In a short essay, compare and contrast the roles of power and influence in ethical decisions.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

a. Managing Power
The Stanford prison experiment highlighted that anyone can potentially use power to abuse others and enhance his or her own self-interests. To use power in an ethical manner, a person must meet two standards. The first concerns the power being exercised to benefit others who have granted the decision maker the power with the expectation that the decision maker will serve others. The second standard is that the power conforms to both the legal and accepted cultural standards of what is considered ethical behavior. Therefore, it would be unethical or illegal to use the decision maker’s power to enhance the interests of the firm while not abiding by the ethical standards established by society. New managers need to establish networks to get compromises and agreements. As such, managers must be political to accomplish their agendas. Managers must develop their own informal power to manage key relationships. Formal power is the type of power that is associated with the job title. Informal power is the type of power that managers can develop by having strong positive relationships with others.
b. Influence
Influence is the ability to change the viewpoint of another person based on verbal and nonverbal actions. Power is something an individual has, but influence is something that an individual can do. As a result, people use power to influence the actions of others. Influence can be an effective tool because it is not a direct use of power. Influence can be used ethically if the adjustment of the viewpoint of another person results in both parties achieving a beneficial result. Manipulation occurs when the true intentions of the person are hidden and may only become evident after the decision has been implemented.
c. A Machiavellian Approach to Decision Making
Niccolò Machiavelli’s book The Prince described how a prince was able to obtain and maintain his power. His “ultimate” prince was one who was calculating and amoral and did whatever was necessary to stay in power. The value of the leader is based on the ultimate success of the leader. This includes using force when necessary against internal and external enemies to ensure the most favorable result. Machiavelli described the perfect leader as one who was able to manipulate, was bold in his actions, and was stealthy when he needed to be. The prince, or leader, must be able to execute his actions based on not what ought to be done but on what actions served the leader’s self-interests. The prince reminds the reader, “It is better to be feared than to be loved.”
d. How to Control Power and Influence
Ensure that power and influence are exercised in an ethical manner. Firm’s policies and
standards of the firm are based on the highest ethical standards possible. Furthermore, these policies and procedures must be enforced at all times. Each individual’s performance evaluation is based, in part, on his or her ethical performance. An evaluation must occur to ensure that managers are not misusing their power and influence.