In this week’s seminar we learned about the different types of powers and how leaders and managers use this type of power to influence subordinates to follow their same vision. Leaders are not automatically endowed an unlimited amount of power over subordinates . Leaders also differ in terms of the sources of bases upon which power over subordinates can be exerted. There are five different powers that affect leadership which include expert power, referent power, legitimate power, reward power and coercive power.
The first base of power is labelled coercive power. The basis of the influence is the fact that one person can punish another. Thus , a subordinates may do what a leader request because the leader has the power to fire the subordinates. Although the threat of punishment may give a leader considerable power over subordinates ,coercive power generally is not a very efficient base of power. This is essentially the opposite of coercive power. That is subordinates do what the leader wants because the leader has the ability to reward them in some way. For example, a subordinates may comply with a leader request that he or she work overtime because the leader has the power to grant this employee a larger pay increase when raised are given out.
The Third power base is labelled legitimate power. This power emanates from the position that one holds in an organization. In most organizational settings, the fact that one employee's is another employee is another employee's supervisor means that the supervisor has a legitimate right to make request of the other person. Note that this legitimate right is independent of the person holding the