Lecture 10: Power & Influence

Question 1

what are the 3 dimensions of power?

Answer 1

1: managing resources
2: managing process
3: managing meaning

Question 2

what is the 1st dimension? managing resources

Answer 2

• conscious strategy to overcome resistance
• mobilising resources to defeat conflict
• power comes from the control over resources

Question 3

what is the 2nd dimension? managing process

Answer 3

decision making agenda… what gets talked about and what is on the table.. what is on the agenda and who is in the room when a decision gets made
conscious strategy to sideline resistance
eg, parliament for a long time refusing to even have the convo about same sex marriage…

Question 4

what is the 3rd dimension? managing meaning

Answer 4

conscious strategy to prevent resistance from happening in the first place
to change lang. to overcome resistance

Question 5

how is power based on dependency ?

Answer 5

if someone is dependent on you for a scarce resource, then you may have power over them

Question 6

what are the types of power?

Answer 6

reward 
coercive 
authority 
referent 
expert 
information 
affiliation 
group support 
budgets, equipment

Question 7

what is reward power

Answer 7

you have tangible and intangible ways to reward or punish people eg. teachers, parents, pay rises, promotions

Question 8

what is coercive power

Answer 8

you can injure or damage someone…

Question 9

what is authority power

Answer 9

you have a formal position in the hierarchy… eg, the government, CEO, judges etc

Question 10

what is referent power

Answer 10

you can established a personal rapport, you have charisma… people have power because we like them and we want to follow them, eg. celebrities

Question 11

what is expert power

Answer 11

you can do things that others cannot. you have credibility, a record of valued achievements… the wise ones with knowledge… eg. scientists

Question 12

what is information power

Answer 12

you have info that others do not… control of info/data.

eg, librarians as they can find what you need

Question 13

what is affiliation power

Answer 13

you are connected to powerful people.. power because you can get to the powerful person.. also called political access
eg. executive assistant to CEO

Question 14

what is group support in relation to power?

Answer 14

you have the support of many people… the numbers, having people behind you… eg. unions. power in numbers

Question 15

what are budgets and equipment relating to power?

Answer 15

you are able to allocate budgets and equipment to others… eg, treasurer

Question 16

how does the second dimension of power (process) work?

Answer 16

resistance is sidelined by managing the decision making the process
eg, controlling who has access to the decision making arena, what gets discussed, when and how it gets discussed, criteria for decision making
could sideline a decision maker who could cause conflict.

Question 17

how does the third dimension of power (meaning) work?

Answer 17

the use of language to minimise conflict without people realising it was going to occur
- changing the convo to reduce the conflict, reduces opposition because outcomes are simply accepted… how has an idea been changed through power?
eg. changing the name of the Iraqi war to the war on terror to minimise the resistance to the war
eg, climate change instead of global warming

Question 18

what is a key difference between the first two dimensions of power and the third dimension of power?

Answer 18

first two uses of power are in response to conflict, whereas the 3rd is used to unobtrusively used to prevent conflict…
manages meaning to ensure that outcome B feels favourable