Running head: THE FIVE TYPES OF POWER

The Five Types of Power

Helen Ozumba
Emily Russo
Rob Walker
Jennifer Xiong
Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Business Ethics & Leadership
Professor Ronald McGee
April 14, 2016

THE FIVE TYPES OF POWER

The Five Types of Power

Leadership power typically falls into the five categories of legitimate, reward, coercive, expert, and
referent. Of these five influences legitimate, reward, and coercive are considered hard powers, while expert and
referent are soft powers. Hard powers are usually the organizations policies and procedures, or influence that
comes from a persons position of authority. Soft powers are based on individual characteristics and
interpersonal relationships of the leader.
Legitimate Power
It is a power individuals have from their role and status within an organization. It usually involves
formal authority delegated to the holder of the position, or a person in a higher position that has control over
people in a lower position. When this kind of power is given to someone, it is essential that one understand the
usefulness of this power and by any means not abuse it, because it can be taking away.
For example, if Helen is promoted to the position of managing director and her employees believe she
deserves this position, they will respond favorably when she exercises her legitimate power. Or, if John, an
employee, asks his manager, Helen, to approve his personal time off, John knows that Helen has legitimate
power to either approve or deny that request. Regardless of Helens decision, John must comply.
It is also a power given to a president on a country by its citizens, after being voted to govern them. The
citizenry expects that the president uses this power bestowed on him/her in a manner that will please the
citizens, and not to abuse it or use it for his/her own selfish interest. And if the president uses this power for
their own selfish interest, such president may be asked to resign or be impeached.
Reward Power

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Coercive Power

According to The Leadership Experience textbook, coercive power refers to the power to punish or
recommend punishment and is the negative side of legitimate and reward power. With this type of hard
power, followers will either be compliant or resistant. Compliant followers will obey orders, and only do what
is necessary to get by. However, if coercive power goes beyond validity and tolerability of the followers, the
followers will become resistant and start to rebel against that power.
Ultimately, coercion is not a successful long term form of power. In some situations it can be
useful, but in others it will be completely ineffective. A leader could use coercion when in a situation that
requires people to respond instantly due to immediate danger, or during disputes that involve something of great
importance. Coercion may be unsuccessful if the followers have needs which must be satisfied and which
cannot be suppressed (Dugan, 2003). This circumstances defines the human needs theory, which states that
needs include identity, security, and recognition.
Expert Power
Expert power is results from a leader's special knowledge or skill. A true expert leader leads their
associates to go along with recommendations because of their superior knowledge. People trust and respect the
decisions from expert power because of the leader's expertise and experiences. From scholar research, leaders
who are high in expert power are three times more influential than those without expert power. Ethical
boundaries expert power should be govern to are respecting their peers, putting the associates before their own
greed and selfishness, do right by the company values and lead by examples in the right way.
Referent Power
Referent power is authority based on personality characteristics that command followers' attention,
respect, and admiration so they can emulate the leader. The followers admire their leader traits, personality and
the influence they have on workers. The respect and admiration of a referent power allowed followers to easily

THE FIVE TYPES OF POWER

approach and communicate with their leader without being afraid to voice their opinions and ideals. Ethical
boundaries referent power should be govern to are respecting the leader/follower relationship, doing everything
the correct way because leaders have followers looking up to them, do not take the followers for granted, and
treat all workers with fairness and equity.
Conclusion

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References

Daft, R. L., & Lane, P. G. (2015). The Leadership Experience. Australia: Cengage Learning.
Dugan, M. A. (2003, September). Coercive Power | Beyond Intractability. Retrieved April 12, 2016,
from http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/threats