Sources of Power

Sources of
Power
Power refers to the capacity to influence
others. So where does it come from?
Have you ever wondered why some
managers seem like natural leaders? Or
perhaps you are interested in what power
you hold over others?
Legitimate
Legitimate power is the formal
authority granted through the
organization and job description. A
project manager is placed in
charge of a project team so they
may delegate tasks.
A supervisor is given legitimate
power over their subordinates so
they can ask for a range of behaviors
from the new employee. One will
find this power source
useful as you begin leading any team,
however it cannot be relied upon alone
to make you an effective leader. Legitimate
Reward
As leaders we may be granted both
control over what others value and the
ability to change negative aspects of
the job giving us reward power.
We see reward power used when a
manager gives salary increases based
on performance or when a supervisor
replaces faulty equipment.

Reward
Rewards can be as simple as allowing
a person to work on a special project
or attend training, granting favorable
shifts or bringing in pizza.

If employees are given feedback

systems to evaluate their managers or
co-workers, they also hold reward
power.
The risk in using only reward power
is that you may have a limited supply
or the rewards may become too
commonplace, losing their power.
Reward
Coercive
Both team leaders and members
may apply coercive power, the
ability to punish with the goal of
compliance.
Punishment is an old fashioned
“carry a big stick” management
style.
Managers who use this power
threaten to fire or layoff employees
who fail to meet their standards.

Coercive
Team members apply coercive power
through gossip or open demands of
co-workers when they break the
team norms.
Coercive power often results in
negative relationships since adults
naturally resent being punished.
With today’s intelligent
workforce, using coercive power
alone will result in a team who
comply with orders only when the
manager is watching.

C
o
e
r
c
Organizational Sources of
Power

Reward
Organizational Sources of
Power
Legitimate, reward and coercive power are all associated
with the organization. The company, your team and where your
job sits in the corporate ladder will influence how these sources
of power may be available to you.

Reward
Expert
Many leaders become successful
due to their own personal power
sources.
Have you ever noticed the respect we
give to experts who help us solve
problems? Expert power comes
from specialized knowledge. A
software engineer who arrives with a Expert
specialized skill set may have
considerable influence on the
team’s decisions and direction
even if that person lacks any
organizational power.
Referent
The charismatic individual has
referent power. We follow them
because we admire their personality
and wish to be like them.
Who is your office celebrity, the
person everyone wants to follow?
Referent
Personal Sources of
Power
Those who hold expert and referent power may move their
power from one group to another because they hold it
personally.
A charismatic politician may be elected to several different
positions. An expert computer security guru may job hop from
organization to organization.

Expert Referent
 Expert Referent

Organizational & Personal Sources of

Power

Reward
Power
Combinations
When we look
at all five
sources of
power it is the
combinations Expert Referent
that are most
interesting.

Reward
New Supervisor
Example
A new supervisor may rely heavily on the use of legitimate and
coercive power.
Without reward, referent or expert power, the team will often
comply outwardly with the supervisor, but will secretly work
against the supervisor’s formal and oppressive style.

Legitimate
Coercive
Abandoned Team
Example
A manager who abandons their team, giving neither feedback or
rewards for good performance is withholding their legitimate or
reward power.
Within abandoned teams employees may take on a leadership
role by exercising their expert or referent power. Some
employees may use a form of punishment, such as leaving
others undesirable tasks, in order to force their co- workers to
comply to their own standards.

Expert Referent Coercive

Project Manager
Example
A charming project manager may use legitimate and referent
power to influence their team.
Project managers often have a limited ability to reward or
punish team members for failing to perform.
The charismatic manager may recruit a technical person to co-
lead the team, adding an expert power source.

Legitimate
Expert Referent
John French and Bertram H.
Raven
In 1959, John
French and
Bertram H.
Raven
examined the Expert Referent
five different
sources that
come from the
organization
and the
individual.

Reward
Discussio
n Based on the
five source
model, what
power
combinations Expert Referent
do you use to
influence
others in your
daily
activities?

Reward
Discussio
n What
combinations
do you see
others in your
organization Expert Referent
use?

Reward
What’s your
vote?
http://hjustice.wordpress.com/leadership-
sources-of-power-poll

Which power sources do you see your boss use

to influence others?

Which power sources do you use in your

daily activities to influence others?
More Information
Online
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/new
LDR_56.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_(social_a
nd_political)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_and_Ra
ven's_five_bases_of_power
http://changingminds.org/explanations/pow
er/french_and_raven.htm