A511.3.3.RB_PowerAndInfluence_LouBeldotti

POWER AND INFLUENCE

He-man!  He had the power.  His power came from a double-edged broad sword.  He hung out with the Masters of the Universe fighting the powers of evil.  Their nemesis was skeletor…a villain with a skull head and a maniacal laugh.   I guess that works if the world were a cartoon.  The world, although sometimes seeming cartoonish, doesn’t work that way.  Although we deal with characters, we must sadly face our issues without the broad sword.

            The learning objective in chapter 8 of Dr. Gary Yukl’s text are:

·         Understand the process by which power is acquired or lost in an organization.

·         Understand the consequences of power for leadership effectiveness.

·         Understand ways to use power effectively.

·         Understand the different types of influence tactics used in organizations.

·         Understand how the tactics are used to influence subordinates, peers and superiors.

·         Understand effective ways to use the tactics.

Dr. Yukl breaks it down into three categories:

1.       Power

2.      Authority

3.      Influence Processes

Dr. Yukl’s influence processes are:  Instrumental Compliance, Internalization and Personal Identification. (Yukl, 2013)

While doing some internet research, I found the following article which echoes much of Dr. Yukl’s text:

Power and Influence

What role does power and influence have on leadership styles? What impact does it have on follower/staff behavior and performance? This is a question that all leaders, whether they be organizational leaders, business leaders, team leaders or project leaders need to address. Power is the capacity of others to exert their will over others. It is the ability to make things happen, overcoming potential resistance in order to achieve desired results. The person, group or team seeks to influence thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors of another individual, group or team.

Power may be used positively or negatively. When used negatively it may well cause conflict. Used positively it can be used to overcome conflict and even avert it. 
Different sources of power have been identified and can be described based on power Sources (a) Positional Power and (b) Personal Power:

Positional Power Sources

• Legitimate Power
• Reward Power
• Coercive Power

Personal Power Sources

• Referent Power
• Expert Power
• Information Power

Legitimate Power

Legitimate Power is related to the position or status of the person in the organization. The person believes that they have the right to make demands on others and expect them to be compliant. Legitimate power gives the leader/manager power over their direct reports. The more senior a person is and/or the more people they may have in their team the more positional power the person perceives that they have. All managers have some degree of positional power.

Warnings:

• People are influenced by the position and not by you
• Your ability to influence through legitimate power is restricted by those situations in which people believe you have the right or power to influence their actions or behaviors
• Do not rely on legitimate power to influence others. Doing so may result in you abusing your power. This will lead to poor working relationships (see motivational theory) and potential conflict.

I have worked with managers who have abused this power. The result has led to demotivated individuals or teams, conflict and loss of respect for the manager from team members. All leaders need to assess how they are using legitimate power. Develop other sources of power to increase your influencing skills and achieve results through your people.

Reward Power

Reward power is the ability to give rewards. Examples of these rewards are promotions, pay increases, working on special projects, training and developmental opportunities and compliments. Reward power is the result of positional power. and is limited to your position in the organization. You may not always have complete control over the rewards. However, due to your position you may be able to have some influence in the rewards. Look at what rewards you can use to influence other's behaviors and actions.

Coercive Power

Coercive Power is the opposite of Reward Power. It is the ability to use threats and punishments. Many managers and leaders abuse this source of power leading to greater problems. Extensive use of coercive power should be avoided. Leadership styles may tend to be very autocratic. Be careful that you are not exerting power over others inappropriately.

Referent Power

Referent power is the ability of others to identify with those who have desirable resources or personal traits. You may also hear of charismatic power. This comes from the personal characteristics of the person. For example: Their energy, endurance, empathy, toughness, humor, charm. People with this source of power can influence people. However, again be careful that you do not abuse it.

Expert Power

Expert power refers to the power that people have who have specialist knowledge, who are experts in their field or have knowledge or skills that are in short supply. People tend to listen more to those who demonstrate expertise. Expert power does not require positional power. Leaders and managers should also be aware of expert power where it exists in their teams. To ignore it is potentially abusing their positional power.

How can you use and develop expert power as a leader? Here are some ideas:

• Use it to offer guidance and support to your team and to motivate them
• Use it to gain respect for your position, skills and knowledge from your peers, those above you in the organization, from your team, from customers, suppliers and those with whom you interact
• Develop expertise, both knowledge and skills, that are required for your position and future positions. Keep yourself informed of new developments in your area
• Maintain your credibility by participating in discussions that you are well informed on. Beware of trying to give the impression that you are an expert in all areas. You are not. Use the appropriate expertise from your team and other departments or functions
• Be open to discuss concerns that your team or others may have. By listening to their concerns you can use your expertise to allay them. Thus creating credibility and respect. This is a very important skill in leading change and managing resistance
• Acknowledge the expertise that is in your team. You do not need to have more expertise than them in every area

(Leadership and Development, n.d.)

            In this assignment, I am asked to reflect on the power that I personally bring to my work place (if you are not employed, think about an organization of which you are part…such as your family or your church).

·         What are the sources of that power?

·         What is the nature of that power?

·         How is it used or not used?

·         How is that power related to your ability to lead or follow?

·         Finally, if it applies, have you experienced high quality LMX situations within your workplace which are dysfunctional in the sense that Othamn et al describe in the extra reading material for this module?

            When I was in the Army, I had legitimate power.  General military authority was given to me based on my rank.  Anyone with lesser rank than I had to do as I said.  This authority was bestowed by the U.S. Army.

            Unfortunately, this mantle of leadership was sometimes bestowed on people who could not lead their way out of a wet paper bag.

            However, the Army did provide leadership training in a well thought out format.  Enlisted Soldiers have a system known as the Noncommissioned Officer Educational System (NCOES) and Commissioned Officers have a system known as the Officer Educational System (OES). 

            General Military Authority is used judiciously.  As a senior Soldier, we don’t lord our authority like a tyrant. 

            To the best of my knowledge, I have not experienced high quality LMX situations within my workplace.

Refernces

Yukl, G. (2013). Leadership in Organizations. (8th ed.).  Upper Saddle River, NJ. Prentice.

Leadership and Development (n.d.) Power and Influence. Retrieved on January 31, 2016 from http://www.leadership-development-tips.com/power-and-influence.html