Meaning of power
The word ‘power’ is defined differently by different people. In simple
words, power is the ability to influence other people. It is an exchange
relationship that occurs in transactions between an agent and a target. The
agent is the person who uses the power, and target is the receipt of the
attempt to use power. White and Bednar have also defined people or things,
usually obtained through he control of important resources.
Sometimes, people consider power, influence and authority as synonymous.
However, these mean different meanings. We have just defined power as the
ability to influence someone else. Power being an ability, individuals can
learn to use it effectively. Influence is the process of affecting the
thoughts, behaviour, and feelings of another person. Authority is the right to
influence another person. In other words, authority is a legitimate right to
influence others.
Bases Or Sources Of Power
Where does power
come from? French and Raven have answered this question by identifying five
sources a manager drives power. They are reward, coercive, legitimate, referent
and expert power.
Reward Power: Reward power is based on the
agent’s/manager’s ability to control rewards the target/employee wants. The
common examples of reward power are managers control rewards of salary
increases, bonuses, and promotions. This power is based on old saying that
‘wealth is power’. People comply this power because they get benefits out of
its compliance.
Coercive
Power :Coercive power is
opposite of reward power. Coercive power is based on manager’s ability to cause
an unpleasant experience for its people. To cerce someone into doing situation,
it may be in the form of action for or threat for dismissal, suspension,
demotion, or other method of embarrassment for the people working in organisations.
Legitimate
Power : Legitimate power is power
that is based on position and mutual agreement. Both the agent and target agree
that the agent has the right to influence his employees. In organisational
setting, such legitimate power is in the form of authority which is delegate to
the positions of organisational members. In our culture, age has still certain
premium and the aged people have legitimate power and the members of the
society believe in his right to influence the decisions in their lives.
Referent
Power : Referent power in an
elusive power that is based on interpersonal attraction. The agent has referent
power over the target because the target identifies with or wants to be like
the agent. Charismatic individuals are often thought to have referent power.
Such power may take place without organisational context as most of the people
take somebody as ideal and behave accordingly upto a certain stage.
Expert Power: Expert power exists when
the agent has information or knowledge that the target needs. It is based on
the proverb, ‘knowledge is power’. For expert power to work, three conditions
need to be fulfilled. First, the target must trust that the information given
by the agent is accurate and correct. Second, the information given should be
relevant and useful to the target. Third, the target must consider the agent a
an expert. It is important to mention that if an agent considers
himself/herself as an expert but not the target, then the expert power will not
be effective.
