Effective Uses of Power and Authority

[Music] [Music] Morning. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Come on. [Music] Oh. [Music] [Music] [Music] My sense of the psychological definition of power is that power in reality is freedom. We have power to control what we want to do in our daily lives to have some impact over our personal environment. That to me is a kind of personal power. At a very early age, we begin to learn what power means. We all have power in one form or another. [Music] Power is all around us, taking shape in a variety of forms. There is power in paper. There is power in the human voice. You stayed up all night. Wow, what a blast. down your head and your stomach needs relief. Fast, fast, fast, fast. Out pop. Oh, what a relief it is. >> And there is power in words, [Music] the power of the military, [Music] the power of the bureaucracy. [Music] The power of good, the power of evil. >> The Austrian paper hanger. >> There is power in ideas [Music] and power in the symbols we choose. Power need not be considered the exclusive domain of captains and kings. Nor does it belong to manipulating politicians and bosses who wish to exercise tight control. And yet the negative misconceptions of power continue to abound. Everybody has power in one form or another. It's just the use of power, how we use power that ever gets anything accomplished. Every time we use power, we involve people in one way or another. And one thing we have to consider is when we use our power, we must also use its corollary sensitivity. If we make ourselves sensitive to the impact our power has on other people, then we have a choice to make. If by using our power we are hurtful, we have to decide whether to do it or not. When we use our power, we are involving other people. Power can be viewed as simply and directly as the ability to get others to do what we want done. Influencing others is our first step in using power. Alfred Adler, a contemporary of Sigman Freuds, refused to accept Freud's belief that the sex drive was the prime motivating force in human behavior. Adler believed that man possessed the will to power. That is a driving need to establish control and to dominate his environment. There are some very basic human concerns involved in the interpersonal quest for power. Friendship, love, acceptance of our ideas, the respect and esteem of other people, and money all play a part in our desire for power. When we feel alone, we sometimes feel we are powerless. But when we come together to pursue common goals, we begin to feel we have some power. Social and political events illustrate how we come together to seek power. The 1960s saw the birth of the civil rights movement, Vietnam war protests, and black power advocates, groups of individuals who all sought to gain political power. [Applause] [Music] The 1970s saw the development of personal discovery movements in which individuals choose a variety of different paths to pursue a common goal of personal power. [Music] When we line up with people who share our values or goals, we hope to attain power by being a member of the group. [Music] Power is not an absolute, a finite fixed commodity. Although some people may appear to have more power than we do, it does not mean that we have none at all. Power can be shared or delegated or joined together with other people's power. Today in our field of psychology, we're beginning to view power or the quest for power as a drive towards self-affirmation and self assertion and growth. But some people view power a bit differently. Some people have developed a sense of power as a reaction and to anxiety, to insecurity. Their feelings of inadequacy plague them so much that they have to abuse the power they have to control others and to coers to get their jobs done. What is this? Some kind of joke? You people. I thought you were supposed to be experts. This is supposed to be red, not blue. Did you proofread this? Who proof read this? Did you? >> How do you spell banana? How many N's are there in banana? >> B A N A N A. >> There's too many N's in this banana. >> Look at this. The registration's out of alignment. Did you notice this? Look, I'm responsible for everything that goes out the door here, and I cannot do it all myself. You people are going to have to do a better job. Some people can only feel powerful by dominating and controlling others. We may be able to see that it is not power at all that they have, but bluff, a defensive wall to keep themselves from being vulnerable. In fact, they suffer from a grand insecurity. >> Mobile operator, this is CF453. >> Those people whose quest for power is based on normal drives draw from their own inner strengths. Possessing a need for achievement, they have the self-confidence to seek positions of authority. >> I'm really enthusiastic. They strive to create a positive feeling about themselves so that others will join them in doing the things they want done. >> Process right away. >> Good. Follow. >> All people with authority have the opportunity to exert leadership. Positive leadership involves getting other people to do what you want done in a style that encourages them to maintain their self-esteem. Legitimate power is the most widely accepted source of power. It is what is most often called authority. Legitimate power comes from the role or position we hold. The authority we possess gives us the right to act, order, and direct others to do what we want. Leadership and influence need not be confined to those with authority. Each and every one of us possesses different sources of power we can use in a variety of situations. >> Okay, Jim, I think it's right. How do we load the programmer? Expert power is a source of power held when we have some special knowledge, skill or competence in a certain area. It is the expertise of a specialist in his given field. the ability to evaluate and use data effectively. >> I got the green light from JB. The project's priority now. >> Oh, great. Great. >> Your designs are great. But we've got to move fast. >> Reward power is based on our ability to serve up rewards. It can be the support of a colleague or a promotion from the boss. It is the recognition of a job well done and can be encouragement to keep up the good work. You got it. >> By the way, Don, if this CRS60 goes, I'll get a vice presidency for you. >> Gloria, I know it's another $3,000, but we've already spent 20 grand on that addition. No, we we planned on the redwood deck and the sauna, so let's just spend the 3,000. Okay. All right. I'll be home early. I love you, too. Bye, Don. Then going over the cost analyses on the CRS60. >> Mhm. >> They're much too high. >> Coercive power is the power we derive from our ability to threaten punishment and deliver penalties. It is a source of power we use to apply pressure so that others will meet our demands. >> $250,000 on this project. Now, the bottom line is if you can't get the cost per unit down, I'm going to have to urge a veto on the whole project. I know Klein and >> Can you call computer graphics? Tell them I'm on my way. >> Mr. Doyle, you have to see this article. >> Oh, I really haven't turned now. >> It seems our competitors are working on a consumer project and it sounds a lot like ours. >> No, no, no. >> Information power is a source of power that can stem from any person in the organization. Even if the data they share is not in their field of expertise, if it is correct and can affect us, it is worthy of our recognition. a meeting in my office this afternoon with uh Klein Woods and Weston. >> Okay. Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> All right. I'll level it with you. >> Reference power is the most subtle form of power. >> It comes from the affinity other people have for us. They admire our personal qualities, our style, or the dedication we bring to our work. >> 60 on the line. >> Well, Jim, right now the cost per unit's too high. We got to get the cost down. We can cut the cost, but the quality will go to hell. >> I know we can get the cost down and market the superior product. >> Reference power can be viewed as a sort of inspiration power because people's admiration for us allows us to influence them without having to offer reward or threaten punishments. >> We're a good professional team. This is our chance to crack the consumer market. This product can put computer data incorporated on the map. >> Now depending on all of you, we've all got to work together. All right. >> Obviously, not all uses of power are successful. Many times we come into direct conflict with the power other people possess. We call these conflicts power moments. Now, how we act in these power moments is directly related to how we perceive the source, the nature, and the magnitude of other people's power. That gives us information on the strategies we must then use. >> Bless my soul a miracle. [Laughter] >> Robber thief, give me back my mutton joint. Oh, >> fight is a strategy in which we decide to use our power to move against the power of another person. >> While it need not be violent, it is a clear attempt to gain the power advantage. >> Give me back my mutton joint. >> So close, my ponderous one. I'd have a word with you. >> Well, I live in the forest with a few score good fellows who have everything in life save spiritual guidance. [Music] [Music] I our lady, you're the fairest swordman I ever met. >> Now, must we go on then? I think we're even now, Fri. >> Even? Nay, you're still ahead of me by half a leg of mutton. >> Oh, >> no. Hold there, Fry. Enough. Come with me and I'll promise you the finest venison pasty and the biggest you ever ate. Beef bors head costs of >> negotiation takes place when a mutual respect for another person's power causes us to abandon a fight strategy. >> Negotiation allows us to recognize that there may be areas where our self-interests converge. The holy handsman. >> Collaboration takes place when we join our power with the power of others to attain common goals. >> Collaboration comes about because we realize that our self-interests converge. >> Arrest this man. [Music] Placation is a strategy we choose when we want to remain in a situation, but we decide it is in our best interest to give up our power temporarily in the hope that things will cool off. [Music] Flight is another way to avoid conflict but involves removing ourselves physically and emotionally from the situation. [Music] We may as Robin Hood return another day to pursue another power strategy or we may choose to develop our interpersonal skills of power and influence. >> Which of the influence behaviors we tend to use effectively and which we may avoid or underuse. >> This is Dr. Roger Harrison of situation management systems and the co-designer of the positive power and influence programs. These seminars teach the skills of positive personal power and influence. >> We'll be working with both the hard and the soft tracks. The soft track involves collaborative, cooperative behaviors. >> The soft track is a style we can use to ensure a collaborative effort. We use our power to produce harmony and cooperation. >> I just have this feeling that they take and put it on the back burner and I never get the results back that I need. Maybe it's just my confidence. You know, I start at the bottom of this company even though dad owns it. >> Personal disclosure is a skill many of us have difficulty using. >> If we can admit minor weaknesses about ourselves and let others know we don't always have all the answers, we can get other people to trust us. When we can accept criticism without becoming defensive and feel free to reveal our feelings, we're using the skill called personal disclosure. Well, I want to have you appreciate that our we share the same goal. >> Finding common ground is when we appeal to common values, hopes, and aspirations. We articulate the interests all parties share. When we want other people to collaborate, if we can emphasize the value of cooperation and point to our areas of agreement, we've made very productive use of finding common ground. And that's why I grew this beard to look older, you know. And I I get in there and and these older guys just I think they just throw my report away. I I'm I'm not getting the feedback I need. Maybe maybe you could help me. You know, you've been around the company for a long time. And >> the skill of recognizing and supporting others is when we listen to other people's point of view. When we respond to their concerns with understanding as well as exhibit our respect for them, we're exercising a skill we call recognizing and supporting others. uh these are the senior men and they I think when I come in and offer it to them I >> let's work together we'll do this as a team >> cooperative problem solving is actively soliciting other people's ideas and opinions and playing back what they have said when we ask questions to gain information and then make it clear we have heard what others have said we call this skill cooperative problem solving >> now in doing the hard track I'd like you Francis and you John to roleplay this same scene, but using the hard influence styles, the persuasive reasoning, the articulating exciting possibilities, and of course, rewards and punishments. >> The hard track is a style we use to pursue our aims in an assertive way. We direct our energy to grasp the initiative >> two days ago and it's not here. And that's just not good enough. We need to talk about that. We've got to resolve that right now. >> Okay. Hey, the situation is John that um I have a new development and there's something I've uncovered here that we need to really be concerned about and it seems to me this report is just going to take more time than we had anticipated. >> In using persuasive reasoning, we give facts, opinions, and arguments that support our own position. >> When we take the initiative to communicate ideas and suggestions to tell those what should be done, we are using the skill we call persuasive reasoning. They're going to be asking you some very hard questions once they get this information and you need to have all bases covered. >> I think the problem is that you're up to your old tricks. That is getting more and more and more data and and normally I really appreciate that. This time I'm just going to have to ask you to to shorten that process and produce that report. It's got to go. >> The skill rewards and punishments is when we communicate our demands and expectations. We are clear about what we want and what we expect from other people. We set standards for one another's behavior and we make each other aware of the pressures which we will bring to bear. >> We call this skill rewards and punishments. >> You can turn out one of your beautiful reports and that it'll go up to the committee and we'll get lots of points for it. You've done it before. You've done it three or four times that I can think of. When we use the skill articulating exciting possibilities, we talk in terms of future possibilities. We allow our excitement to show. We try to kindle the excitement of the other person by using metaphors or colorful language. And we may appeal to the other's values and emotions. When we share our enthusiasm about what can happen if the other person goes along with us, we are using the skill articulating exciting possibilities. yourself a little bit and you'll get it. >> Yes, sir. May I help you? >> I have a reservation. Glick. Robert A. >> Okay. Just a moment, sir. >> Influence skills can be used in both positive and negative ways. >> Glick. Right. >> When we are aggressive, we are using power in a negative way. >> Sorry, we don't seem to have a reservation for you. I I can't find anything under Glick. >> What do you mean you can't find anything? Now, my firm does a lot of business here every year, so I suggest you do find something. Otherwise, your job might be on the line. >> Well, I'm sorry, sir, but we're all full up. Why don't you try the Ambassador Arms down in Broadway? >> Now, look, I just spent 4 and 1/2 hours on an airplane. I don't care whether I have a reservation here or not. I want a room, and I want it now. >> Well, I'm sorry, sir, but we just don't have anything. >> Don't butt me, stupid. Now, I'd like to see the manager. >> When we are aggressive, we try to make people feel wrong, guilty, and try to rob them of their selfrespect. Um, why don't you try the hotel down the street? >> Well, power in inter in daily interaction with other people, even though it may seem a little around the corner to come at it this way, is really the ability to communicate without making the other person defensive. As soon as the other person becomes defensive, they begin to exercise their power and we have power conflict. And if their power is greater than ours, we don't win. Now, what I mean by that is that if I can somehow learn a style of responding that says to the other person, this is how I feel about it. You have a right to your feelings. Let's hear what you have now. It pulls out from the other person a sense of a shared power rather than this is the way it's going to be and the other person's defenses come up. He doesn't even hear me from then on because he's so busy defending the way he wants things done. One way to say it is that we need to send to other people our eye messages. This is how I would like it. Now let's hear what you have. How about sending me your I message as well instead of this damaging you message which makes people defensive. >> Hello. >> Hi. May I help you? >> Yes. There's a room reserved for me. Vitali Sam Vitali. >> Hey, let me check. >> That's V like victory. Vitali. >> Uh well, I'm sorry, sir. We don't seem to have a record of your reservation. >> Oh, well that's unfortunate. I Well, I'm sure you can dig up something. I just need a single room. >> Well, we have a convention here and we're just all full up right now. >> Mhm. Well, anything will do. I don't need magic fingers for a couple of nights. >> Uh, may I make a suggestion? Yes. Would you like to try the Ambassador Arms uh right down the street, sir? >> Oh, they're good. But you're better. I love this hotel. Every time I come here, you're so accommodating. I'm sure you'll be able to accommodate me somehow. Uh, let me just take another >> Don't have to face the pool. Put me next to the ice machine, right by the elevator. I don't care. >> Oh, you're you're in luck. Room 355 just checked out. >> Terrific. >> Uh, now it'll have two double beds and of course a color TV. >> Well, I'm just one person. One bed. >> Well, we'll just give you the single rate, sir. Now, why don't you just fill this out, Mr. uh Sam Vitali, like in victory? >> Yes, sir. Just put your name. By being assertive, we may be able to gain our objective if we do not make other people feel they are wrong. >> Thank you. >> Traditionally, both in government and in private industry, power has been concentrated at the top. The people at the top of the hierarchy have clutched their power to them and rarely allowed it to filter down. But more recently, in American companies, both large and small, people have been sharing their power with the employees. And they find that when they share their power with employees in areas where employee decisions affect the employees themselves, they release a lot more of their employees potential. We find that people will get involved in reaching goals much more if they have been involved in helping to set those goals. primary belief since inception has been that we believe that management's job is not to tend nor to tame but to release the power of people and that may sound corny but it's very factual uh we believe that our people are a power source we want them to release that power in helping Golden West grow so that our people have been involved in the company since our initial start in 1965 Five. [Music] Organizations in which power is being shared are finding that in addition to greater worker commitment, employee effectiveness has greatly increased. [Music] I'll have to tell you that as far as I'm concerned, we really don't have a program. What we really have is an attitude. And the attitude is involving everybody that works for the for the company in developing the growth of the company. And in doing that, we've been quite successful. Really, what we do is involve people. You know, if if I have a bunch of people working for me, I have the power really to do anything I want to do. I can, you know, put them out of a job. I can intimidate them. But what we do rather than take that attitude is try and involve them >> cuz they're fair with us. They uh they tell us what's going on. They pay us pay us good. >> I'm happy to do the job. I'm do I think I do a wonderful job myself. Not not bragging or anything like that, but they just uh I just like it. That's all. >> To try and get employee involvement is not an easy task. And I think most people probably paraphrase the good words that our employees are involved. It's something that you have to live. It's not something you can just talk about. And I can't really give you all the feelings for it, but it has a lot to do with empathy. I like the way, you know, they treat people right here. You know, that's why that's why I've been working right here in this company. They treat you, you know, like regular person. You know, they don't say that, you know, I'm bigger than you are. You know, I'm you boss and you got to do this, you know, real tough. they come and you know to you and ask you you know things to do you know real nicely >> I believe a division runs by two things you know with away from power it's attitude and teamwork and that has to come from from the top guy to the bottom guy and and without that this place is not going to run >> and it's one thing that I always look for when I look for people who become managers not people who tell someone how to do something but people who through their own efforts get people to do it voluntarily and willingly >> that's exactly what it is being able to share in the power. There's not one man that uh that is up on that pedestal and has that power. It's everybody has it together. This is their company, not uh and and it's run that way. That's a whole philosophy. I have been fortunate enough to work for uh four of our leading competitors. And so you you're able to see management attitude and how it works between one company and another. And the real difference is you were never asked to think with most of the other companies I work for. You were only asked to execute. Now you may be very very effective in executing but then that depends upon very few people being involved in the planning process. As a result of that you did not get information back because channels of communications were not available because you always felt that your boss really didn't give a damn what you felt anyway. Just do your job. sharing when you share power of people, you're not sharing the physical power. You're sharing the mental ability and and people have mental ability. People are not robots that punch clocks and pound nails. uh you know we take most of industrial America takes a person that has to plan for education for his children has to plan uh how he's going to pay his bills has to plan and run his checkbook and how he's going to get life insurance and how he's going to pay for his car and ask him to come in and do a mechanical u function over and over and over again without asking him to think and the basic thing if if I could make it simple is we ask our people to Empowering people, providing them with greater autonomy to make goals and decisions about their own work is increasing productivity on the job as well. It is also adding to the sense of each person's personal worth. >> This this color problem keeps occurring. >> Sharing power can only allow people to collaborate more fully. It can cause us to recognize that our relationship need not be one of adversaries, but a cooperative one. A relationship in which we share many goals. >> Would you please spell Sunday for me? >> S U N D A E. >> Is that a chocolate holiday? >> No, that's the way the customer wanted it. They thought it was cute because it's an ice cream parlor. >> Give them what they want. Right. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music]