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CONCEPTS OF POWER
Sources of Power
Consequences of Power
Power
Politics always involves the exercise of power by one person to another person. Power is the ability to get someone to do something he / she wants to accomplish, thus making things happen in the way he wants. In having such capability, along with the exercise in the power is the influence. Thus, in influence is the process which the person affects the behavior and feeling of another person. Power is as well a prime ingredient of politics. However, there are instances that power becomes cynical, brutal and self – destructive that affirmed the Lord Actions dictum, “ Power tends to corrupt , absolute power corrupts absolutely”
Power
Power refers to the possession of authority and influence over others.
Power is a tool that, depending on how it’s used, can lead to either positive or negative outcomes in an organization.
- Where does power come from?
- What is it that gives an individual or a group influence over others?
Sources of Power
Sources of Power (P.1)
10 sources of power
1. Formal Power
2. Legitimate Power
3. Expert Power
4. Referent Power
5. Coercive Power
6. Reward Power
7. Informational Power
8. Connection Power.
9. Political Power
10.Charismatic Power
Formal Power
Formal Power
Formal power is based on an individual’s position in an organization. Formal power can come from the ability to coerce or reward, from formal authority, or the control of information.
The formal power is based on rank—for example, the fire chief or the captain.
Legitimate Power
Legitimate Power
Legitimate power is also known as positional power. It’s derived from the position a person holds in an organization’s hierarchy. Job descriptions, for example, require junior workers to report to managers and give managers the power to assign duties to their juniors.
Coercive Power
Coercive
Power
Coercive power is, therefore, a person’s ability to punish fire or reprimand another employee. Coercive power helps control the behavior of employees by ensuring that they adhere to the organization’s policies and norms.
Reward Power
Reward
Power
The opposite of coercive power is reward power. People comply with the wishes or directives of another because doing so produces positive benefits; therefore, one who can distribute rewards that others view as valuable will have power over those others.
These rewards can be either financial – such as controlling pay rates, raises, and bonuses; or nonfinancial – including merit recognition, promotions, interesting work assignments, friendly colleagues, and preferred work shifts or sales territories.
Informational Power
Informational
Power
Informational power is where a person possesses needed or wanted information. It comes from access to and control over information. This is a short-term power that doesn’t necessarily influence or build credibility.
Connection Power
Connection
Power
It is where a person attains influence by gaining favor or simply acquaintance with a powerful person. This power is all about networking. If I have a connection with someone that you want to get to, that’s going to give me power.
Political Power
Sources of Power (P.2)
- This power comes from the support of a group. It arises from a leader’s ability to work with people and social systems to gain their allegiance and support.
- It develops in all the state-owned organizations, especially when a certain political party holds power and their supporters show power in many aspects in the organizations.
- By using political power, leaders can influence others and get some facilities from the organization.
Charismatic Power
Charismatic Power
Charismatic power is an extension of referent power stemming from an individual’s personality and interpersonal style. Charismatic leaders get others to follow them because they can articulate an attractive vision, take personal risks, demonstrate environmental and follower sensitivity, and are willing to engage in behavior that most others consider unconventional.
Referent Power
Referent
Power
Referent power can be a great asset to a leader. Leaders can develop and maintain referent power through the following activities:
- The subordinate fairly and equitably
- Defining the subordinate’s best interests
- Demonstrate sensitivity to the needs and feelings of the subordinates.
- Select subordinates that are similar to the leader.
- Be an active and positive role model.
Expert Power
Expert
Power
Expert power can also be of considerable help to the leader in achieving subordinate acceptance. To reach and hold a high level of expert power, a leader should:
- Promote his or her image of expertise
- Maintain expert credibility
- Behave in a confident and decisive manner
- Keep informed and up-to-date.
- Recognize the concerns of subordinates.
- Avoid threatening the self-esteem of subordinates.
Consequences of Power
Consequences
of Power
The distribution of power can be assessed by examining the consequences of a decision making process.
Symbols
Symbols include such things as titles, office size and location, special parking privileges, special eating facilities, automobiles, airplanes, and office furnishings. Since the executive offices are typically on the top floor of a building, the location of offices on other floors often reflects the relative power of the officeholders
Reputation
Reputation
Another way of assessing power in organizations is to ask members of the organization who possess the greatest power or exerts the greatest influence.
This method measures the reputation of organizational members as perceived by others and assumes that people are knowledgeable about power relationships and willing to report what they know. These assumptions are often incorrect, especially when power is effective because then it is not perceived as an exercise of power.
Acquisition of Power
Acquisition of Power
It is everybody’s knowledge that some people enjoy more power than others. They do so by-
• Doing the right things.
• Cultivating the right people.
• Coalescing.
• Co-opting.
• Others.