Leadership and Power Chapter 5 If a man can accept a situation in a place of power with the thought that it s only temporary he comes out all right But when he thinks that he is the cause of the power that can be his ruination Harry S Truman Bennis and Nanus Power is the capacity to translate intention into reality and sustain it Leadership is the wise use of this power Vision is the commodity of leaders and power is their currency Five Primary Sources of Power Coercive Power Reward Power Legitimate Power Expert Power Referent Power Coercive Power Is based on the right to administer punishment or give negative reinforcements Most effective when followers are aware of expectations and warned User must follow through Coercive Power Benefits Effective for gaining obedience Appropriate for disciplinary actions Achieves quick results Costs Drains physical and emotional energy Lowers task satisfaction of followers Reward Power User must be able to deliver something of value Must be something the follower desires Be specific about behavior being rewarded Reward Power Benefits Culturally sanctioned Focuses attention on group priorities Effective for gaining obedience Boosts short term performance Costs Lower task satisfaction than with expert and referent power Not consistently linked with high task performance Escalating financial and material costs to provide ever greater tangible rewards Ineffective or destructive if rewards are not desirable or attractive or if the wrong person is rewarded Kohn s Reward Power Research Reward flip side of punishment Does not appear to produce a lasting change Rewards fail because Punish Rupture relationships Ignore reasons Discourage risk taking Undermine intrinsic motivation Legitimate Power Is connected to the position held Is dependent upon the importance of the position held May only work if used for valid requests Legitimate Power Benefits Culturally sanctioned Incorporates weight of the entire organization Effective for gaining obedience Helps large organizations function efficiently Costs Lowers follower task performance Lowers follower task satisfaction May become less effective over time Expert Power Based upon the person not the position Influential because they provide information skills Important in our culture Expert Power Benefits High follower task satisfaction High follower task performance Drains little if any emotional energy from the user Costs Takes a long time to develop Must possess the necessary knowledge and skills Not as effective in gaining obedience as coercion reward or legitimate power May not be effective if followers do not share the leader s goals Referent Power Role model power Followers allow this type of influence because of affection esteem and respect for the other person Can be depleted Referent Power Benefits High follower task satisfaction High follower task performance Costs Takes a long time to develop Can diminish if overused Must possess the necessary knowledge and interpersonal skills Not as effective for gaining obedience as coercion reward or legitimate power Powerful and Powerless Talk Standard Language Speakers stereotyped by their use of words Powerful talk makes speakers seem knowledgeable and confident Adopt appropriate style for the situation Powerless Talk Hesitations Hedges Tag Questions Disclaimers Accounts Side Particles Tyrannical Bosses Track every move of their followers Send conflicting messages about what they want Engage in angry outbursts Demand absolute obedience Put followers down in public Act arbitrarily Coerce followers into unethical behavior Empowerment Leaders gain more power through empowerment Increases the job satisfaction and performance of followers Fosters greater cooperation among group members Collective survival Contributes to personal growth and learning Prevents power abuses Components of the Empowerment Process Modifying the Environment Supplying Resources Building a Sense of Personal Power Modifying the Environment Eliminate situational factors that lead to feelings of powerlessness Shift decision making authority to followers Supplying Resources Followers need funds supplies time and a place to work Political support Need for information Building a Sense of Personal Power Efficacy expectation Leaders can build followers perceptions of their personal power Provide emotional support Expressing confidence Modeling successful performance or providing opportunities to observe others Structuring tasks for initial success Empowerment Models Leading the Journey Belasco and Stayer Determining focus and direction Removing obstacles Developing ownership Stimulate self directed actions Empowerment Models Superleadership Self leadership Sims and Manz Superleadership Changing organizational structures Changing organizational processes Changing interpersonal communication Self leadership Self behavior modification Task focus Positive thinking