...Sources of Power by Roberta D. Harris An Assignment Submitted to the George Herbert Walker School of Business and Economics in partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the Course of Management 5670 Webster University 2013 Abstract One of the highest concerns about power is its effects on those who use it. The more people use power, the more they tend to notice situations in terms of power relationships, the more they are motivated to use power for their own personal end result. This risk in this use of power is stated in the statement “Power tends to corrupt; and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” (Lynch, 1985) Plato was convinced that power would continue to corrupt unless philosophers became rulers and rulers were philosophers. The five bases of power defined by French and Raven denote the classical reason why one person influences others as well as the foundation for most research on power. Recently, other sources of power have been defined, explaining other sources of influence. I discussed the five indicators for accessing power and identified the five sources of social power which includes reward power, coercive power, legitimate power, referent power and expert power. (Frenche & Raven, 1968) Additionally, I discussed other sources of power such as information power, persuasiveness, charisma, and social versus personal power. Keywords: power, indicators, reward, coercive, legitimate, referent, expert...
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...Running head: GAINING POWER AND INFLUENCE Gaining Power and Influence at the Credit Union Jessica L. Styer Trident University International MGT 302 Module 2 SLP Gaining Power and Influence at the Credit Union “Everyone has power. Everyone. And, I don’t believe that power is a bad thing. The issue becomes what kind of power a person has and how someone uses that power.” (Lauby, 2010) Referent Power and Expert Power are the two main types of power that I use to gain power and influence in my position as a service and sales trainer at the credit union. Referent Power Referent power “is sometimes thought of as charisma, charm, admiration, or appeal. Referent power comes from one person liking and respecting another, and strongly identifying with that person in some way.” (Mindtools.com) I have been told by other co-workers that I have charisma and appeal. I have a very positive outlook at work and in my training sessions. I train on the two things that most people struggle with; consist exceptional member service and sales. This is why I use referent power to influence my trainees. Trainees come to me when things are not going well and they are very negative. If I followed the same mindset as my trainees, then we would not get any improvement. I need to show them that they can be successful and sales and member service is positive. Expert Power Expert power is “when you have knowledge and skills that enable you to understand a situation, suggest solutions,...
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...Power refers to the capacity that employee A has to influence the behavior of employee B. There are five bases of power. These powers can be out into two distinct groups. One is formal power and the other is personal power. The formal power group includes coercive power, reward power, and legitimate power. The personal power group includes expert power and referent power. Along with the power bases, there are dependence powers. Dependence is employee B’s relationship to A when A possesses something that B requires. Formal Power 1. Coercive power- Coercive power is a power that is dependent on the fear of negative results from failing to comply. The threat of being fired or demoted is the most common coercive power used in an organizational setting. It can also be used to keep people in line with the threat of being embarrassed or getting work assignments that are unpleasant. Withholding key information and data from employees that need it can be a form of coercive power. The supervisor of employee 1 is using coercive power to get his employees to work extra hours by reminding them that a good evaluation depends on it. 2. Reward power- Reward power keeps employees in check based on the ability to give rewards that employees see as valuable. These rewards can be of the financial variety-controlling salary, giving bonuses, etc- or the nonfinancial kind-giving recognition, interesting work projects, promotions, better work shifts, etc. In the given scenario, the marketing manager...
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...In Organizations, power is seen as tool that authority possesses to wield out instructions to their staff, ensure internal disputes are settled, fire staff if they are intolerable for various reasons and so forth. Therefore, one could deduce that those who possess leadership skills require a high level of responsibility amongst other attributes to be bestowed with power (varying amounts depending on what management level). Certainly, as mentioned in the first Spiderman movie (2002), ‘With Great Power comes Great Responsibility’ (Bolle & Vogel, 2011) This is certainly true in every organization that is successful. Leaders who responsibly use their power for the greater good of the organization tend to find success easier than those who don’t. For example, the most famous leaders of today, Steve Jobs (Apple), Bill Gates (Windows) and Sir Richard Branson (Virgin) are all visionaries and managed to responsibly use their power to make their companies amongst the most successful and revolutionary in the world. This essay aims to provide a detailed understanding into the various bases of power as mentioned by French & Raven (1958): -Reward, Coercive, Legitimate (Positional Powers)-, -Informational, Referent and Expert (Personal Powers) - (Lo & Ramayah, 2011). It also aims to provide an analysis of the use of power by managers within an organizational setting. Finally, this essay will describe managers’ utilization of the various bases and use different examples. This...
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...The Five Bases of Power BCOM/230 The Five Bases of Power “Power refers to a capacity that A has to influence the behavior of B so that B acts in accordance with A’s wishes. This definition implies a potential that need not be actualized to be effective, and a dependency relationship.” (Robbins & Judge, 2009, "A Definition of Power"). In total, there are five bases of power. They are coercive power, reward power, legitimate power, expert power, and referent power. Each power is different in some way which makes it unique. “The coercive power base is dependent on fear. A person reacts to this power out of fear of the negative results that might occur if she failed to comply. It rests on the application, or the threat of application, of physical sanctions such as the infliction of pain, the generation of frustration through restriction of movement, or the controlling by force of basic physiological or safety needs.” (Robbins & Judge, 2009, "Bases of Power"). Coercive power exists when people are frightened of what could happen to them if they do not give into the leader’s wishes. An extreme example of coercive power would be Hitler’s power in Germany when he ruled the country. He put true fear into people that did not agree with him, this made him gain followers whether those followers were really in agreement with him or not. “The opposite of coercive power is reward power. People comply with the wishes or directives of another because doing so produces positive...
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...Power is defined as a capacity that one person (or group) has to influence the behavior of another person (or group) so that the second person acts according to how the first person wants. There are two general sources of power, formal and personal; those sources of power can be broken down into different bases of power. Formal power can be coercive power, reward power, or legitimate power; personal power can be expert power or referent power (Robbins & Judge, 2009). Each form of power will be discussed on an individual basis to determine how the power affects communications within an organization. Formal power is based on an individual’s position within an organization; the individual gains power through the ability to coerce or reward, or from formal authority. “Coercive power is dependent on fear, suppression of free will, or the use of punishment for existence” (“Coercive power,” 2012). Others in an organization also use coercive power by withholding important information; knowing this important information has others dependent on them. As an employee, I feared losing my job when I was not moving as fast as my manager wanted me to during lunch rush. My manager had told me previously that I was not fast enough at assembling sandwiches as others; I was told frequently that this was a cause to be fired if I did not improve my speed. I did not let that manager have coercive power over me for long; I had another employee help me learn ways to speed up my sandwich making...
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...Five Bases of Power Student Name LET1 (Task 3) WGU August 25, 2013 Course Mentor Name Abstract Power can be defined in many ways from various people. Some people may think power means success, some people may think power means corruption, and unfortunately some people may think power means nothing. Basically power pertains to the possession of influence and authority over others. The five bases of power are coercive, referent, legitimate, expert, and reward power (Abudi, 2011). To understand these five bases of power better in an organization a description with examples for each will be discussed. Five Bases of Power In 1960 John French and Bertram Raven conducted a study in leadership roles on bases of power Coercive, referent, legitimate, expert, and reward power were identified as the five bases of power. Through one or more of these bases, power can be manifested. Most interactions in an organization are established with trust and are constructed through some form of power. Depending on how power is used can result in negative or positive outcomes in an organization. The proper use of power among managers and employees can result in excellent social and interpersonal relationships (Abudi, 2011). In the given scenario, Corporation A is a business that creates marketing programs for the real estate industry. The employees with different job roles that work at Corporation...
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...someone has over another is known as power. Power can be good or bad depending on how it is used. If power is used wisely it can help an organization. Used poorly, however, power can be detrimental to those involved. There are five bases of power and all are seen in the given scenario. These five bases can be divided into two main forms of power. The first form of power “is based on an individual’s position in an organization” (Robbins & Judge, 2007, p. 471), this is also known as formal power. This form of power encompasses three of our five bases of power. The first that is included is a fear based power known as coercive power. The second is based on rewards and acknowledgement and is known as reward power. The final base covered in the first group is legitimate power. Legitimate power is created by a specific title or position within an organization. The second form of power is personal power, and encompasses the remaining two bases of power. The first base of power covered under personal power is expert power. Having skills or knowledge that someone else does not is expert power. The last base of power is referent power. “Referent power develops out of admiration of another and a desire to be like that person,” (Robbins & Judge, 2007, p. 472). All individuals possess a degree of personal power. As mentioned previously, all five bases of power are represented within the given scenario. Coercive power, the first base of power, is presented by the marketing manager...
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...Bases of Power According to Robbins & Judge (2007) power is defined as the “capacity that A has to influence the behavior of B so B can act with A’s wishes.” There are five bases of power that are divided into two groups according to Robbins & Judge (2007). Formal Power The first group in the power in the power bases is formal. Formal power is based on the position held in organization (Robbins & Judge (2007). Formal Power is divided into three power bases: coercive power, reward power and legitimate power (Robbins & Judge, 2007). Coercive Power Coercive power is based on the fear of consequences when the person does not follow instructions of their leader. This type of fear can be a physical or mental pain discomfort based on the frustrations of the unknown. Conceive power can be displayed by threats of loosing job and privileges, being demoted and other types of consequential actions. Coercive power could also be used to conceal key information (Robbins & Judge, 2007). Employee 2 could possibly use conceive power based on how valuable he is his position to get more pay or even better schedule than the one he requested or other job advantages. Reward Power Reward power is power one has to reward another person. Some examples of rewards could be monetary, promotions, and recognitions. According to Robbins & Judge (2007) coercive power and reward power are counterparts of each other. Rewarding for good deeds is using reward power, and punishing...
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...Power Jedidiah Houser Harding University Abstract This paper is on the topic of Power. The paper starts with an overview of my observations about power and establishes the uses of legitimate, reward, expert, referent, and coercive power. This paper uses examples and observations from my life as well as from selected sources of reading to define the types of power discussed. In reading this you should obtain a base understanding of the above listed powers and their shaping ability, characteristics and uses as found in our daily lives as well as in the workplace. Power Power What a word. Its meanings, uses, connotations, actions, repercussions, influence, and voids can be seen or at least rationalized into every aspect of our psychology, our being, our planet, our solar system, our universe. How far does power go? Is it simply in a state of yin and yang in every facet of our lives, only to become more influential when we choose to be aware of it and harness its potential? How do we perceive, understand and use power? How do we measure others use of power and the impact it has in our lives? Power in all its forms, shape, sizes and degrees can be observed affecting and influencing us since the day we were born. Everyone’s first experience was with the power of gravity, gravity kicks in and plop there we are. From that point on we are all exposed to a multitude of degrees and forms of power, shaping and molding us all along the way. For me personally, I remember very...
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...the five bases of power. These bases of power were the foundation for many of the discussions involving power and authority in the late half of the 20th century. The five bases of power are coercive, legitimate, reward, referent, and expert. The bases can be utilized by themselves or combined with another base when demonstrating power in any situation. This article will explore each of the five bases and describe them more in depth, including formality and informality of the bases. Coercive power, one of the first bases of power, carries with it a manifestation of fear based on the possible negative outcomes of this power and if the subject did not comply with the orders given. Coercive power is the power that comes from a person's authority to punish. This formal base of power is effective in the short term only; and in contrast more often leads to rebellion against authority rather than respect and compliance based on respect. A manager could use coercive power in an instance where an employee was failing to perform his job correctly or efficiently, by threatening the employee with disciplinary action if the issue is not rectified. This base of power creates a general feeling of fear and uneasiness among employees and can be detrimental to the morale of the employees and the company. When employees share a general consensus that a manager or supervisor has a right to give out orders because of this job title and company position this formal base of power is referred to as...
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...Leadership and Power Paul E Fultz LDR/300 April 28, 2015 Glenn Nelson Leadership and Power Leadership and power are terms commonly used in business relations and these terms are often interconnected. There has been an ongoing debate about the differences between leadership, management, and power. In addition, to be an effective leader it is vital to understand and try to express these distinctions as well as understand the significant role of power in leadership. Power can be described as a person or entity with much control, authority, and/or influence over other people or organizations. The premise of power can be directly related to leadership due in part to the influence process. It can also be said that power is the ability or probability to influence. “People have power when they have the ability to affect others’ beliefs, attitudes, and courses of action. Ministers, doctors, coaches, and teachers are all examples of people who have the potential to influence us. When they do, they are using their power, the resource they draw on to effect change in us” (Northouse, 2013). So these different types of positions within different career fields (doctors, ministers, etc) each have a certain amount of power related to a certain level of leadership. The level of each one’s power and leadership, whether high or low, can be directly associated with how influential they are. Authority also comes into play when one speaks of power, leadership, and influence tactics. Authority...
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...Bases of Power There are five bases of power in the given organization. The first base of power is reward power. Reward power is defined as being the opposite of coercive power and that “people comply with the wishes or directives of another because doing so produces positive benefits” (Robbins & Judge, 2007, pg. 471.) Employee 1 in the scenario wants to receive the bonus that he/she will be granted upon the successful completion of his/her annual evaluation. To ensure his/her tasks are finished and that they are correct, Employee 1 oftentimes works over his/her scheduled 40 hour work week by working late and on weekends at the encouragement of the marketing manager. The marketing manager often reminds the Employee 1 and his/her peers of the yearly bonus. The employee complying with the wishes of the marketing manager for he/she to work late so he/she will receive a good performance evaluation, thus resulting in the receipt of the desired bonus is an example of Employee 1 being affected by reward power. The marketing manager uses the second base of power, which is legitimate power. Legitimate power is defined as “the formal authority to control and use organizational resources” (Robbins & Judge, 2007, pg. 472.) The marketing manager being the person responsible for the evaluation of the employees, thus affecting whether or not Employee 1 receives the bonus he/she really wants is a demonstration of this power. The distribution of a bonus to an employee is an example of...
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...Influencing Group Communication Influencing Group Communication your name XBCOM/230 University of Phoenix In any organization today, one will be able to see the five basis of power at work. Some of these powers will be evident in some individuals and it may take longer to see them in other within the organization. The five basis of power that we will discuss are, coercive, reward, legitimate, expert, and referent. These five basis of power are broken down into two separate groups, one being formal and the other being informal. The formal group will consist of three of the five basis of power and they are: coercive, reward and legitimate. Obvious this leaves expert and referent as the two that will be referred to as the informal basis of power. After taking the time to look into and study each individual basis of power, I feel that the informal basis of power would be the most efficient way of leading. The three formal basis of power being coercive, reward and legitimate are the powers that I will begin to discuss. Although most people tend to have some sort of fear towards their supervisor, it takes a turn for the worst when you have a supervisor that uses coercive power on any worker. Coercive power or authority is the utilization of fear to get an employee to do what the supervisor is asking. In this day and time, with jobs being harder and harder to come by, supervisor will use the fear of an employee losing their job to the supervisors advantage. Both employee and...
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...Basis of Power Brian R. Gates BCOM 230 November 14, 2011 Katalin Ogle Power—in a business environment—is defined as the potential for one individual to exercise influence over another individual. That potential may never be realized, but for an individual to possess power one can infer that other individuals are dependent upon the person who holds the power. Power can be derived from two basic sources: personal and formal. There are five bases of power that exist, and the base of the power ultimately affects how people react to that power. Formal Power Formal power stems from an individual’s place in the hierarchy of an organization, and includes three bases of power: coercive power, reward power, and legitimate power. Coercive power results from the potential negative impact upon the dependent individual from the person holding power. Reward power is the exact opposite—with the power derived from the ability of the individual holding power to positively impact the dependent person. These two bases of power very often occur simultaneously. If a manager tells a subordinate to perform a certain action, there are potential outcomes derived from each of these power bases. If the subordinate successfully performs the action, the manager could give the subordinate a bonus, a raise, or a better position within the organization (reward power). If the subordinate does not successfully execute the directive, the manager can demote the subordinate or withhold bonuses...
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