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64 unit 1 | Professional Considerations CikguOnline
Sometimes, people are unwilling to discuss the
informal processes. However, careful observation
Aromatherapy
Nutrition of the most experienced “system-wise” individuals
Group and Imagery
Group in an organization will eventually reveal these
processes. This will help you do things as efficient-
ly as they do.
Health and
Wellness Power
Care
There are times when one’s attempts to influence
others are overwhelmed by other forces or individ-
Relaxation uals. Where does this power come from? Who has
Exercise and
and it? Who does not?
Massage
Meditation
Group Group In the earlier section on hierarchy, it was noted
that, although people at the top of the hierarchy
have most of the authority in the organization, they
Figure 5.3 An organic organizational structure for a non- do not have all of the power. In fact, the people at
traditional wellness center. (Based on Morgan, A. [1993]. the bottom of the hierarchy also have some sources
Imaginization: The Art of Creative Management. Newbury
Park, Calif.: Sage.) of power. This section explains how this can be
true. First, power is defined, and then the sources of
power available to people on the lower rungs of the
ladder are considered.
Processes
Definition
Organizations have formal processes for getting
things done and informal ways to get around the Power is the ability to influence other people
formal processes (Perrow, 1969). The formal despite their resistance. Using power, one person or
processes are the written policies and procedures group can impose its will on another person or
that all health-care organizations have. The infor- group (Haslam, 2001). The use of power can be
mal processes are neither written nor discussed positive, as when the nurse manager gives a staff
most of the time. They exist in organizations as a member an extra day off in exchange for working
kind of “shadow” organization that is harder to see during the weekend, or negative, as when a nurse
but equally important to recognize and understand administrator transfers a “bothersome” staff nurse
(Purser & Cabana, 1999). to another unit after the staff nurse pointed out a
The informal process is often much simpler and physician error (Talarico, 2004).
faster than the formal one. Because the informal
ways of getting things done are seldom discussed Sources
(and certainly not a part of a new employee’s orien- There are numerous sources of power. Many of
tation), it may take some time for you to figure out them are readily available to nurses, but some of
what they are and how to use them. Once you them are not.The following is a list derived primar-
know they exist, they may be easier for you to iden- ily from the work of French, Raven, and Etzioni
tify. The following is an example: (Barraclough & Stewart, 1992):
Jocylene noticed that Harold seemed to get STAT ■ Authority. The power granted to an individual
laboratory results on his patients faster than she did. or a group by virtue of position (within the
At lunch one day, Jocylene asked Harold why that organizational hierarchy, for example)
happened. “That’s easy,” he said. “The people in our ■ Reward. The promise of money, goods, services,
lab feel unappreciated. I always tell them how help- recognition, or other benefits
ful they are. Also, if you call and let them know that ■ Expertise. The special knowledge an individual
the specimens are coming, they will get to them faster. is believed to possess; as Sir Francis Bacon said,
They can’t monitor their e-mail constantly.” Harold “Knowledge is power” (Bacon, 1597, quoted in
has just explained an informal process to Jocylene. Fitton, 1997, p. 150)