COURSE NUMBER: MBA 254.1A

COURSE TITLE: Power & Politics

UNITS OF CREDIT: 2

INSTRUCTOR: Sameer Srivastava

EMAIL: srivastava@haas.berkeley.edu

MEETINGS DATES: Fall A only, 8/23-10/6

PREREQUISITE(S): MBA205

CLASS FORMAT: Cases, simulations, group exercises, lectures, guest speakers, peer and executive coaching

REQUIRED READINGS: Course reader and two required books: John Neffinger and Matthew Kohut’s COMPELLING PEOPLE: THE HIDDEN QUALITIES THAT MAKE US INFLUENTIAL and Jeffrey Pfeffer’s POWER: WHY SOME PEOPLE HAVE IT AND OTHERS DON’T.

BASIS FOR FINAL GRADE: You will be evaluated on three dimensions: (a) the quality of your contributions to class discussions (40%); (b) a brief memo (10%); and (c) a final paper (50%).

ABSTRACT OF COURSE'S CONTENT AND OBJECTIVES: This course is about the art and science of influence in organizations. Many people are ambivalent, if not disdainful, of those who seek to wield power and influence at work. But organizations are fundamentally political entities, and power and influence are key tools for getting things get done. For those considering careers in management, the ability to diagnose and navigate organizational politics is crucial for achieving personal and organizational success. The other side of the coin is that managers are usually on the receiving end of political actions as well. An astute manager knows how to anticipate moves that others will make, how to block or avoid moves that have undesirable consequences, and how to support others’ moves when they are beneficial. After taking this course, you will be able to: (1) diagnose the distribution of power in organizations, (2) identify strategies for building sources of power, (3) develop techniques for influencing others, and (4) understand the role of power in building cooperation and leading change in an organization. These skills will be invaluable to you throughout your career. The course is designed to be highly interactive in nature, including a wide range of case studies, simulations, group exercises, and coaching. This year, for the first time, we have contracted with an executive coaching firm to provide students one-on-one feedback on their communication and influence style.

CAREER FIELD: This course is useful for all aspiring leaders who anticipate having to secure the cooperation and support of others to achieve their personal and professional goals.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: Sameer Srivastava received his PhD in Organizational Behavior from Harvard Business School. His research examines how people build successful careers within organizations—for example, by mobilizing social networks, occupying advantaged structural positions, and influencing others to support their policies and initiatives. He joined the Haas faculty in 2012 and teaches in the Full-time MBA program, the Evening MBA program, and various Executive Education programs. He has been a member of “Club 6” in each of his years at Haas and was recently named a Schwabacher Fellow (the highest honor for Assistant Professors at Haas) and a Barbara and Gerson Bakar Faculty Fellow (recognition for faculty members “with a record of accomplishment and a very bright future”). His work has been published in scholarly journals such as: American Journal of Sociology, American Sociological Review, Organization Science, and Psychological Science. It has been covered in media outlets such as: Fortune, Fast Company, Business Insider, Mashable, and Canadian Business. In a prior career, Sameer was a partner at Monitor Group, a global management consultancy, where he co-founded the firm’s Organizational Strategy practice. Sameer also holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, an AM in Sociology from Harvard’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and an AB magna cum laude in Economics from Harvard College.