personal relations, classrooms….. 

a. by Persuasion: Person A is sincere, using the “force of the better argument”, by explanations, examples, illustrations, justifications.

b. by Manipulation : Person A conceals their true intentions : lying, real reasons not given, lack of informed-consent by actor B.

Aspects of power
Relational :  based on the social relationship
Sanctioning : an active component of the power relationship, as direct manipulations of the other’s outcomes, using rewards or punishments.
Dependency : power residing implicitly in the other’s needs, particularly evident in organizations with inter-dependence of personnel & ⬅️ subunits (horizontal power / relationships across departments).

DEPENDENCE is an important aspect of supporting power. Possession of or influence over an organization’s resources which someone needs, gives the resource-holder power. The greater B’s dependence on A, the more power A has. Power increases when the resource are :
🥊 Important = must be valuable & worthwhile, because If nobody wants what you have, there’s no dependence
🥊 Scarce = difficult or impossible to achieve, or to find elsewhere. EXP: If there are few workers relative to demand, they can negotiate compensation & benefit packages
🥊 Not substitutable = one-of-a-kind, so can not be replaced. The fewer viable substitutes for a resource available to the user / consumer, the more options they have to evade dependence.

However, individuals / groups / organizations can minimize dependency by co-opting, contracting, using co-operative strategies & seeking prestige. (Do Tien Long)

❇️ REVUE posts on Power Bases – to see the different managerial styles that employees react to. 

A POWER BASE is effective to the extent that it produces both attitude & behavior compliance. ‘Attitudinal’ refers to how well the subordinate is willing to follow the bosses directives or wishes. ‘Behavioral’ is the accuracy & extent to which the subordinate actually carries out those instructions.

CONSEQUENCES of Positional & Personal Power (UK research, 1999)
• Coercive P lead to employee resistance, decreased job satisfaction & increased mistrust of leadership
• Legitimate P is the common style to evoke compliance with boss’ requests, but not correlated to task commitment
• Expert & Referent P – used as influence by effective leaders : positively correlated with subordinate satisfaction & performance

• Rewards – when announced, lead to higher employee satisfaction & performance – if the reward is what they want
• Punishment – some – when combined with rewards, can have a positive effect on subordinates performance

★ COMPLIANCE = Subordinate is willing to do what the leader asks, but may be apathetic rather than enthusiastic, with only minimal effort
★ COMMITMENT = Subordinate agrees with decisions or requests, & makes a great effort to cary them out effectively

★ OBEDIENCE / CONFORMITY
Generally, people obey either thru coercion, consent, or some combination. However, at present – obedience has become a form of social conformity, in response to authority. But it is not inevitable & varies in degree depending on the situation.
WHY OBEY ? : 🪞Fear of sanctions (punishment)
🪞Indifference, Habit, level of Tolerance
🪞Lack of confidence in themselves, their judgement or capacity to DO
🪞Psychological or emotional identification with the leader
🪞Moral Obligation  = if command is considered legitimate &/or as an accepted norm of conduct, common good of society, superhuman efforts
🪞Self-interest = direct / indirect financial gain, in relative power position, for personal prestige   (From ‘Dynamics of Power‘)

★ RESISTANCE = Employee is opposed to the leader’s request & tries to avoid it.
A high proportion of change-initiatives flounder because of employee resistance. To succeed, leadership must pay attention to all forms of employee reactions during organizational changes.

LEADING & MOTIVATING
Group Leadership does not consist of one-formula-fits-all. Every team’s needs & desires are different, so specific leadership strategies are needed to achieve differing goals.  (See Leadership styles & Managerial TYPES)

A team member’s motivation may be both extrinsic &/or intrinsic.
• Intrinsic = the energy that comes from within the person – wanting to help achieve the work goal, because it aligns with the person’s own beliefs.
EXP: If team members finds the assigned task specially interesting, it will motivate them to implement it efficiently.

• Extrinsic = from external sources, & the manager is a key component who can use several ways to accomplish this.  EXP: Rewarding &/or punishing team members, to push them to do a certain project.

Intrinsic motivation is considered the best motivator, but managers can also help team members achieve this. (More…. )

NEXT: Employee resistance to change

PREVIOUS : POWER Sources, Personal / Positional

Source credibility directly impacts the effectiveness of whichever power base is used to persuade others, that is – a communicator’s positive or negative characteristics will affect the receiver’s acceptance or rejection of a message.

ORIGINS: Social psychologists John R. P. French and Bertram H. Raven conducted a remarkable study about power in 1959. They divided it into 5 separate & different Power BASES, which explain leadership’s way of thinking, action & decision making. Later research added several other forms.

1. POSITIONAL POWER BASES
a. Coercive – leader based their interactions on fear, the ability to impose their will by threat of sanction.  They’re in a position to punish others for nor doing what’s needed or what they wanted, such criticism for bad performance, threat of firing, lowering a bonus, changing vacation times, demotion, or firing. Its the opposite of REWARD

b. Ecological – The power to control the physical environment & structure in which people work, & making changes accordingly, understanding that these play a significant role in shaping human behavior.  Such power can be wielded with simple techniques such as temperature or lighting adjustments, or with complex architectural designs meant to enhance specific behaviors of employees.

c. Informational  – The power that come from access to information, such as control of data gathering & distribution, & to influence using facts & data. It’s the basis of decision making & leadership, so analytically strong people use it keep power. On the flip side, there are the gatekeepers or information hoarders, who thrive on the negative power & control, which harm specific teams & the org as a whole

d. Legitimate – The epitome of positional power, it comes from the authority of a person’s place in a hierarchy. But it also depends on a group of people willing to defer to seniority,

e. Reward – This stems from the inducements or rewards a leader can offer for doing what they want others to do or what’s needed to be done for the larger benefit. This can be intangible such as verbal praise & encouragement for good performance, or tangible, such as assigning  projects, giving raises or promotions….

2. PERSONAL POWER BASES
a. Avoiding Power – Refuse to act, get involved, or make decisions (eventually someone will get the message). This can only work if the person has enough personal clout to get away with avoiding going along with someone else’s agenda, either of a peer or a corporate entity without endangering their own position. However, it can harm the organization

b. Connection – This comes through networking – being able to use links to other influential people to support ones own, more direct, power. If the manager or leader does not have much of our own power to offer, the connects are not very useful, which become little more than reflected glory.

c. Expertise – people who have achieved some level of mastery of a subject, gained through knowledge & skills developed through study, practice & experience. but needs to be in kept current to maintain this power base. It gives such a person an authority that often commands great respect. Can be Neg or Pos – others will believe this person because of their level of knowledge, BUT may lead to following their advice against Co. policy or project goal

d. Referent – is the influence gained through personal relationships, charisma & likability, & used with or without integrity. Manager or leader can be being respected or admired by the team or stakeholders because of positive past experiences with this person….).
EXP: Persuasive Power, such as the ‘sales pitch’ – someone who can effectively ‘push‘ people toward a specific outcome or decision. (See future Post: : “Power – Influence Strategies“)

e. Resource – Neither Information nor Connection Power satisfactorily account for the power that certain ‘gatekeepers’ have in organizations. These people control access to wider resources: funds, equipment, supplies….. They’re often middle-ranking, junior or administrative colleagues with little legitimate power, nevertheless wield Resource Power by proxy, to meet their need for control in their workplace.

 NEXT: REACTIONS to Power

PREVIOUS: POWER Leadership

USE of POWER BASES
DEF: POWER TACTICS (PTs) are the ways a power-user (agent) translates power bases into specific actions.
In 1956 Norman H. Martin & John Howard Sims wrote an article about Power Tactics.
“Beneath the general principles, attitudes & ideals of ‘human relations’ lie the actual tactics & day-to-day techniques by which executives achieve, maintain & exercise power. Whether in business, government, education, or the church – executives have power, and use it.
They maneuver & manipulate to get a job done &, in many cases, to strengthen & enhance their own position. Power & politics are concerned with relationships of control or of influence. ” (More….)

Power tactics used to push or prompt others into action can be grouped into :
a. Behavioral – Soft tactics take advantage of the relationship between the power-person & the target. Hard tactics are direct, forceful & harsh, relying on concrete outcomes
b. Rational – make use of reasoning, logic & objective judgment (bargaining, persuasion), whereas non-rational tactics rely on emotionalism & subjectivity (evasion, put-downs)
c. Structural – exploit the relationship between individual roles & positions. Bilateral tactics (collaboration, negotiation) involve reciprocity from both the influencer & the target. Unilateral tactics are used without any participation on the part of the target.

Power involves the ability of one party – the “agent”, to influence another party – the “target”, and sometimes the agent is a group or org. rather than an individual. Influence can be over a single target person or over many, but the agent’s target can also be over things or events, attitudes & behaviors

People tend to vary in their use of power tactics according to who they are trying to influence & based on the group situation. EXP: Interpersonally oriented people tend to use soft tactics, and extroverts employ a greater variety of tactics than do introverts. Studies have shown that men tend to use bilateral & direct tactics, whereas women tend to use unilateral & indirect tactics. In the face of resistance, people are more likely to shift from soft to hard tactics to achieve their aims.

TARGETS : Power involves a reciprocal relationship between the agent (Ag) & the target (T) . This can be boss & worker, parent & child, advertiser & consumer….  teacher & class, minister & congregation, President & the Nation…..
TARGET AUDIENCE – a group of people who share certain characteristics such as ethnicity, values or lifestyle

The effectiveness of power tactics (PTs) will depend on how easily influenced the target is, which will depend on their :
a. Age – susceptibility to influence is strong in young children up to about 8 or 9, then decreases with age until adolescence, when it levels off
b. Culture – characteristics of the target’s culture affect their influenceability. EXP: people from an authoritarian culture are highly susceptible to influence, & vice-versa.

c. Dependency – how strongly the T needs what the Ag has. If the dependency is high, power influence will be high, or vice-versa.
d. Gender – as society’s views of the role of women are changing, there is less of a distinction by gender of influenceability

e. Intelligence – it’s been observed that more intelligent people are less susceptible to influence generated by Positional Power
f. Personality – research studies show a relationship between personality & influenceability. EXP: people who cannot tolerate ambiguity or who are highly anxious are more susceptible

g. Uncertainty – when the Agent is unsure about how appropriate or correct their actions are – it can determine their ability to influence their target about those same actions. Research: the more uncertain someone (T) is about the ‘legitimacy’ of a behavior, the more likely they’re influenced to change that behavior.

The CHOICE & USEFULNESS of PTs is influenced BY:
✫ Culture of the org., which affects user’s choice of tactic
✫ Country-specific culture – local values favor certain PTs over others
✫ Relative power of the tactic user – some tactics work better when applied downward, others are better upward
✫ How the request is taken – is it consistent with the target’s values?
✫ Type of request connected to the PT – is it legitimate?
✫ Sequencing of tactics – softer —-> harder work best
✫ Skillful use of whichever tactic is chosen

NEXT: POWER Characteristics