JEFFREY PFEFFER The Thomas D Dee II Professor

JEFFREY PFEFFER Ø The Thomas D. Dee II Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Graduate School of Business, Stanford University where he has taught since 1979. Ø The author or co-author of thirteen books. Ø Received his B. S. and M. S. degrees from Carnegie-Mellon University and his Ph. D. from Stanford. Ø Began his career at business school at the University of Illinois and then taught at the University of California, Berkeley.

Success begins with preparation and practice v. Power is a force that can be used and harnessed not only for individual gain but also for the benefit of organizations and society v. Power is not something that can be learned from those in charge

Three reasons why you should want Power 1. Related to living a longer and healthier life 2. Visibility and stature that accompany power can produce wealth 3. Leadership is necessary to get things done

Belief in just world limits ability to gain power 1. Belief in a just world hinders a person’s ability to learn from situations and other people 2. Belief that the world is a just place anesthetizes people to the need to be proactive in building a power base

GETTING OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY Sometimes we are our own biggest obstacle v People should feel good about themselves v People like to be on teams with positive people v Don’t become self-handicapping v People Notice!

The false belief that good performance will obtain promotions and power ØIf you are going to create a path of power, you need to lose the idea that performance by itself is enough ØGood performance does not guarantee success ØPoor performance doesn’t mean you will lose your job

Points on how to obtain Power 1. Good relationship with your supervisor 2. Job Performance/Outcomes 3. Get Noticed

Three personal qualities that bring influence • Believe that personal change is possible • See yourself and your strengths and weaknesses as objectively as possible • Understand the most important qualities for building a power base § Then, focus your time and attention on developing them

Seven important personal qualities that build power Ø Ambition Ø Energy Ø Focus Ø Self-knowledge Ø Confidence Ø Empathy with Others Ø Capacity to Tolerate Conflict

Intelligence is often overrated Ø The importance of general mental ability in understanding who actually get ahead is small Ø Academic performance is a weak predictor of career success measures such as income ØPeople who are exceptionally smart think they can do everything on their own and do it better than everyone else ØConsequently, they may fail to bring others along with them

Knowing Where to Start v Identifying and working in powerful units in a company Ø Managers that start in high-powered units, stay in high powered units. ØCommon mistake: Company’s core activity ØMore Competition ØThe most important today, may not be tomorrow ØInstead, go for underexplored niche

Identifying Departments v What makes departments more powerful than others Ø Unit Cohesion Ø Ability to provide critical resources Ø Ability to solve critical problems v What departments hold power Ø Relative pay Ø Unit location and facilities Ø Positions on committees and in senior management

Standing Out and Breaking the Rules v Don’t be afraid to stand out v Asking Works ØIt’s uncomfortable ØIt’s flattering ØGetting More Stuart Golden v Likeability is overrated ØCan they be helpful to you?

Something out of Nothing v Creating Resources ØControlling access to jobs and money bring power ØPower and resources begets more power and resources v Common Mistake: I cannot build power or resources from my current position ØBuild your base now ØResources are anything people want or need 1. Provide Attention and Support 2. Do Small but Important Tasks 3. Build a Resource Base Inside & Outside Your Organization 4. Leverage Your Association with a Prestigious Institution

Networking v “Behaviors that are aimed at building, maintaining, and using informal relationships that possess the (potential) benefit of facilitating work-related activities of individuals by voluntarily gaining access to resources and maximizing… advantages. ” v Importance of networking ØBetter performance reviews and salary ØBrings you into contact with more people

Networking Behaviors v Building Internal Contacts v Maintaining Internal Contacts v Using Internal Contacts v Building External Contacts v Maintaining External Contacts v Using External Contacts

Tips for Better Networking v Don’t shy away from it v Make a list v Challenge your habits v Network with the right people ØNot all relationships are equal ØStrong ties vs Weak ties

Acting with Power v Important principles of acting with power ØWhat starts as an act becomes less of one with practice ØYour emotions influence those around you ØEmotions and actions become self-reinforcing v. Displaying anger is not always a bad thing v Oliver North vs Donald Kennedy

Speaking with Power v. Speaking Powerfully ØAssess the situation ØDon’t let others interrupt you ØTips for sounding more persuasive 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Use Us vs Them language Pause for emphasis Use a list of three items Use contrastive pairs Avoid Scripts or notes Use humor when appropriate

Building a Reputation: Perception is reality v Fundamental principles of reputation building ØMake a good impression early ØCarefully design the elements of your image ØUse the media to build up your visibility ØHave others sing your praises ØMake your weakness known

Overcoming Opposition and Setbacks v Strategies for dealing with conflict ØTreat opponents well, give them a graceful way to retreat ØDon’t cause yourself unnecessary problems ØDon’t take things personally ØBe persistent ØMove first and seize the initiative v Strategies for dealing with setbacks ØDon’t give up ØContinue doing things that make you successful ØAct as if – Projecting power and success

The Price of Power v Cost 1: Visibility and public scrutiny ØJob Performance is being watched closely ØScrutiny makes doing your job more difficult v. Cost 2: Loss of autonomy v. Cost 3: Time and effort required v. Cost 4: Trust Dilemmas v. Cost 5: Power as an addictive drug

Why and How People Lose Power v Annual turnover rates are way up v Reasons people lose power ØOverconfidence or ignoring interests of others ØMisplaced or too much trust ØPeople lose patience ØPeople Get tired ØWorld changes but tactics don’t v Leave Gracefully

Power Dynamics v Political behaviors affect all organizations v Political struggles occur over scarce resources and how they are allocated v Politics happens at every level v Organization free of politics is impossible

It’s Easier Than You Think v Steps to find the right place for you ØBe brutally honest about your strengths and weaknesses ØDon’t follow the crowd ØBe objective v Claim your power and don’t give it away v Sometimes you have to be pursue your own interests v You can’t get away from power and politics in organizations

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