Types of Power

Question 1

What is a legitimate power in leadership?

Answer 1

Can save time in decision making and focus team on the organization’s goals

May be insufficient if leader is not also competent and effective at leading.

Question 2

How does reward power function in a team setting?

Answer 2

Can appeal to team members’ individual motivators

Is useful only when leader has access to and can extend to team members meaningful rewards.

Question 3

What is expert power and its potential benefit?

Answer 3

Can improve a team’s efforts by offering advice and guidance

Can win respect for the team and its work throughout the organization.

Question 4

What is a downside of relying on expert power?

Answer 4

Can create dependency and weaken team members’ initiative or discourage their own contributions

Effect will weaken if the individual is a weak team leader.

Question 5

What does referent power appeal to?

Answer 5

Appeals to social needs of individuals, the desire for affiliation

Will weaken if leader is not competent, effective, and fair.

Question 6

What is a characteristic of coercive power?

Answer 6

Likely to get immediate results

Damages

Damages team members’ motivation and self-direction over time.

Question 7

What are types of power

Answer 7

Legitimate, Reward, Expert, Referent and Coercive.