Exam 5: Gaining Power and Influence

What is the notion of legitimacy within an organization related to?

If you go beyond what is expected and this results in more influence for you,you have probably utilized the power base of flexibility.

Which of the following characteristics are important sources of personal power?

What is the best way to gain visibility?

If you took on functions essential for the performance of other activities,how have you expanded your power?

If you want to increase the relevance of your job to the organization,what should you do?

If you use the influence strategy that helps others to see why they should do what you say,which influence strategy are you using?

If a person desires to move up in the general management hierarchy,what should he/she do?

One should use reason when (1)adequate time for extensive discussion exists, (2)parties share mutual respect and credibility,and (3)needs are specific and short term.Which statements are correct?

River Woods Plant Manager Heritage Appliance Company recently announced plans to construct the River Woods manufacturing plant,replacing the company's original,flagship facility adjacent to the company headquarters in Edgemont.In announcing the new plant,the company stated that to the extent possible it would be staffed by Edgemont plant personnel and that the excess personnel would be transferred to other Heritage plants in neighboring states.Heritage management views the River Woods facility as the plant of the future,featuring new methods of production and lower processing costs and manpower requirements. In a recent press release,the Heritage CEO noted that they were replacing one of the least automated plants in the industry with a plant using new forms of production not previously seen in appliance manufacturing.Heritage Appliance is also using the River Woods plant to pilot a new decentralized management structure.In the past,the firm's marketing activities were directed from the home office by a vice president.Manufacturing operations and certain other departments were under the control of the company's senior vice president.In this centralized,functional arrangement,none of the company's four plants had a general manager.Instead,each department in a plant reported on a line basis to its functional counterpart at the home office (e.g. ,director of production,director of engineering).In contrast,the new River Woods plant manager will be responsible for the management of all functions and personnel except marketing and sales. There is general consensus among the top management team that the long-term viability of the firm depends on the success of this initiative.However,some have expressed concerns about the difficulty of the task facing the River Woods general manager.They point to the shift from functional lines of communication and accountability to a plant-level focus,as well as the challenges of upgrading the skills of the Edgemont plant personnel,working out the bugs in new applications of advanced manufacturing processes to appliance design and production,and dealing with the inevitable complaints from employees in a small company town who are not satisfied with their new assignments and who might serve as the catalyst for unionizing the only nonunion U.S.appliance manufacturing firm. -If you were part of the selection committee for the River Woods plant manager position,based on what you've learned about the sources of personal power in this chapter,describe what you would consider to be the ideal candidate's qualifications.

If you use an influence strategy that makes others want to do what you say,which influence strategy are you using?

The quickest way to increase your power in an organization is to enhance the image of your manager.

If you are the only one in the office who understands how to do a PowerPoint presentation,which base of power do you most likely have?

Mini-Case: A Day at the Office.Your boss has called you into his office.It's 9:00 a.m.Friday morning.He asks,"I've talked to others in your group,and they have agreed to work this weekend to get the project out the door by next Monday.Can I count on you?" You respond,"Can I give you a decision later today,say by 11:00 a.m.? I need to check my calendar to see if I am available." Your boss agrees.In checking your schedule,you see that you have a meeting at 2:00 p.m.with one of your company's major clients to review the latest shipment.If you work this weekend,you will have to cancel the meeting because you will have some preparation work to do prior to working on the project this weekend.The client will not be pleased if you cancel the meeting.You immediately find Max and say,"Max,good friend,remember that time I pulled your shift last May when your wife had the baby? Well,I need for you to cover for me this weekend.Can you?" Max agrees.You go to your boss's office and before you have an opportunity to speak,he says,"I really need for you to see this project through for me.You are the only one in the group that fully comprehends what this project means to the company.I need your expertise and judgment on this." -Various types of influence strategies are illustrated in the story of a day at the office.For each of the following situations,indicate the type of influence strategy that was illustrated.Provide support for your answer. Situation #1: In your first meeting with your boss,at 9:00 a.m. ,which influence strategy did he employ? Situation #2: Which influence strategy did you employ with Max? Situation #3: Which influence strategy did your boss try a second time? Situation #4: Your spouse has reminded you on several occasions during the past week how he wants to visit his family this weekend.You have come to the conclusion that unless you agree to go,you will hear about this until the day you die.Which influence strategy is your spouse using?

Empowerment uses sufficient amount of personal power to achieve high levels of effectiveness.

Which of the following characteristics is not an important source of personal power?

What will a performance appraisal system that rewards initiative and innovation do?

If you would like to expand your power base horizontally,what could you do?

You have a desire to move up in the company.You have been offered two positions.One position is more people oriented and the other position is more task oriented.Which position should you take?

If you want to increase your power by having information routed through your position and by increasing the technical sophistication of your work,what have you increased?