What is Power | Concept of Power | Types of Power

A capacity that A has to affect B’s behavior, so that B behaves in accordance with A’s desires is refer as power. Following are the different characteristics of power.

Power may present but not be employed. It is therefore, a potential or capacity.
Power is function of dependency which is probably its most significant aspect.
The greater A’s power in the relationship, the greater B’s dependence on A.
If a person controls something you desire, then only that person can have power over you.

Table of Contents

Basic Concept of Power

Power: The capacity to affect another person.
Influence: The process of influencing behavior, thoughts and feelings of another person.
Authority: The right to affect another person.

Different Types of Power

Below are the different types of power you need to know in detail and let’s discuss them one by one as well below.

See Also: Categories of Conflict

Coercive Power

The base of coercive power is being dependent on fright.
It rests on the application, or the threat of application of physical sanctions like the generation of frustration through restriction of movement, the infliction of pain or the controlling by force of fundamental safety or physiological needs.
A has coercive power over B, at the organizational level, if A can suspend, dismiss or demote B, supposing that B values her or his job.
Similarly, a possesses coercive power over B, if A treat B in a manner that B finds embarrassing or A can assign B work activities that B finds unpleasant.

Reward Power

Reward power is opposite to that of coercive power.
Because positive benefits are generated by complying of people, therefore, particular person who can handed out rewards that others consider as fruitful will have power over those others.
Anything that another individual values can be the shape of reward.
Reward power and coercive power are in fact counterparts of each other.
If one can inflict something of negative value upon another or remove something of positive value from another, then he has coercive power over other people.
If one can remove something of negative value from another or can give something positive value to another person, then one has reward power over another individual.

Legitimate Power

One’s structural position is the most frequent access power in formal groups and organizations. It shows a power that an individual gets as a consequence of her or his position in the formal hierarchy.
Positions of authority contain reward and coercive powers.
However, legitimate power is wider than the power to reward or coercive. It contains acceptance of a position’s authority by the persons of an organization.

Charismatic Power

Stemming from a person’s personality and interpersonal style, charismatic power is extension of referent power.
Others follow because they can take personal risks, articulate attractive visions and demonstrate follower sensitivity etc.

Expert Power

Influence wielded as a consequence of special skill, expertise or knowledge is referred as expert power.
As the world has become more technological, Expertise has become a powerful source of influence. We become enhancing dependent on experts to accomplish objectives, as jobs become more specialized.