Conflict, Power, and

Organizational
Politics

By The Transformers
 Contents
I. CONFLICT IN ORGANIZATIONS
The Nature of Conflict
Levels of Conflict
Sources of Conflict
Effects of Conflict
A model of Conflict
II. ASSERTIVE BEHAVIOR
Assertiveness
Facilitating Smooth Relations
Stroking
III. POWER AND POLITICS
Power
Types of Power
Effects of Power Bases
Organizational Politics
 CONFLICT IN
ORGANIZATIONS
The Nature of Conflict
Conflict is an interpersonal process that arises from:
disagreements over the goals to attain
methods to be used to accomplish those goals
tone of voice used as people express their
positions
task interdependence
ambiguity of roles
policies and rules
personality differences etc.
Levels of Conflict
Intrapersonal Conflict
conflict from within an individual
Interpersonal Conflict
conflict affecting a person's emotions
Intergroup Conflict
conflict across the organization

***Conflict should not become so intense that individual

parties either hide it or escalate it to destructive levels.***
Sources of Conflict
1. Organizational Change: differing views to progress
2. Different sets of values: different beliefs and
values
3. Threats to status: struggle to maintain a desired
image
4. Contrasting perceptions: different perceptions
5. Lack of trust: relationship requires some degree of
trust
6. Incivility: failing to exhibit concern for others;
rudeness
 Effects of Conflict
Conflict is not all bad, it may result in either productive
or nonproductive outcomes.
Advantages Disadvantages
1. People are stimulated to 1. If the conflict lasts a long
search for improved period, it becomes too intense,
approaches. or is allowed to focus on
personal issues
2. Energizes them to be more
creative and to experiment 2. Cooperation and teamwork
with new ideas. may deteriorate

3. Once-hidden problems are 3. Distrust may grow among

brought to the surface. people
A Model of Conflict
Conflict Outcomes:
Conflict may produce 4 distinct outcomes:
1. lose-lose
2. win-lose
3. lose-win
4. win-win (preferred outcome)
Participant Intentions:
Outcomes are a product of the participants' intentions.
A Model of Conflict
Resolution Strategies:
These represents different degrees of concern for one's own
outcomes and for another's result. There are 5 strategies:
1. Avoiding: withdrawal from the conflict
2. Smoothing: accomodating the other party's interests
3. Forcing: using power tactics to achieve a win
4. Compromising: give up something in exchange for gaining
something
5. Confronting: facing the conflict directly and working it
through to a mutually satisfactory resolution
A Model of Conflict
Relationship-Restoring Approaches:

Relationship sometimes get damaged through actions or

statements. Goffman and others suggest four approaches:

1. Signaling the offense

2. Acknowledgment of error

3. Acceptance

4. Appreciation
A Model of Conflict
Negotiating Tactics:
Negotiating tactics finds the kinds of behaviors that
help resolve conflicts in a win-win fashion.
Tactics should produce an outcome that is fair for both
parties, removes the underlying cause of the conflict, and
is accomplished with a minimal investment of time and
energy.
Trust-building:
An essential ingredient in enduring relations between
two or more people.
ASSERTIVE BEHAVIOR
Assertiveness
Confronting conflict is not easy for some people,
and they often result in unproductive response.

An alternative is to practice assertive behaviors.

Assertiveness is the process of expressing feelings,

asking for legitimate changes, and giving and receiving
honest feedback.
Assertiveness
Stages in Assertive Behavior:
Being assertive in a situation involves 5 stages, but
not all steps may be necessary in all situation.
1. Describe the behavior
2. Express your feelings
3. Empathize
4. Offer problem solving alternatives
5. Indicate consequences
***Assertive behavior is most effective when integrated
with a number of verbal and nonverbal components.***
Facilitating Smooth Relations
In facilitating smooth relations, the skill interpersonal facilitation

is recommended.

Interpersonal facilitation is the capacity to focus on others'

personal needs, sensitivities, and idiosyncracies, and then work to keep

conflict under control and collaboration high among team members.

Stroking
Stroking is defined as any act of recognition for another.
Strokes may be positive or negative:
1. Positive strokes feel good when they are received.
2. Negative strokes hurt physically or emotionally.
Also, there is a difference between conditional and unconditional
strokes
1. Conditional Strokes are offered to employees if they
perform correctly or avoid problems.
2. Unconditional Strokes are presented without any
connection to behavior
POWER AND POLITICS
Power
Power is the ability to influence other people and events.

Power vs. Authority

Authority is delegated by higher management.

Power is earned and gained by leaders on the basis of

their personalities, activities, resources, and the situations
in which they operate.
Types of Power
1. Personal Power: also called as referent power or charismatic
power

2. Legitimate Power: also known as position power or official power

3. Expert Power: also known as authority of knowledge, comes from

specialized learning

4. Reward Power: capacity to control and administer items valued

by another

5. Coercive Power: capacity to punish another, or at least to create

a perceived threat
Effects of Power Bases
Power bases make employees respond in one in three ways:

1. They may resist the leader's initiative, if coercive power is

used consistently without apparent cause, or in an arrogant manner.

2. They may comply with the leader's wishes by meeting minimal

expectations while withholding extra effort.

3. The most desirable outcome is commitment, which is the

enthusiastic release of energy and talent to satisfy the leader's
request.
Organizational Politics
Organizational Politics refers to intentional behaviors that
are used to enhance or protect a person's influence and self-
interest while also inspiring confidence and trust by others.

Political skill consists four key dimensions:

1. Being socially astute

2. Having interpersonal influence

3. Creating useful networks

4. Expressing sincerity
Influence and Political Power
People in an organization must learn to produce
results, elicit cooperation, and make things happen
without reliance on traditional forms of power.

With the premise Everyone is motivated primarily

by her or his own self-interest., a person can
influence others by making mutually beneficial
exchanges with them to gain their cooperation.
Influence and Political Power
The following are 8 steps to follow for increasing your
influence:
1. Treat the other party as a potential ally.
2. Clearly identify your own objectives, and pick your battles to
fight.
3. Learn about the other party's needs, interests, and goals.
4. Inventory your own resources to identify what you can offer.
5. Assess your current relationship with the other person.
6. Decide what to ask for and what to offer.
7. Make the actual exchange that produces a gain for both