Politics, Power and Influence within Organizations

3 units

Description: The use of power and politics is inevitable in modern organizations - and the higher one goes, the more of it one encounters. Therefore, the development of real competency in managing power and influence can materially enhance career progression. The objective of this course is to develop such competency through the use of learner-centered instruction, which includes actual application of concepts through class discussion of case histories and the use of self-application exercises. The content of the course includes: why power and politics occur; when are they particularly prevalent; what are the sources of power; how to build power throughout one’s career; common influence tactics; the importance of political fit in job search, and; how to avoid political mistakes in a new position. Students may not take both OB 5230 and OB 6230 for credit.