Article About Power

Types of Power

There are four distinctly different types of power a leader or manager may possess.  Each type of power has different qualities and carries different weights in our efforts to lead people.

Type 1 : Power of Position

This is formal authority which gives you the sacred right to tell someone else to do something.  There are times when we do not agree with our boss and we may even state our disagreement to him or her.  But, then we go ahead and bow to our boss’s demands.  We may have responded to the power of the position.  Most people respond to this power base because they practice a simple management concept called.  “I want to keep my job!”

Type 2 : Power of Competence

To be successful as a leader or manager, you need the competence to do the job.  Competencies are gained through industry and organizational knowledge, relationships in the firm and industry, reputation and track record, and even formal schooling.  The more competent others perceive us, the more likely they will be to follow us.

Type 3 : Power of Personality

If you have ever worked with someone who has rubbed you the wrong way, then you know the power
of personality.  Personality defines the specific skills and behaviors you utilize to help build relationships.  The easier it is for others to talk to you, listen to you and work with you, the easier it will be for them to respond to your wishes.

Type 4 : Power of Character

This component is your “credit rating.”  Do the people you interact with perceive you as trustworthy, credible, and honest ? Do they perceive you as having high personal morals, being sincere, and possessing strong ethics ? You have kept and the expectations you have fulfilled or exceeded.  To put this another way, you have done what you said you were going to do and therefore people trust you.

As we look at theses four bases of power, one is clearly managerial – the power of position.  The other three fit under the realm of leadership.  But, these three components also need to be developed simultaneously by managers and supervisors.  Of the four components, the power of character is the most powerful of all.  If people do not trust you or do not perceive you as credible, it will affect every other aspect of your relationship.