Many people confuse power and authority, especially with leaders. It is a classic mistake that can derail us no matter how smart we are or how effective we are at our jobs. Understanding the differences between personal vs. positional powers and how to carefully cultivate and wield both, is an essential element of leadership, and central to becoming a great leader. This article will help you avoid the pitfalls that come with misunderstanding these two important concepts.
To start, everyone has a personal power base. It is composed of different types of power that are gained through their knowledge, actions, and accomplishments. It is constantly changing and evolving as a person continues to live their life. For leaders in organizations, this power base should be thought of as an asset. It is something to be developed, nurtured, and cultivated so that it can be a valuable tool in your leadership toolkit. Similarly, as a leader, your position comes with a certain amount of authority which must be utilized as part of making your organization work.
Content Guide
Understanding Personal Power
Types of Personal Powers
Personal power represents a leader’s capacity to influence people and situations based on individual attributes rather than positional authority. This type of power is more of an attitudinal construct emanating from within and is driven by an individual’s social and personal skills, which naturally appeal to others. Overall, power is a multifaceted concept that plays a pivotal role in leadership. Let’s explore different types of power and cite some recommended resources to support these insights.
- Expert Power – Expert power is derived from a person’s knowledge, skills, and expertise in a specific area. Leaders who possess exceptional knowledge can influence others based on their competence. You may refer to the works of John French and Bertram Raven for insights into expert power within the context of their social power framework.
- Referent Power – Referent power stems from the admiration and respect that others have for a leader. It’s often associated with charismatic individuals who can inspire and motivate their followers. The concept of referent power is well explained in “The Psychology of Leadership: New Perspectives and Research” by David M. Messick and Roderick M. Kramer.
- Coercive Power – Coercive power involves the use of threats, punishments, or sanctions to influence others’ behavior. It can be effective in certain situations but may lead to resentment. French and Raven’s model also discusses coercive power as one of the five forms of social power.
- Reward Power – Reward power is the ability to provide incentives, such as promotions, bonuses, or recognition, to motivate and influence others positively. The book “Power: Why Some People Have It and Others Don’t” by Jeffrey Pfeffer offers insights into the dynamics of reward power in organizations.
- Informational Power – Informational power is closely related to expertise and involves controlling access to crucial information. Leaders who possess valuable information can shape decisions and actions. “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert B. Cialdini explores the role of informational power in the context of persuasion.
- Connection Power – Connection power is derived from a leader’s networks and relationships. It can be influential in creating opportunities and alliances. “Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time” by Keith Ferrazzi discusses the importance of connection power in career and leadership.
- Charismatic Power – Charismatic power is characterized by a leader’s ability to inspire and mobilize followers through their personality, vision, and passion. “Charisma and Leadership in Organizations” by Daan van Knippenberg and Michael A. Hogg explores the dynamics of charismatic power in leadership.
Some of these examples may seem fine grain, and they can certainly be complementary and interdependent. Great leaders often use a combination of these powers to achieve their goals. However, do take note that there is an ethical dimension of leadership. Utilizing some forms of power at the expense of your morals will have an impact on a leader’s power base. For instance, in the case that you use coercion as your go-to power source, a probable result would be a visit to your HR department and broken social relationships. Thus, proper considerations on which type of power to utilize should be prioritized by leaders.
Harnessing Your Personal Power
With the different types of personal power, you have many options to use at your disposal. At this stage, leaders should know not only which type is appropriate but also how to properly utilize it to their advantage.
Identify your Brand of Influence
The first step is embracing your distinct brand of influence, which can range from referent power to charismatic power and more, as discussed above. In order to correctly identify this, you should be able to evaluate the skills and capabilities that you can wield and take advantage of to influence your members in the workplace.
Foster Trust With Team Members
Building trust is the cornerstone of effective leadership, and personal power can play a pivotal role. Your influence should not be employed coercively, but rather as a means to establish and reinforce trust within your team or organization. Remember that trust is built through transparency, consistency, and integrity in your actions and decisions. When others perceive your personal power as a force for good, it fosters an environment where people feel safe, valued, and motivated to contribute their best efforts.
Be Consistent, Competent, & Credible
It’s crucial to understand that wielding personal power goes beyond asserting authority. It’s about continuously demonstrating competence and credibility in your field. This means staying knowledgeable, adapting to changes, and staying relevant. When your colleagues or subordinates see you as a reliable and competent source of expertise, it enhances your personal power, and people are more likely to respect and follow your lead.
Strive to Inspire and Motivate
Moreover, one of the less obvious aspects of personal power is its potential to inspire others. When you authentically harness your influence for positive change, you set an example for those around you. People are more inclined to explore their own potential and capabilities when they see someone in a position of power using it to make a difference. Your actions can serve as a catalyst for personal and professional growth among your colleagues and team members.
Utilizing Personal Power to Influence Others
Many personal characteristics contribute to your leadership. Your style, attitude, organizational commitment, depth of technical knowledge, interpersonal skills, work ethic, and sense of humor are just a few. These characteristics also contribute significantly to your power base development. For instance, if you are a good listener and connect with others because you have strong interpersonal skills, then you can expect that your network or connection power is going to be strong. Likewise, if you are technically skilled and have a deep understanding of subject areas that are critical to the success of your organization, rest assured that the knowledge you have will translate to expert power, making you a sought-after resource when technical challenges emerge.
As a leader, you need to be able to be able to identify your strengths and weaknesses and use that understanding to maximize your power base. This doesn’t mean you will have all the various types of personal power we discussed above in equal measure. That is exactly what you should avoid trying to accomplish because it isn’t practical. The best leaders understand where they are strong and maximize these advantages while simultaneously minimizing their exposure to weaknesses. They can do this in many ways, like surrounding themselves with complementary people or directing their career in ways they can get the most from their strengths. The best leaders understand this about themselves and about those they lead.
Much of our discussion has been focused on you, as a leader. In the case of influencing others, you as a leader should note that this capability will be dependent on your understanding of self. When you’re able to know yourself well, you can not only compliment your style, strengths, and weaknesses, but you can also help others make the most for themselves.
Moreover, recognizing the power that others bring to the table is important if you want to effectively collaborate to achieve something remarkable. Just as personal qualities contribute to your leadership style, leadership effectiveness is hugely impacted by the capabilities of others and how the combined effort of your team can become more than the sum of its parts.
This is something that leaders need to be fully aware of because it will influence how you hire, fire, and assign responsibilities. It will help your team succeed and create a greater likelihood of positive outcomes. In the long run, this will make your team more resilient and compound upon itself. Because, oftentimes, success breeds success, and successful people want to join successful teams. A team that compliments each other, leveraging its collective strengths and translates that to execution, is nothing short of a powerful asset for the organization.
Understanding Positional Authority
Authority as a Subset of Power
Authority and power are closely related concepts in leadership. Authority is associated with your role or position and is often a synonym for positional power. However, beyond positional power, authority is much more limited than power, making authority a subset of power.
Authority refers to the legitimate right to make decisions, give orders, and enforce compliance within a specific organizational or social context. It is often associated with an individual’s position or title within a hierarchy. Formal authority is conferred formally in organizations and businesses. In particular, organizational roles present a hierarchy that defines the magnitude of authority granted and employed, forming an authority framework. In this framework, responsibilities and procedures differ for every role and those assigned to fulfill it are expected to be capable enough to get things done. Do take note, however, that there is a fine line between effective process and needless bureaucracy.
Types of Authority
Authority can vary in the same way as power. One way authority can vary would be in how clear or well-defined a role’s authority is.
Let’s use a team manager in a typical company as an example. Managerial power is often defined in a job description. Now, take the case of a team member who wants to go to a specific training. It is reasonable to assume that the person’s manager would have to approve that if the company were to reimburse the employee and invest the employee’s time that way. That could even be supported by a process requiring manager approval to accompany the expense reimbursement. Simple. But does the manager have the authority to tell the employee to go to that training? Maybe.
But here is where it gets a little cloudy, what if the training is happening at the same time the employee has scheduled time off or has other personal commitments? And on another case, what if the manager makes the employee’s employment contingent on attending the training? What are the boundaries of the manager’s authority over these cases?
The most important types of authority to note are explicit authority and implicit authority.
In the example above, explicit authority would be outlined in the job description or supported by processes and procedures such as the manager’s approval of expenses. Meanwhile, implicit authority is the gray area. Maybe the manager can require the training because it is part of the manager’s job to develop their teams and ensure work gets done. But in these cases, there is less clarity. As the manager makes the training required and begins to push past their scope of responsibility (when they make training a condition of employment), they are likely extending beyond their authority and may be “borrowing” authority from their supervisor, which may or may not be acceptable.
Mixing Personal and Positional Power
While personal power derives from an individual’s inherent traits, it does not negate the importance of positional power and authority. These must be used in tandem to enhance leadership effectiveness.
Achieve Sustainable Results
Leaders who rely solely on their positional authority may initially attain desired outcomes. However, that progress will come at a cost. Many leaders who take this approach find that those they lead will, over time, become resentful. Constant reliance on authority to influence can feel oppressive or coercive to teams. By contrast, leaders who effectively combine personal and positional power can achieve more sustainable results, fostering an environment of mutual respect and cooperation.
Encourage Team Collaboration
The combination of personal power and positional power is a powerful tool for leaders to create a successful and collaborative environment. Leaders can use both personal power and positional power to set expectations, provide direction, and solve problems. With the right balance of personal and positional power, leaders can foster a culture of trust, respect, collaboration, and innovation.
Strengthen Team Cohesion
Personal power can also be used to build strong relationships with team members. Leaders who are adept at using referent power can create an environment of trust and respect that encourages open communication. On the other hand, experts who possess expert power can effectively delegate tasks based on individual strengths while guiding as needed. In either case, the leader’s ability to leverage both personal and positional power can help create an atmosphere that encourages a functional and cohesive team.
The Interplay between Morals, Power, and Ethical Leadership
All of this focus on power can create a sort of blind spot that we need to address. Power can have a negative connotation because it may imply “power over others,” which is not what we are trying to convey. Power, any form of power, is simply a tool. It is dependent upon the person who wields it to ensure that their power is used for great things. That is why ethics needs to be discussed.
Ethics is a vast topic to cover elsewhere. However, ethical leadership and the ethical use of power are worth discussing here. Ethical behaviors can be a source of power, in and of themselves. It can meaningfully contribute to referent power and charismatic power. If you don’t believe me, think about any of the world’s great leaders who took a stand for the greater good or sacrificed something of themselves for others. The list is long.
Take Washington, for example. He was a leader of immense personal power. He was an accomplished general who had the faith and respect of the military. He was a statesman who had the confidence of rivals and allies alike. Lastly, he had the respect of leaders outside the United States, friend and foe alike. He served two terms and then voluntarily stepped down. For the good of the country and to set an example that would further distinguish the U.S. and its form of government, he gave up what could have easily turned into a lifelong position. He and his young country fought and bled to be free, and he realized that to then have a “king” only under the mantel of “president” would be an injustice.
Another example comes from a different angle and goes back to 1982. James Burke, Johnson, and Johnson’s CEO was faced with a horrible situation when seven people died in the Chicago area after taking Tylenol capsules laced with cyanide. Quickly, this made news across the country, and Johnson and Johnson was faced with a crisis. When the connection to Tylenol had been made, the company responded quickly and decisively. They recalled 31 million bottles of extra-strength Tylenol, spending more than $100 million for the recall and relaunch.
At the time, the company was unaware of the cause, and in a move that would be recognized as demonstrating genuine concern for the public, they pulled produce across the country, despite that all deaths reported were only in the Chicago area. Afterward, they only re-introduced the product until they had developed industry-standard methods for protecting against tampering. James Burke’s response has become a textbook case of effective crisis management and demonstrating care for society.
Studies have consistently shown that leaders who prioritize ethical behavior and trust-building over authoritarian tactics tend to have more engaged and productive teams. For example, a survey by Harvard Business Review found that leaders who scored high on trust-building behaviors had teams that reported higher levels of job satisfaction and performance.
Socially responsible use of power can be difficult, and there are tremendous pressures that often stand in the way of doing the right thing. But when leaders use their power for good and find themselves on the right side of a cause or advocating for positive change, their teams, peers, and history will remember them fondly.
The Take Away
As a leader, nothing can be a substitute for execution, collaboration, and achievement. But underneath the surface, power is established through the connections you make, the examples you set, and the influence you wield. Acknowledging this fact and carefully cultivating it in yourself and in others with whom you work and collaborate is smart. It will compound on itself and provide you with intangible tools that you can employ as new and different challenges arise. However, remember not to lose sight of what is important as your power and influence grows. Remain true to yourself and those around you. Care for others, whether they are your teammates or clients, and always remember that with great power comes great responsibility.
