Power and powerlessness By.Naveeda Iqbal

Definition Power: The capacity of a person or a group to influence other people or groups.

Types Legitimate power.... Information power.... Expert power.... Reward power.... Coercive power.... Referent power.... Charismatic power.... Moral power

Authority Is the power which is formally given to an individual or group because of the position or rule they occupy within an organization. ◦ (Authority is subset of Power)

Characteristics of Power  Power depends on relationships  Power derive from difference  Power is based on beliefs  Power is never just one sided  Power is contextual

Sources of Power Role-Derived Power Power from position This is the power vested in an individual or group by virtue of their role or position in an organization.  This position entitles them to do certain things  Give instructions to some people.  Authorize expenditure.Organize work, and so on.

 Company’s regulations, rules and resources will support the ‘Position Power”  Usually, such support will be conveyed to the related person FORMALLY.  To consider the importance of position power, think of all the things you could not do if you were deprived of your job title and job description

Legitimate power Legitimate power is traditional power – it is the type of power a manager, executive, or other leading official in a company has due to the status of their position

Expert Power Influence is based on special skills or knowledge

Referent Power Influence is based on possession by an individual of desirable resources or personal traits.

Informational power  Control over information flow  One gains information power when they know something other people want to know.

Reward power A leader who has the ability to reward an employee or team member (with money, praise, etc.) has reward power.

Coercive power. Coercive power is the opposite of reward power; a leader who can punish an employee or team member has coercive power. Because the threat of punishment can persuade an employee to act a certain way, this type of leadership power is called “coercive power.”

Referent power Referent power is all about “who you know.” A leader with lots of referent power may have many connections or a large social network they can use to their advantage. Someone with referent power may also be close to an executive with legitimate power

Charismatic power Similarly, a leader with charismatic power has the ability to influence others. While they may or may not have an established network of contacts, they usually have a natural ability to persuade or inspire others.

Moral power A leader who has moral power over his or her employees has been placed on a pedestal, so to speak, due to their beliefs and actions. A leader’s good qualities can lead to them having moral power over an employee, because the employee may be inspired to replicate the leader’s actions

Authority Types The first type discussed by Weber is Rational-legal authority.... The second type of authority is Traditional authority, which derives from long- established customs, habits and social structures.... The third form of authority is Charismatic authority