One of the most controversial issues in academic, political and business environments in the world is that of power in organizations, let's see the conceptual framework and tactics to increase power in organizations.
We can define power as the ability of a person or organizational unit to influence others in order to achieve the desired results. It is the potential to influence others within the organization, but with the objective of achieving results desired by those who hold power. Power exists only in a relationship between two or more people and can be exercised in a vertical or horizontal direction.
Many authors have studied the issue of power in organizations, Richard I. Daft is one of the most prominent in my opinion, let's see below the tactics to increase power in organizations taking as a reference the various studies carried out on the matter, in Richard I. Daft's special.
TACTICS TO INCREASE POWER IN ORGANIZATIONS
Entry to areas of high uncertainty:
One source of organizational power is dealing with crucial uncertainties. If the executives of an organizational unit can identify such uncertainties and take steps to eliminate them, the power base of their organizational unit will be enlarged.
Dependency creation
When the organization depends on an organizational unit for it to provide information, material, knowledge or skills, it will have power over others.
The power accumulated with the creation of a dependency can be used to resolve future disagreements in favor of the organizational unit.
Supply of resources
Resources are always important for organizational survival. Organizational units that accumulate resources and offer them to the organization in the form of money, information, or facilities, will be powerful.
Satisfaction of strategic contingencies
The theory of strategic contingencies indicates that some elements of the external and internal environment of the organization are of special importance for organizational success. A contingency could be a crucial event, a task for which there are no substitutes, or a central task that is interdependent or many others in the organization.
POLITICAL TACTICS TO USE POWER
Coalition building
This means taking the time to talk to other executives and persuade them to accept your point of view. The most important decisions are made outside of formal meetings. An important aspect of coalition building is building good relationships.
Network expansion
These can be expanded: By building new alliances through the process of hiring, transfers, and promotions or through co-optation, that is, by attracting dissidents to one's network.
Control of the premises of the decisions
This control means setting limits to a decision. One technique is to choose or limit the information that is provided to other executives. A common method is to show the best face of the organizational unit, as well as the selective presentation of favorable criteria.
Elevation of legitimacy and skills
Executives can be more influential when their legitimacy and skill are recognized. If a request falls within the task domain of one organizational unit and is consistent with their vested interests, the other organizational units will tend to accept the situation.
Make preferences explicit, but implicitly retain power
Political activity is effective only when the objectives and needs are explicitly stated so that the organization can respond. Managers must negotiate vigorously and be persuasive.
However, the use of power should not be obvious. Power works best when used discreetly. To draw attention to it is to lose it. The mighty, not the powerful, make explicit claims of having power. People know who has power.
In conclusion, power is a skill that will allow a person or organizational unit to influence in order to achieve the desired objectives, used properly it will allow them to be more competitive and thus achieve high levels of effectiveness and efficiency.
