Identifying and Mitigating the Negative Effects of Power in Organizations

Abstract

This article investigates the possible negative effects of power in organizations. It demonstrates how holding power may affect an individual’s perception of others, actions, and cognition. Ways in which power may have a detrimental effect on different aspects of a manager’s functioning within an organization, including building relationships, communication, and performance are analyzed. It is argued that individuals are unaware of these effects, and thus it is necessary to introduce methods of their diagnosis and countermeasures on the organizational level. In addition, negative phenomena associated with the power’s distribution among organizations’ units and its structural aspects are analyzed. A set of questions is proposed, which can be used by individuals and organizations to reveal the extent to which adverse effects of power are present in an organization. These inquiries can be used to design and introduce specific countermeasures and improve communications and the quality of interactions within organizations. Selected countermeasures are also proposed in the article.