Leadership power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Leadership power - Essay Example There is a notable correlation between power and leadership. Hersey, Blanchard and Johnson (1996) define power as the ability to control other people or things. In other words, power is the potential to influence. It has been evidenced that leaders have power over people or things that they lead. According to Bass and Bass (2009), leadership is often conceived as an exercise of power. Leadership and power have often been utilized to influence the behavior of people. According to the behavioral theory, a leader is thus analyzed by what one does and how they behave. In the same way, it can be evidenced that power is usually concentrated to a few select persons. Very few organizations take the chance to teach selected few of the manner in which to make effectively use the power that they possess. Leaders have various bases of power unto which they leverage, including the power of position, power of charisma, power of relationships, power of information, power to reward others, and power of expertise, as well as power of punishment. There are five different types of power. First is legitimate power. It is also known as official or position power. This power comes from the rules of the organization. It offers the leaders the power to punish and reward, along with controlling organizational resources. This type of power maintains discipline and order in the society. Second is coercive power, which entails the use of negative influences. The most common coercion tools are threats and punishment. This makes it the least effective form of power since it builds resentment and resistance. The third type of power is referent power. It is the ability to attract others and build loyalty. It is usually based on the interpersonal skills as well as the charisma of the power holder. Fourth is expert power. It is the authority of knowledge that arises from specialized learning. A