Power and Persuasion: Netflix Culture, Influence and Power Techniques

This assignment is a discussion post that delves into the concepts of power and persuasion within an organizational context, drawing insights from Jeffrey Pfeffer's work. It explores why power can be an uncomfortable subject and examines strategies to increase power and influence at work, such as building social relationships and identifying unexplored resources. The assignment then presents a scenario for persuading a colleague, detailing a plan of action that utilizes influence and power techniques to achieve a positive outcome. Furthermore, the discussion analyzes Netflix's organizational culture, as described by Reed Hastings, highlighting its culture of freedom and responsibility. The analysis focuses on how Netflix created and sustains its strong culture, including its unique approach to vacation policies and expense management, which fosters employee autonomy and accountability. The assignment references key academic sources to support its arguments, offering a comprehensive examination of power dynamics and organizational culture.

Running head: PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATION
People and organization
Name of student
Name of University
Author note

1PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATION
Power and Persuasion
Jeffrey Pfeffer: Why Cultivating Power is the Secret to Success?
1. Why is power a subject that makes many people uncomfortable?
According to Jeffrey Pfeffer, cultivating the power is the secret ingredient to success
considering the fact that with immense power, comes great responsibilities that are necessary for
gaining success. Power, as a subject, makes many people uncomfortable because with the higher
power, people utilize it often for own benefits and violates certain rules and regulations. The
power often makes them violate the values and beliefs that they possesses, rather ignore the hard
work and dedication provided by them to gain success. With greater power, they forget to do
things the right way and unethical practices are managed, which often relates to misuse of power.
Gaining control over the resources and even flattering people can be managed while using the
sources power, though each and every people may not be comfortable with (Pfeffer 2014).
2. What strategies can be used to increase your power and influence at work?
The first thing is to determine what kind of power they possess, i.e., either formal or
informal. It is also important to evaluate the distribution of power and identify the person with
the power at different levels, so that their guidance and support can be achieved properly while
accomplishing the tasks (Duckworth and Duckworth 2016). Another important thing to be
considered is the building of social relationships with others with power, so that while
performing the tasks, it becomes easier and much more convenient. Flattering or complimenting
them could help in gaining proper support. The resources that are unexplored till now should be
identified. The budget management, meeting with more people and inviting them to dinners
where discussions could be done could make people become the centre of attraction and source

2PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATION
of developing relationships with others (Goleman, Boyatzis and McKee 2013). Therefore, these
are the various strategies that can be used to increase the power and influence at work.
3. Consider a situation where you would like to persuade a colleague/friend/boss and
detail a plan of action for how you could use influence and power techniques to get to ‘yes’.
One of the most important ways of using influence and power techniques to get to ‘yes’
can be the development of social relationships, which can help to advance in the career as well as
get to ‘yes’. Social relationships development can make people meet with people with power at
different levels and enable sharing or exchange of information with ease and effectiveness. It is
important to know the people who possess different power and how effectively the time
allocation is possible to ensure that the different ideas and opinions are generated (Venzke 2013).
On the other hand, as a leader, confidence is essential along with being true to what the situation
requiresTherefore, these are the actions that shall be undertaken for influencing people and
getting to a ‘yes’ (Pfeffer 2014).
References
Duckworth, A. and Duckworth, A., 2016. Grit: The power of passion and perseverance (Vol.
124). New York, NY: Scribner.
Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R.E. and McKee, A., 2013. Primal leadership: Unleashing the power of
emotional intelligence. Harvard Business Press.
Pfeffer, J. 2014. Jeffrey Pfeffer: Why Cultivating Power is the Secret to Success?
< https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AozJ4AkgAMw>

3PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATION
Pfeffer, J., 2014. Business and the spirit: Management practices that sustain values. In Handbook
of workplace spirituality and organizational performance (pp. 43-59).
Venzke, I., 2013. Between power and persuasion: on international institutions' authority in
making law. Transnational Legal Theory, 4(3), pp.354-373.