Sent From My IPhone Managing Groups On Teams

Sent From My Iphonemanaging Groups Teamsmgt 567dr Brandon Randolph

Sent From My Iphonemanaging Groups Teamsmgt 567dr Brandon Randolph

Sent from my iPhone Managing Groups & Teams MGT 567 Dr. Brandon Randolph-Seng Besides excellent work, what does it take to get ahead in an organization? 2 Influence What is influence? Process of affecting the thoughts, behavior, and feelings of another person 3 Managers & Influence? A Manager may have the right to influence a subordinate (authority), but may not be influential E.g., All managers are not leaders 4 Need for Influence?

Without the power to influence, neither organizations nor individuals can accomplish much As a manager, how can you best influence your employees? 5 Situational Factors Situational factors of subordinates are what managers can INFLUENCE the most What are these situational factors in organizations? Situational Factors in Organizations: Any factor that is external to the individual in an organizational context E.g., Organizational culture, Work context, Group Norms, Assigned Roles, Reward systems Organizational Politics/Power is central 6 What is Organizational Politics? Informal, unofficial, behind-the-scenes efforts to sell ideas, influence organizations, and increase power How might you engage in political behavior at your job?

Learning the organizational culture and power players Develop good working relationship (especially w/ boss) Being a loyal team player Gaining recognition 7 Is Political Behavior Unethical? Work in organizations requires skill in handling conflicting agendas Effective when can maintain relationships while achieving results Politics not inherently bad Aware of potentially destructive aspects 8 Organizational Politics Politics part of organizational life Made up of different interests need to be aligned Scarce resources (decisions, change) People ally with like-minded others to win scarce resources Organization overly driven by politics? Less committed, lower satisfaction, poorer performance, more anxiety and depression on the job 9 Minimize Political Behavior?

Equal access to information Model collaborative behavior Not reward or tolerate negative political behavior High levels of feedback Remember politics can be a healthy and effective way to get things done 10 Overcoming Ineffective Politics Steps for overcoming ineffective politics due to turf wars: Create a thematic goal Create a set of defining objectives Create a set of ongoing standard operating objectives Create metrics to measure them Political Skill Political skill refers to a person’s interpersonal style, including their ability to relate well to others, self-monitor, alter their reactions depending on the situation, and inspire confidence and trust. 70% of managers felt that in order to be successful, a person had to engage in politics Social Networks A social network is a map or the relationships between individuals. A social network analysis (SNA) is a systematic effort to examine the structure of social relationships in a group. Social Networks 75-95% of all jobs are filled through social networks Those with Political Skill tend to know the social networks and how to use them Much of the work in organizations is done through informal social networks 14 What is Power? Power is the ability to INFLUENCE the behavior of others to get what you want. Bases of Power? Bases of Power?

Legitimate Role or position Reward Power The ability to grant a reward Coercive Power Expert Power Information Power Referent Power Take away or punish someone for noncompliance Knowledge and skills Special access to specific information Interpersonal attraction Who is this? Fortune recently named Steve Jobs the most powerful person in business. Why? Helped to transform five different industries: computers, Hollywood movies, music, retailing, and wireless phones How? Through people following Job’s direction Why did they follow his direction?

He knew how to use his power (all six kinds) to inspire and intimidate Why does this work? Stan Milgram (1961) of Yale wondered the same thing about power Video Shock Generator Caution Amps On Intensity Resistance Amp Meter Slight Shock Moderate Shock Strong Shock Very Strong Shock Intense Shock Extreme Shock Danger XXX All Obeyed All Still Obeying All Still Obeying All Still Obeying 1 of 4 Stopped 1 of 8 more Stopped 65% Still Obedient How many obeyed? 21 The legal and philosophic aspects of obedience are of enormous importance, but they say very little about how most people behave in concrete situations. I set up a simple experiment at Yale University to test how much pain an ordinary citizen would inflict on another person simply because he was ordered to by an experimental scientist.

Stark authority was pitted against the subjects' [participants'] strongest moral imperatives against hurting others, and, with the subjects' [participants'] ears ringing with the screams of the victims, authority won more often than not. The extreme willingness of adults to go to almost any lengths on the command of an authority constitutes the chief finding of the study and the fact most urgently demanding explanation. Ordinary people, simply doing their jobs, and without any particular hostility on their part, can become agents in a terrible destructive process. Moreover, even when the destructive effects of their work become patently clear, and they are asked to carry out actions incompatible with fundamental standards of morality, relatively few people have the resources needed to resist authority.[4]

Milgram’s obedience study Participants serving as “teachers” are ordered to continue shocking someone with a known heart condition who is begging to be released.

Result? 63% of “teachers” delivered highest level of shock (450 volts) to the heart condition “learner.” Recently replicated w/ similar results What factors affect obedience? Four major factors affecting obedience: Legitimacy and physical closeness of the authority figure Command by phone Other participant given control Off of Yale University campus Remoteness of the victim Not seen or heard Same room Forced hand to the shock plate Depersonalized (executions, combat, gas chamber) What factors affect obedience? Assignment of responsibility (self vs. others) Someone else administer shocks, you administer the learning test Experimenter takes full responsibility Modeling/imitation (others openly rebelling or fully obeying) Liberating effects of group influence How does the fact that people do what they are told relate to real life organizations?

25 Obedience & Ethics In organizations members accept the idea that, to be members in good standing, they must give up a certain amount of independence and autonomy Managers can hold great power as the legitimate authority in work settings Automatic default to manager (leader) No choice but to follow boss’ orders?

26 Management Implications? Step-by-step entrapment Escalation of Commitment.

Power of the Situation F.A.E.: Act according to dispositions? “Ordinary people doing their jobs without any particular hostility can become agents of a destructive process”

Assigned Roles Social Roles Cluster of norms Patricia Hearst’s story Symbionese Liberation Army Social situations can move most “normal” people to behave in “abnormal” ways

Prison Study Role playing (what is unreal can subtly evolve into what is real) Zimbardo prison study Doing becomes believing 29 What is the connection between roles, ethics, and real life organizations?

30 Roles and Ethics Enter work organizations in a state of role readiness (ethical selves) Conflicting roles → pressure to be dishonest (e.g., corporate physicians, lawyers, accountants) Roles powerful influence on behavior: ethical and unethical Roles can reduce sense of individuality 31 If you could be totally invisible for 24 hours and were completely assured that you would not be detected or held responsible for your actions, what would you do?

Deindividuation The loosening of normal constraints on behavior when people can’t be identified, leading to an increase in impulsive and deviant acts. Zimbardo (1970) New York University women and shock Internet chat rooms, newsgroups, and listservs: hostility Convertibles and Jeeps 34 Deindividuation makes people less accountable.

This occurs for two reasons: 1) people feel less accountable for their actions because it reduces the likelihood that any individual will be singled out and blamed. What is the connection between personal responsibility, ethics, and real life organizations?

35 Responsibility, Work, & Ethics Personal responsibility: Prerequisite for moral action. Organizational Dynamics can lessen this feeling of personal responsibility.

Decisions made in groups (groupthink), responsibilities divided (just a small cog in the large organizational machine), & psychological distance 36 What can be done about diffused responsibility in groups? To Kill a Mockingbird. Self-awareness is the opposite: Increase self-control. Action reflects attitudes.

37 In the movie To Kill a Mockingbird, A lynch mob arrives to kill Tom Robinson. Atticus’ daughter Scout starts talking to one of the men in the mob – calling him by name “Mr. Cunningham.” Then she started talking about his son, how she’d bullied him once, but how nice he was about it, and how she’d had him over for dinner once, and how nice it was to have him over. This simple act mitigated the ‘deindividuation’ effect of the mob – and Mr. Cunningham instructed the group to ‘clear out’.

“When we understand the ordinariness of extraordinary evil, we will be less surprised by evil, less likely to be unwitting contributors to evil, and better equipped to forestall evil.”

Paper For Above instruction

The dynamics of influence, power, and ethical behavior within organizations are complex and multifaceted, deeply rooted in both individual traits and the broader situational and cultural context. This paper explores the key concepts surrounding influence, power, social networks, organizational politics, and ethics, illustrating how these elements shape individual and organizational behavior.

Influence is defined as the process of affecting the thoughts, behavior, and feelings of others. While managers often have authority—implying the right to influence—they are not necessarily influential unless they possess the interpersonal skills to sway others effectively (Yukl, 2013). The need for influence becomes apparent in organizational settings because, without it, organizations cannot attain their goals efficiently. Managers can influence subordinates most effectively by understanding and leveraging situational factors, including organizational culture, work context, group norms, reward systems, and assigned roles (Robbins & Judge, 2019). Recognizing these factors allows managers to tailor their influence strategies to foster motivation, collaboration, and performance (Avolio & Bass, 2004).

Organizational politics—informal efforts to influence decision-making and increase power—are a natural part of organizational life. While often viewed negatively, political behavior can be ethical or unethical depending on its intent and methods. Skillful political conduct involves understanding organizational culture, cultivating relationships, and aligning interests to achieve goals (Boas & Brown, 2009). When managed ethically, politics serve as a tool for navigating complex organizational terrains and resolving conflicts (Ferris, Treadway, & Kacmar, 2007). Conversely, destructive political behavior, such as turf wars or manipulation, can erode trust, lower commitment, and impair performance (Kernaghan & Vanvik, 2008).

To minimize negative political behavior, organizations should promote transparency, equitable access to information, and a culture of collaboration. Encouraging feedback and rewarding positive political skills can help leverage politics as an effective organizational mechanism (Vigoda-Gadot & Drory, 2006). Overcoming ineffective politics involves establishing clear goals, defining objectives, creating metrics for success, and developing political skills that foster consensus and shared purpose (Jabri, 2011).

Power is central to organizational influence, with various bases such as legitimate power (role or position), reward power, coercive power, expert power, and referent power. Steve Jobs exemplified the effective use of multiple power bases by inspiring followers and transforming industries. His ability to leverage his expert and referent power to influence others underpins his success (Kouzes & Posner, 2017). Stanley Milgram's experiments on obedience demonstrated how authority figures could induce individuals to perform unethical acts, highlighting the dark side of power. Factors influencing obedience include legitimacy, proximity, responsibility, modeling behaviors, and group influence, underscoring the power of situational factors over personal dispositions (Milgram, 1963).

Obedience studies reveal that individuals often comply with authority figures even when such actions conflict with personal morals. In organizations, managers hold significant power by virtue of their formal authority, which can lead to unquestioning obedience. While authority is necessary for organizational functioning, it can also facilitate unethical behaviors if unchecked (Haslam & Reicher, 2012). Condemning obedience outright ignores the situational influences that shape behavior. Recognizing the power of context and authority structures helps organizations develop ethical safeguards and encourage critical thinking among employees.

Roles are influential in shaping behavior, often resisting ethical standards or reinforcing unethical conduct due to role expectations. The Stanford prison experiment and the case of Patricia Hearst illustrate how social roles and situational pressures can drive individuals to act in ways inconsistent with personal morals (Zimbardo, 1973). Deindividuation—a state of reduced self-awareness in anonymous settings—further exacerbates unethical conduct, leading to impulsive and deviant acts (Festinger, Pepitone, & Newcomb, 1952). For instance, online hostility often escalates due to deindividuation, highlighting the importance of accountability mechanisms to curtail misconduct (Berkowitz & LePage, 1967).

The concept of personal responsibility is vital to moral action. Organizational environments that promote diffuse responsibility—such as groupthink or divided responsibilities—often diminish individuals’ sense of accountability. The movie "To Kill a Mockingbird" exemplifies how small acts of individual moral courage can counteract the deindividuating effects of mob mentality (Lee, 1960). Enhancing self-awareness and promoting ethical reflection are strategies to increase personal responsibility and ethical behavior in organizations (Scheff, 1990). Encouraging individual moral agency counters the tendency for collective evil and is crucial for fostering ethical cultures (Rest, 1986).

In summary, understanding influence, power, and ethics requires recognizing the profound impact of situational and social factors. While power can be a force for good, it also has the potential to cause harm when misused or unchecked. Ethical behavior in organizations hinges on individual accountability, transparent practices, and cultivating a culture that values moral action. Recognizing the complex interplay between personal traits and organizational context is essential for effective leadership and sustainable organizational success.

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