Leadership Fundamentals:
Class 9 – Leading with
Power (1)
Prof Sally Maitlis

Leading with Power
Outline
• Defining & differentiating power
• Assessing the political landscape
• Identifying personal and positional power sources • Developing influence strategies
• Influence strategies mini-case: Ann
Lyman
• Leading with power at GMCT
2

Leading with Power
Four Frames

structural

political

human resource symbolic

Leading with Power
Four Frames

structural

political

human resource symbolic

Leading with Power
Assumptions of the Political Frame





Organizations are made up of coalitions
Enduring differences exist between coalitions
Resources are scarce and must be allocated
Scarce resources and differences make conflict the central dynamic
 Power becomes the most important asset
 Influence is key in determining dominant goals and decisions

Leading with Power
Organizations as Coalitions

Organizational goals are multiple and sometimes conflicting; they reflect bargaining between multiple players with divergent interests Leading with Power

“The ability of A to get B to do what B otherwise would not have done…”

Leading with Power
Our ambivalence
“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power”
Abraham Lincoln
“Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely”
Lord Acton
“Power corrupts. Absolute power is kind of neat”
John Lehman, Former Secretary of the US Navy

Leading with Power

Formal authority only gets you so far
Lateral and upward influence at least as important as downward influence

9

Leading with Power
Assessing the Political Landscape
Goals
Stakeholders
Power sources
Influence
strategies

• What are your goals?
• Who is important in achieving your goals?
• How will they feel about it?
• What are their sources of power?
• What are your sources of power?
• What are the most appropriate influence strategies? Leading with Power
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Scene:
•

A group therapy session in a mental hospital ward

Overview:
•

Randle McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) attempts to get
Nurse Ratched to change the daily ward schedule so that he and his fellow inmates can watch the
World Series on TV

Leading with Power
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Goals

• What are McMurhpy’s goals?

Stakeholders

• Who is important in McMurphy achieving his goals?
• How do they feel about it?

Power sources • What are their sources of power? • What are his sources of power?

Leading with Power
Personal Sources

Positional Sources

Expertise

Formal authority

Track record/credibility

Relevance

Effort

Centrality

Attractiveness

Autonomy
Visibility
13

Leading with Power
Assessing the Political Landscape
Goals
Stakeholders
Power sources
Influence
strategies

• What are your goals?
• Who is important in achieving your goal?
• How will they feel about it?
• What are their sources of power?
• What are your sources of power?
• What are the most appropriate influence strategies? Leading with Power
Influence Strategies – transforming power into influence
Strategy

Indirect approach

Direct approach

RETRIBUTION – forcing others to do things Intimidation (pressure) Coercion (threat)

RECIPROCITY –
Ingratiation (obligate) making others want to do things

Bargaining
(exchange)

REASON – convincing others to do things

Present facts
(stress