Tools

Notes  on Power

From Evangelina's presentation to the Bell Atlantic Hispanic Support  Organization

Two  power scenarios

Scenario 1: The traditional organization

The manager  brings a team assembled from his best people to work on a hot project. He is a charismatic leader who is well respected for  his knowledge of the business and his years in the organization. He makes sure the information the team needs is available to them and that if the project is successfully completed, each member of the team will be rewarded appropriately. It is clear that if someone does not contribute and perform as expected the manager will swiftly get them out of the team, with considerable damage to their reputation. The manager works with the group consistently  over the next few months to make the project succeed.

(Sources of power: referent; legitimate; reward; coercive; expertise; information)

Scenario 2: The new organization

A cross-functional team is brought together to assess whether to pursue a new business  opportunity. The team leader has been selected for her knowledge and experience in marketing, but many other factors and information  are required to make a good recommendation to the top management team. All team members have their regular job responsibilities, though it has been made clear that this is a good project to be  in and that participation in the project is optional. While it  is not clear what resources the team has available, they have been promised all the support they need. Because the work is so new and stretches the sense of competence of each member, members  work with the team leader over the next few months to make the project succeed.

(Sources of power: personal/institutional authority; task; meaningfulness;  competence; accountability; choice.)

POWER  AND EMPOWERMENT

Traditional organizations  emphasize these sources of power	New organizations emphasize  these sources of power
	Organizational empowerment
Legitimate: Based on formal role or position in a system.	Institutional authority: The right to be, do work, and function which is given by and accepted on behalf of a  group or organization to which one belongs.
Reward: Based on ability to provide something that is desired.	Task: A set of activities directed towards a purpose.
Referent (goodwill): Based on identification with and good feelings for.	Resources: Information, money, time, people.
Coercive (punishment): Based on ability to penalize or cause harm.	Boundaries: Physical and/or psychological parameters or demarcations that differentiate between the inside and the outside of a system, e.g. input, task, role, space, and time.
Expertise: Based on assumptions of superior judgment  or knowledge.	Accountability: Having responsibility for�; being  answerable for...
Information: Based on relevant facts or reasoning.
	Personal empowerment
	Personal authority: The right to be, do work, and  function, which one gives oneself.
	Meaningfulness: Value of the task.
	Progress: Making a difference and moving along.
	Choice: Autonomy.
	Competence: Mastery.

Empowerment:  The motivational content of an emerging paradigm that emphasizes  internalized commitment to the task and control over the conditions  that make one's actions possible.

Influence:  The ability to get others to move in the direction you want by providing acceptable alternatives to their beliefs or behavior.

Leadership:  The exercise of power and authority in the service of a goal.  Power: The ability to get what you want, given what is available  in the environment.

© 2000, Evangelina Holvino, Chaos Management, Ltd.