Leadership

Chapter 10 addresses power and influence in the workplace. Power is defined as "the capacity of a person, team, or organization to influence others," (p. 300). Understanding power is a key to understanding organizational behavior and culture. Power defines relationships between employees, and between those in managerial positions and their subordinates. There are five fundamental sources of power. Those include legitimate power, reward power, coercive power, expert power, and referent power. Legitimate power comes from official titles and job descriptions. Reward power refers to the ability of an individual's power to disperse bonuses and other incentives. Coercive power entails the use of punishment to control the behavior of others. Expert power depends on a person's background and expertise. Finally, referent power is the power that comes from personal charisma and the ability to bond with others. There are several contingencies of power: variables that mitigate, alter, or delimit power....
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