Power & Influence Flashcards
1
Q
What is power?
A
The capacity of a person, team, or organization to influence others.
2
Q
What are 5 sources of power?
A
- legitimate
- reward
- coercive
- expert
- referent
3
Q
What is legitimate power?
A
- agreement that people in certain roles can request certain behaviours of others
- norm of reciprocity – felt obligation to help someone who has helped you
- information gatekeepers also hold legitimate power
4
Q
What is reward power?
A
- ability to control the allocation of rewards valued by others and to remove negative sanctions
5
Q
What is coercive power?
A
- ability to apply punishment
- peer pressure is a form of coercive power
6
Q
What is expert power?
A
- the capacity to influence others by possession knowledge or skills they value
- perceived ability to cope with uncertainty by using their expertise to:
- prevent change
- forecast change
- absorb impact of change
7
Q
What is referent power?
A
- occurs when others identify with, like, or otherwise respect the person
- associated with charismatic leadership
8
Q
What are four contingencies of power?
A
- substitutability
- centrality
- discretion
- visibility
9
Q
What is substitutability?
A
- availability of alternatives
- more power when few/no alternatives
10
Q
What is centrality?
A
- degree and nature of interdependence between power holder and others
Centrality is a function of:
- how many others are affected by you
- how quickly others are affected by you
11
Q
What is discretion?
A
- the freedom to exercise judgment
- also a perception – acting as if you have discretion
12
Q
What is visibility?
A
- make others aware of your presence – more face time, locate office near busy routes
- symbols communicate your power source(s)
- education diplomas
- clothing, etc.
13
Q
What are social networks?
A
- consist of people connected to each other through forms of interdependence
- generate power through social capital
14
Q
Regarding social network ties, what is the contrast between strong and weak ties?
A
Strong ties:
- close-knit relationships
- offer resources more quickly/plentifully, but less unique
Weak ties:
- acquaintances
- offer unique resources not held by us or people in other networks
15
Q
What is influence?
A
- any behaviour that attempts to alter someone’s attitudes or behaviour
- applies one or more power bases
- process through which people achieve organizational objectives
- operates up, down, and across the organizational hierarchy
