The 5 Sources of Power in Organisations is a basis to classify the power in organisations. It describes the different types of power leaders and managers have and how they use them. This article provides a brief over of those 5 bases of power in an organisation. Show
The Bases of PowerAmerican sociologists John French and Bertram Raven published an article titled ‘The Bases of Power’. Its basis was to classify the power in organisations. In the article, they identified 5 sources of power and how they are used by leaders in organisations. The 5 Sources of Power The 5 Bases of Power in the Raven and Bertram article were:
Legitimate PowerAlso known as positional power and it comes from the position the person has in the organisation’s hierarchy. Typically, managers and leaders who delegate work and set tasks for others are described as having legitimate power. The person who holds the power to exercise it correctly, they have to have been seen (or at least perceived) to have earned it. This may be through time in the role, experience in the role and the results that they have delivered. Examples of this in an organisation might be the CEO. This type of power can be unstable. If the person loses the title or their position, their power disappears. Expert PowerHaving expert power comes from having expertise in a particular area. These people are valued in organisations for their problem-solving skills. People will look to them to influence decisions, have input into problems and are held in high regard by their colleagues. People with expert power may be seen as ideal candidates for promotion in the organisation. Referent PowerReferent power comes from the interpersonal relationships that a person builds with others in the organisation. People have referent power when other people respect them and like them. It comes from influence through the behaviour that they demonstrate to others. If they are liked, others are more likely to respect and trust them. This allows the person with referent power to influence others. This power can also come from the relationships this person forms with key people in the organisation such as the CEO. Coercive PowerThis power comes from a person’s ability to influence through threats, punishment or sanctions. Others will respond to this behaviour because of fear of reprimand. They ensure that others stick to the organisation’s rules, policies and procedures. The downside is, that you can only use this type of power in short bursts. If it’s used too much it tends to push people away or even leave the organisation. Reward PowerThis power comes from the person’s ability to offer and influence incentives in an organisation. This may be an increase in salary and promotions. They can use this power to motivate employees and team members. The problem with this power may be that the person cannot always deliver or they can’t always make these decisions about rewards or incentives by themselves. They may need to seek the permission of others who make the final decisions as to whether the reward can be sectioned. Leadership and Management Training CoursesWant to know more about leadership and management and develop your own leadership and management skills? Take a look at our 2-day Leadership and People Management Skills training course. Beginning in the late 1950s, psychologists John R. P. French and Bertram Raven famously identified 6 types of power: Referent Power, Reward Power, Coercive Power, Legitimate Power, Expert Power, and Information Power.Before we explore each type (and their pros and cons), take the quiz to see which types of power you tend to use most frequently! Next StepsIt's time to understand all types of power. We’re going to dig deep into all the types of power, but feel free to jump to any section that interests you: Reward PowerA pat on the back, praise, employee recognition programs, bonuses, and even high ratings on a performance review, are all various forms of reward power. There are typically two forms of reward power: personal and impersonal. Personal reward power comes when a leader conveys their approval, or lets employees know that they like or value them. Impersonal reward power, by contrast, is derived from a leader being able to give promotions, bonuses, formal recognition, better assignments, etc. On the plus side, reward power is pretty common in modern organizations. Most bonus and compensation systems, for example, are rooted in reward power. Thus it’s typically quick to start using reward power and the results can be nearly instantaneous. It’s also seen as a gentler form of power than, say, coercive power. On the downside, however, once the rewards disappear, so too may the results. If I offer praise every time an employee does something great, their performance may slip if I start slacking on praising their work. And after a time, the impact of my personal rewards (e.g. praise or recognition) may fade. So too might the impact or availability of impersonal rewards, like bonuses or promotions. Also, reward power typically requires a certain status in the organizational hierarchy. So it’s not a power that is readily available to frontline employees. Which source of power comes from what others believe a member knows?Referent Power
If they are liked, others are more likely to respect and trust them. This allows the person with referent power to influence others. This power can also come from the relationships this person forms with key people in the organisation such as the CEO.
What are the 5 main sources of power?In 1959, social psychologists John French and Bertram Raven identified five bases of power:. Legitimate.. Reward.. Expert.. Referent.. Coercive.. What are the sources of power?The five sources of power and influence are: reward power, coercive power, legitimate power, expert power and referent power.
Which source of power is based on an individual's knowledge?Informal Power refers to the power that comes from an individual's unique characteristics. These are the most effective because personal skills, traits and knowledge influence personal power. Formal Power refers to the power that establishes because of the individual's position in an organization.
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