Holly Justice Leadership

Sources of Power
An explanation of the theory by
John French and Bertram H. Raven
Sources of Power
Power refers to the capacity to influence
others. So where does it come from?
Have you ever wondered why some
managers seem like natural leaders?
Or perhaps you are interested in what
power you hold over others?
Legitimate
Legitimate power is the formal
authority granted through the
organization and job description.
A project manager is placed in
charge of a project team so they
may delegate tasks.
A supervisor is given legitimate
power over their subordinates so
they can ask for a range of
behaviors from the new employee.
One will find this power source
useful as you begin leading any
team, however it cannot be relied
upon alone to make you an effective Legitimate
leader.
Reward
As leaders we may be granted both
control over what others value and
the ability to change negative
aspects of the job giving us reward
power.
We see reward power used when a
manager gives salary increases
based on performance or when a
supervisor replaces faulty
equipment.

Reward
Rewards can be as simple as
allowing a person to work on a
special project or attend training,
granting favorable shifts or bringing
in pizza.
If employees are given feedback
systems to evaluate their managers
or co-workers, they also hold
reward power.
The risk in using only reward power
is that you may have a limited
supply or the rewards may become
too commonplace, losing their
power. Reward
Coercive
Both team leaders and members
may apply coercive power, the
ability to punish with the goal of
compliance.
Punishment is an old fashioned
carry a big stick management
style.
Managers who use this power
threaten to fire or layoff employees
who fail to meet their standards.

Coercive
Team members apply coercive
power through gossip or open
demands of co-workers when they
break the team norms.
Coercive power often results in
negative relationships since adults
naturally resent being punished.
With todays intelligent workforce,
using coercive power alone will
result in a team who comply with
orders only when the manager is
watching.

Coercive
Organizational Sources of Power
Le

ive
git

erc
ima

Co
te

Reward
Organizational Sources of
Power
Legitimate, reward and coercive power are all associated
with the organization. The company, your team and where
your job sits in the corporate ladder will influence how these
sources of power may be available to you.

Reward
Expert
Many leaders become successful
due to their own personal power
sources.
Have you ever noticed the respect
we give to experts who help us
solve problems? Expert power
comes from specialized knowledge.
A software engineer who arrives
Expert
with a specialized skill set may have
considerable influence on the
teams decisions and direction even
if that person lacks any
organizational power.
Referent
The charismatic individual has
referent power. We follow them
because we admire their personality
and wish to be like them.
Who is your office celebrity, the
person everyone wants to follow?
Referent
Personal Sources of Power
Those who hold expert and referent power may move their
power from one group to another because they hold it
personally.
A charismatic politician may be elected to several different
positions. An expert computer security guru may job hop from
organization to organization.

Expert Referent
 Referent
Expert

Organizational & Personal Sources of Power

Le

ive
git

erc
ima

Co
te

Reward
Power Combinations
When we look
at all five
sources of
power it is the Referent
combinations Expert
that are most
interesting.

Reward
New Supervisor Example
A new supervisor may rely heavily on the use of legitimate
and coercive power.
Without reward, referent or expert power, the team will often
comply outwardly with the supervisor, but will secretly work
against the supervisors formal and oppressive style.

Legitimate
Coercive
Abandoned Team Example
A manager who abandons their team, giving neither
feedback or rewards for good performance is withholding
their legitimate or reward power.
Within abandoned teams employees may take on a
leadership role by exercising their expert or referent power.
Some employees may use a form of punishment, such as
leaving others undesirable tasks, in order to force their co-
workers to comply to their own standards.

Referent
Expert Coercive
Project Manager Example
A charming project manager may use legitimate and referent
power to influence their team.
Project managers often have a limited ability to reward or
punish team members for failing to perform.
The charismatic manager may recruit a technical person to
co-lead the team, adding an expert power source.

Legitimate Referent
Expert
John French and Bertram H.
Raven
In 1959, John
French and
Bertram H.
Raven Referent
examined the Expert
five different
sources that
come from the
organization
and the
individual.

Reward
Discussion
Based on the
five source
model, what
power Referent
combinations Expert
do you use to
influence
others in your
daily
activities?

Reward
Discussion
What
combinations
do you see
others in your Referent
organization Expert
use?

Reward
Whats your vote?
http://hjustice.wordpress.com/
leadership-sources-of-power-poll

Which power sources do you see your boss

use to influence others?

Which power sources do you use in your

daily activities to influence others?
More Information Online
http
://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLD
R_56.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_(social_a
nd_political)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_and_R
aven's_five_bases_of_power
http://changingminds.org/explanations/pow
er/french_and_raven.htm
Holly Justice Leadership
Sources of Power
An explanation of the theory by
John French and Bertram H. Raven