Minggu, 25 November 2007

Leadership vs Power

Power refers to a capacity that A has to influence the behavior of B, so that B acts in accordance with A’s wishes. This definition implies a potential that need not be actualized to be effective and a dependency relationship. Power may exist but not be used it. It is, therefore, a capacity or potential.

Dependency is B’s relationship to A when A possesses something that B requires. The greater B’s dependence on A, the greater A’s power upon B. Dependence, in turn, is based on alternatives that B perceives and the importance that B places on the alternative(s) that A controls. If you possess something that others require but you alone control, you make them dependent upon you and, therefore you gain power over them. If you’re attending college on funds totally provided by your parents, you probably recognize the power they hold over you. You’re dependent on them for financial support. But once you’re out of school, have a job, and are making a solid income, your parent’s power is reduced significantly.

A careful comparison of our definition of power with our description of leadership in the previous discussion reveals that the two concepts are closely intertwined. Leaders use power as a means of attaining group goals. Leaders achieve goals, and power is means of facilitating their achievement.

What differences are there between the two concepts?

  1. Goal compatibility: Power does not require goal compatibility, merely dependence. Leadership, on the other hand, requires some congruence between the goals of the leader and those being led.
  2. Direction of influence: Leadership focuses on the downward influence on one’s subordinates. Power influence extends even laterally and upward.
  3. Emphasis: Leadership mostly emphasizes style to gain commitment. In contrast, power focuses on tactics for gaining obedience.

Sources of power

Where does power come from? What is it that gives an individual or a group influence over others? There are basically five bases or sources of power: legitimate, coercive, reward, expert, and referent. Some authors add two more sources of power: information and connection.

  1. Legitimate power: The power a person receives as a result of his or her position in the formal hierarchy of an organization. This person has the right, considering his or her position and your job responsibility, to expect you to comply with legitimate requests. In formal groups or organizations, this is probably the most frequent access to one or more power bases in one’s structural organization.

  1. Coercive power: The power a person receives because he or her in the position to punish you if you fail to comply with his or her requests. This person can make things difficult for people and you want to avoid getting him or her unhappy. This kind of power is also called power that is based on fear.

  1. Reward power: The power a person receives because he or her in the position to reward you if you comply with his or her requests. So compliance is achieved based on your ability to distribute benefits or rewards that others view it advantageous to trade favors with him or her.

  1. Expert power: The power or influence a person has over other people as a result or his or her expertise, special skill, experience or knowledge that others do not posses. Expertise has become one of the most powerful sources of power as the world has become more technologically oriented. As jobs become more specialized, we become increasingly dependent on specialists to achieve goals.

  1. Referent power: A power that develops out of admiration of another and a desire to be like that person. In a sense, then, it is a lot like charisma. If you admire someone to the point of modeling your behavior and attitudes after him or her, this person, then, possesses referent power over you. Spiritual leaders, celebrities, successful businessmen or famous intellectuals.

  1. Information power: A power or influence that some has over other people because he possesses or has access to valuable information that others do not but require it. Corporate Secretary, HRD Manager, and Secretary of the Cabinet are positions viewed as having valuable information and accordingly having information power.

  1. Connection power: A power or influence that some has over other people because he has access or close connection to highly important people that others require it but do not have such connection. If, for some reasons, I’m very close to the President Director, others may view that I’m in the position to introduce you or to recommend you to him, and then I gain power over you.

Implications for Managers:

Managers and leaders need power to achieve their goals. There is evidence that people respond differently to various power bases. Expert and referent power are derived from someone’s personal qualities. In contrast, coercion, reward, and legitimate are mostly derived from formal hierarchical positions. Since people are more likely to accept and commit to an individual whom they admire or whose knowledge they respect, the effective use of expert and referent power should lead to higher employee performance, commitment, and satisfaction. Whereas employees working under managers who use coercive power are unlikely to be committed to organizational goals. The use of coercive and reward power will only gain employees’ compliance instead of commitment.

Where is the real power? In the real world the real power does not always rest on the hand of the President Director or CEO. There is individual(s) or group who has a great influence over the President Director or CEO’s decision making process. He or she never makes decision before consulting this individual or group first. If that is the case, the real power actually lies in the hand of that particular individual or group.





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