Politics in the organization, according to Boe, is only mitigated by the ability of individuals to understand what is appropriate and what is inappropriate when it comes to political positioning. The inability to determine what is appropriate can lead to significant problems with infighting. This can have an impact on employee morale and the productivity of the organization as a whole.
Power and Politics Compared and Contrasted.
Although the definitions of power and politics presented here appear to be notably different, Walumbwa (1999) asserts that the differences that exist between these two terms are relatively subtle. According to this author, power and politics are more similar than different. In particular, this author maintains that, ''While the terms 'power' and 'politics' may mean different things to different people, one point is consistent in most definitions ''the ability to influence" (p. 206). As such, power and politics are both mitigated by influence, which ultimately shapes how organizational development occurs and the specific actions that are taken by leaders and managers.
Even though Walumbwa insists that there is a common link between power and politics, he does note that there are subtle differences. In particular, this author reports that the central difference between power and politics in the manner in which each is acquired. ''The only difference that exists is in the method of influence" (p. 206). Thus, while influence is the mitigating factor that serves as the basis for creating a similarity between the two terms, it also serves as the foundation for explicating the difference that exists between power and politics. In this context, one could effectively argue that power and politics are types of influence that will impact the development of organizational discourse.
How Power and Politics Impact the Organization.
Given the realization that politics and power are each variant of influence, it is important to consider how these issues impact discourse in the organization.
