This document discusses power, politics, conflict, and change agency in the context of organizational change. It defines power and identifies different types and bases of power. It also describes two perspectives on organizational politics and conditions that can lead to conflict. The role and skills of a change agent are examined, including identifying and managing stakeholders, communicating relentlessly, and possessing interpersonal skills. Change agency is described as emergent and fluid, typically involving a team to drive change.

1. © Julie Hodges and Roger Gill

2. Chapter 12
Power, Politics and Conflict during
Change
© Julie Hodges and Roger Gill

3. Learning outcomes
• Explain the differences, similarities and relationships between the
concepts of power, politics and conflict in the context of change
• Identify the power dynamics in an organization and the various
sources of power
• Appreciate the role of change agents and change agency in change
initiatives
• Identify key stakeholders involved in change initiatives and the
power they hold
© Julie Hodges and Roger Gill

4. Definition of Power
Power is defined as the ability to change the
behaviour of others
(McClelland, 1975)
© Julie Hodges and Roger Gill

5. Types of Power (Hardy & Clegg, 1996)
• The power of resources
• The power of process
• The power of meaning
© Julie Hodges and Roger Gill

6. Power Bases (Raven & French, 1958)
• Coercive power
• Reward power
• Legitimate power
• Expert power
• Information power
• Referent power
© Julie Hodges and Roger Gill

7. Power Tactics (Robbins et al, 2010)
• Legitimacy
• Rational persuasion
• Inspirational appeals
• Consultation
• Exchange
• Personal appeal
• Ingratiation
• Pressure
• Coalitions
© Julie Hodges and Roger Gill

8. Organizational politics
Two views of organizational politics;
- Negative
- Positive
© Julie Hodges and Roger Gill

9. Actions for managing the political
dynamics of change (Nadler, 1988)
• Ensure the support of key power groups (stakeholders)
• Use leadership behaviour to generate energy and
enthusiasm in support of the change
• Use symbols and language to create energy and
commitment for change.
• Build in stability using power to ensure some things
remain the same, such as location and hours of work.
© Julie Hodges and Roger Gill

10. Conflict
• Conflict must be perceived by other parties.
• One party must be perceived as about to do, or
actually doing, something the other party does not
want.
• There must be opposition.
• Some kind of interaction must take place.
© Julie Hodges and Roger Gill

11. Conditions for conflict to surface
(Robbins et al., 2010)
• Communication
• Structure
• Personal variables
© Julie Hodges and Roger Gill

12. The Change Agent
• A change agent can be any member of an organization seeking to promote,
further, support, sponsor, initiate, implement or deliver change. Change agents
are not necessarily senior managers, and do not necessarily hold formal ‘change
management’ job titles and positions.
• The focal point of any change needs to be an individual…this individual maybe
known by many names.
– Change agents
– Problem owners
– Facilitators
– Project managers
– Program managers
– Six sigma black belt
© Julie Hodges and Roger Gill

13. Role of the Change Agent
• Identify and manage stakeholders.
• Work on objectives – make sure they’re clear and relevant.
• Set a full agenda – Set holistic view and identify difficulties.
• Establish control system – ensure communications flow is effective.
• Plans the process of change, ensuring the following…
– Roles clearly defined and allocated.
– Team building.
– Nurture support and fight apathy.
– Communicate relentlessly.
– Recognise power bases.
– Handing over (ensure change is maintained).
(Paton & McCalman, 2007)
© Julie Hodges and Roger Gill

14. Change agency
Change agency is emergent and fluid, and it is
typically driven by a cast of characters.
Hutton (1995)
© Julie Hodges and Roger Gill

15. Change agent and power skills
Seven traits associated with an effective change agent.
• Able to work independently without power and sanction of the management hierarchy.
• An effective collaborator, able to compete in ways that enhance rather than destroy
cooperation.
• Able to develop high trust relationships, with high ethical standards.
• Possessing self-confidence tempered with humility.
• Respectful of the process of change as well as the substance.
• Able to work across business functions and units.
• Willing to take rewards on results and gain satisfaction from success.
(Kanter, 1989)
© Julie Hodges and Roger Gill

16. Change agent and power skills
• According to Kanter (1989) the change agent must possess near super human
qualities!
• Also the power skills seem consistent with flexible, organic structures, about
participative management methods.
• What is obvious is that the change agent requires less technical expertise and
more interpersonal and managerial skills in…
– Communication
– Presentation
– Negotiation
– Influencing and selling
© Julie Hodges and Roger Gill

17. Summary
• Power is a dynamic variable that changes as conditions change.
• Leaders and managers need to understand the difference between the different types of power and their
characteristics in order to be able to use them appropriately. Understanding this can help in influencing
and motivating people to do what needs to be done during change.
• There are two different perspectives on organizational politics. One views politics as a negative process
that actively inhibits the effective running of an organization; the other sees politics in a more positive
light. The latter view focuses on the waste of time and energy and the damage that politics can cause.
• Organizational politics can provide the stimulating force for change, and political forces can generate the
energy for organizational change.
• Change can generate conflict. Leaders and managers need to understand how people react to and deal
with conflict.
• Change agency is emergent and fluid. The change agent is member of this cast, formally appointed or self-
appointed, seeking to drive a change agenda.
© Julie Hodges and Roger Gill

18. References
Hardy, C. and Clegg, S.R. (1996) ‘Some dare call it power’, in Handbook of
Organization Studies. London: Sage. pp. 622–41.
Hutton, W. (1995) The State We’re In. London: Jonathan Cape.
McClelland, D.C. (1975) Power: The Inner Experience. Oxford: Irvington.
Raven, B.H. and French, J.R., Jr (1958) ‘Legitimate power, coercive power,
and observability in social influence’, Sociometry, 83–97.
Robbins, S.P., Judge, T.A. and Campbell, T.T. (2010) Organizational
Behaviour. Harlow: FT/Prentice Hall.
© Julie Hodges and Roger Gill