For the Session Long Project this session, you will be applying the concepts from the background materials to your own personal experiences in the workplace. You likely have experienced many if not all of the concepts at one point or another in your career, but you may not have been familiar with the precise terminology.
In preparation for the SLP, make sure you have a thorough grasp of the terminology from the Organizational Behavior textbook in the list of Required Readings (Chapter 13), including the main sources of power and types of power tactics. Once you are comfortable with the terminology and concepts from the background materials, think of a manager that you worked with closely who held a fair amount of power at the organization you worked for. Then write a 2- to 3-page paper addressing each of the following questions. For each answer, make sure to cite at least one reference from the required background readings. (Tip: 3 questions equates to 3 different references.)
Explain the results of your chart of the 10-15 people used for this assignment.
1. Which of the six potential sources of power does this manager draw upon when leading a team of employees?
2. Discuss some influence tactics that might be used by this manager. Include a discussion about whether or not this manager used the influence tactics discussed in Chapter 13: Power and Politics (n.d.) from the Required Readings.
3. Describe two situations: (1) where you tried to influence someone either above, below, or laterally to your position in the company; and (2), where someone tried to influence you upwardly, downward, or laterally.
4. How would you feel if someone told you “You are powerful leader”? Would you feel comfortable with the statement or uncomfortable? Explain your answer.