How do organization manage political behaviour?

Answer 1

Techniques of managing political behavior.

a)

Open communication also can constrain the impact of politi­cal behavior. For instance, open communication can let everyone know the basis for allocating resources, thus reducing the amount of political behavior. When communication is open, it also makes it more difficult for some people to control information and pass along gossip as a political weapon.

b)

Avoiding favoritism is a potent way of minimizing politics within a work group. If group members believe that getting the boss to like them is much less important than good job performance in obtaining rewards, they will try to impress the boss through task-related activities.

c)

Setting good examples at the top of the organization can help reduce the fre­quency and intensity of organizational politics. When leaders are nonpolitical in their actions, they demonstrate in subtle ways that political behavior is not wel­come. It may be helpful for the leader to announce during a staff meeting that de­vious political behavior is undesirable and unprofessional.

d)

Another way of reducing the extent of political behavior is for individuals and the organization to have goal congruence, i.e., share the same goals, with thorough understanding of what they mean. If political behavior will interfere with the company and individuals achieving their goals, workers with goal congruence are less likely to play office politics excessively.

e)

Politics can sometimes be constrained by a threat to discuss question­able information in a public forum. People who practice devious politics usually want to operate secretly and privately. They are willing to drop hints and innuen­does and make direct derogatory comments about someone else, provided they will not be identified as the source. An effective way of stopping the discrediting of others is to offer to discuss the topic publicly.

Answer 2

Power and Politics are inseparable. Organizational politics is power in action. People indulge in politics to have their own way in an organizational setting. Despite putting in the best of their performances, many people are denied promotion or a raise in salary. Those, not so competent, appear to have the best of everything in the organization. It is natural for such people to wish for a "politics-free‟ organization. we have a "politics-free‟ organization? Theoretically "yes‟ but practically "no‟. We can have a politics-free environment if somehow all of us in an organization share the same values, goals and interests and the organization has unlimited resources. This, you will agree, is possible but not likely. We have politics because we have different view-points, interests, goals and values. What is "scheming‟ for me could be "planning ahead‟ for another; similarly "blaming others‟ is viewed as "fixing responsibility‟; "ambitious‟ is "career-minded‟; "forming coalitions‟ is "facilitating team-work‟ and so on.

In itself, therefore, politics is neither good nor bad. Politics too is natural and ever presenting all organizations, as power is. Use of illegitimate means and illegitimate objectives makes politics bad. Pfeffer maintained that for the effective and efficient functioning of an organization, politics is essential and indispensable.

Managing political behaviour: Political behaviour cannot be eliminated, but it needs to be managed properly to take advantage of its positive aspects and reduce the possibility of its negative impact. The following steps are suggested:

 Defining job duties clearly

 Designing job clearly

 Encouraging ethical behaviour

 Promoting understanding and trust between formal and informal groups

 Allocating resources judiciously.

 Implementing appropriate performance appraisal system

 Optimizing job pressures.

Strategies used to achieve political ends are as follows:

 Consultation:Involving people to reach a desired decision or to bring about desired change.

 Rational persuasion:This involves convincing others by using reason, logic, information etc. In the Mahabharata, Krishna pays a visit to Dhritarashtra in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent wa,r with a rational proposal to seek five villages for the Pandavas.

 Inspirational appeal: In this, support is sought by appealing to higher ideals, values or emotions of others. In the movie Chak de IndiaKabir Khan (Shahrukh khan) appeals to the patriotism of his best (though most troublesome) player to seek her support for eventual victory.

 Ingratiating strategy: At times we make others appear important, trustworthy or good, with a view to make them accept our point of view or request. In Mahaharata, Duryodhan recognizes the value of Karna to counter Arjuna and ingratiates Karna by offering him a kingdom.

 Coalition strategy: At times individuals and groups collaborate with each other to achieve the desired end. During second world-war USA, UK, France and Russia entered into a coalition to defeat Germany, Japan and Italy.

 Pressure strategy: Use of threats, intimidation or harmful consequences to gain support.

 Upward appeal: This involves seeking support of top level executives.

 Exchange strategy: Under this, favours or promises of favour are offered on exchange basis, to achieve desired the objective.

 Image building: This means making efforts to create a positive image for oneself. Duryodhan had carefully cultivated the image of a humble, respectful, and selfless person in the eyes of Balrama, the elder brother of Krishna.

 Rule manipulation: Refusing request of an adversary on the ground it is against the organizational rules, but granting a request from an ally, citing it as under exceptional circumstances.

 Escapgoating: Putting the blame for a failure on others and taking credit for any success.