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Someone once said, "You can get much farther with a
kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone."
Almost anyone can use power, but it takes skill to
use the power that comes with a leadership position. “Leadership power” is much
more than the use of force...it is influencing others to truly WANT to achieve a
goal. Plain power simply forces others to achieve a goal.
Power refers to a capacity that a person has influencing the behavior of another
person, so that he or she acts in accordance with certain wishes. This power is
a capacity or potential as it implies a potential that need not be actualized to
be effective.
That is, a power may exist, but it does not have to
be used to be effective. For example, an officer in the Army has certain powers
over enlisted personal, but that power does not have to be used to be effective
-- the mere knowledge of an officer's power has influence over others.
The Five Points of Power
A person has the potential for influencing five
points of power over another:
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Coercive Power - Power that is based on fear. A
person with coercive power can make things difficult for people. These are
the persons that you want to avoid getting angry. Employees working under
coercive managers are unlikely to be committed, and more likely to resist
the manager.
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Reward Power - Compliance achieved based on the
ability to distribute rewards that others view as valuable. Able to give
special benefits or rewards to people. You might find it advantageous to
trade favors with him or her.
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Legitimate Power - The power a person receives
as a result of his or her position in the formal hierarchy of an
organization. The person has the right, considering his or her position and
your job responsibilities, to expect you to comply with legitimate
requests.
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Expert Power - Influence based on special skills
or knowledge. This person earns respect by experience and knowledge. Expert
power is the most strongly and consistently related to effective employee
performance.
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Referent Power - Influence based on possession
by an individual or desirable resources or personal traits. You like the
person and enjoy doing things for him or her.
Politics and Power
The more political in which employees perceive their
organization, the lower their satisfaction becomes. This is because they tend to
feel powerless on a continuous basis:
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Powerless Label
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Blaming others
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Kissing up
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Cunning
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Passing the buck
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Covering your rear
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Creating conflict
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Building clicks
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Scheming
On the other hand, the politically astute tend to
view things differently:
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Political Astute Label
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Fixing responsibility
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Developing relationships
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Political Minded
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Delegating authority
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Documenting decisions
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Encouraging innovation
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Teamwork
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Planning ahead
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Power verses Leadership
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Power does not require goal compatibility;
instead, it focuses on intimidation, while leadership requires goal
congruence
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Power maximizes the importance of lateral
and upward influence, while leadership focuses upon downward influence
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Power focuses on tactics for gaining
compliance, while leadership focuses on getting answers and solutions
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Trimitra
Consultants regularly conducts training sessions on
topics related to
Leadership Skills.
For Further information, please contact:
Ms. Sisilia N Dachi
Trimitra Consultants
CBD Bintaro Jaya IX Blok G1,
Jakarta 12330 - Indonesia
Phone: (+62-21) 745-2275, 745-1948,
Fax: (+62-21) 745-2049
Email:
dachi@trimitra.com |
