Definition should include the following:
- Legitimate—power derived from a formal position or office held in an organization's hierarchy of authority
- Informational—situation in which a person possesses needed or wanted information
- Expert—power based upon employees' perception that a manager or some other member of an organization has a high level of knowledge or a specialized set of skills that other employees or members of the organization do not possess
- Reward—the power of a manager to give some type of reward to an employee to influence employee actions
- Coercive—the ability of a manager to force an employee to follow an order by threatening punishment for non-compliance
- Referent—the ability of a leader to influence a follower because of the follower's loyalty, respect, friendship, admiration, affection, or desire to gain approval
- Charismatic—the ability to charm and persuade solely with the power of personality
- Moral—the degree to which one, by virtue of his or her perceived moral stature, is able to persuade others to adopt a particular belief or take a particular course of action
- Connection—giving the impression that relationships the leader has with other influential persons gives the leader the same qualities and access to power
Process/Skill Questions:
- How can a person lead without having power?
- What are some similarities and differences between the power that runs machinery and the power embodied in a person?
- What are ethical concerns associated with each type of power?
- How can each type of power be used positively and negatively?
- How does a leader acquire and use expert power within a team or organization?
- What are situations in which a leader effectively used legitimate power?
Teacher Resource:
Power in Leadership: 9 Types for Effective Leaders, Indeed