French and Raven's Bases of Power

Summary

In this video, Alex Lyon explores French and Raven's theories on power bases, discussing the original five forms of power: legitimate, reward, coercive, referent, and expert power. He emphasizes the importance of using these powers responsibly, as 'with great power comes great responsibility.' The video also introduces a sixth power base, informational power, which is tied to the control of information rather than personal attributes. Lyon encourages viewers to reflect on how these power dynamics apply to their professional roles.

Takeaways

• 🕵️‍♂️ French and Raven's Power Bases are a framework for understanding different forms of power in a professional context.
• 👤 Legitimate Power is the authority granted by a position and comes with specific responsibilities.
• 🏆 Reward Power involves the ability to give incentives like money, time, or praise to influence others.
• 👮 Coercive Power is the capacity to punish or the potential to do so, which can be a deterrent without its actual use.
• 🤝 Referent Power is based on personal charisma and likability, where people are drawn to follow due to a positive relationship.
• 🧠 Expert Power stems from having specialized knowledge or skills that others respect and seek guidance from.
• 📚 Informational Power is the influence derived from controlling or possessing crucial information that can sway decisions.
• 💡 The concept of power is not just academic but has real-world applications, especially in leadership and management roles.
• 🔑 With great power comes great responsibility, emphasizing the ethical use of power in professional settings.
• 🛑 Overuse of certain power bases, like coercive power, can have negative consequences and should be approached with caution.
• 🌟 Cultivating referent and expert power is beneficial as they are forms of influence that people willingly accept and appreciate.
• 🤔 The video encourages self-reflection on where one stands in terms of these power bases in their professional role.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the video?

The main theme of the video is French and Raven's Power Bases, discussing the different forms of power in a professional context.

Who are French and Raven, and what did they contribute to the understanding of power dynamics?

French and Raven are researchers who developed a theory about power bases, which categorizes different types of power that individuals can use in organizational settings.

What is the first form of power mentioned in the script, and what does it entail?

The first form of power mentioned is legitimate power, which is the authority one has due to a position they hold, such as making schedules as a frontline supervisor.

What is the significance of the quote 'With great power comes great responsibility' in the context of the video?

The quote emphasizes the ethical responsibility that comes with holding a position of power, which is relevant to all forms of power discussed in the video.

What does reward power involve, and how can it influence people?

Reward power involves the ability to give rewards such as money, free time, or praise, which can influence people's behavior as they seek to earn these rewards.

How is coercive power different from reward power, and why should it be used cautiously?

Coercive power is the ability to punish or potentially punish, unlike reward power which is about giving positive reinforcement. It should be used cautiously to avoid negative impacts on relationships and morale.

What is referent power, and why is it considered beneficial to cultivate?

Referent power is the influence one has due to being liked or admired, such as charisma or a good relationship with others. It is beneficial because people naturally want to follow those they admire.

How is expert power defined, and why is it persuasive in decision-making?

Expert power is defined by having a high level of knowledge or skill in a specific area, making one's opinion highly persuasive in decision-making due to their expertise.

What is the sixth power base added by French and Raven, and why is it considered controversial?

The sixth power base is informational power, which is controversial because it is not tied to the individual but to the information they possess, and there is a risk of it being misused for personal gain.

Why should information in organizations be shared widely according to the video?

Information should be shared widely because it benefits the organization as a whole and should not be hoarded or traded to enhance an individual's power.

How does the nature of informational power differ from the other power bases?

Informational power differs because it is not connected to the individual personally; once shared, the information is no longer exclusive to the original holder.

What does the video suggest as a personal reflection exercise for the viewer?

The video suggests that viewers reflect on which forms of power they identify with in their professional roles and share their insights in the comments section.

Outlines

00:00

🕵️‍♂️ Exploring French and Raven's Power Bases

In this paragraph, Alex Lyon introduces the concept of power bases as outlined by French and Raven, emphasizing the importance of understanding and applying these concepts in a real-world professional context. The paragraph discusses the five original power bases: legitimate power, which is derived from one's position; reward power, which involves the ability to provide incentives; coercive power, which is the capacity to punish; referent power, based on personal charisma and likability; and expert power, which comes from specialized knowledge or expertise. Additionally, the paragraph hints at a sixth power base, informational power, which will be elaborated upon later.

05:01

📚 Delving into Informational Power and its Unique Characteristics

This paragraph delves deeper into the sixth power base, informational power, which is distinct from the others as it is not inherently tied to the individual but to the information they possess. The speaker explains that informational power can influence decisions and future actions based on the sway of evidence or data. However, it is also noted that this form of power should be used cautiously, as information within an organization should ideally be shared widely for collective benefit, rather than being hoarded or traded for personal gain. The speaker also points out that unlike other power bases, informational power is transient, as once shared, the information no longer resides solely with the original holder.

Keywords

💡Power Bases

Power Bases refer to the different sources from which an individual can draw influence or authority. In the video, French and Raven's Power Bases are discussed, which include legitimate, reward, coercive, referent, expert, and informational power. These bases are central to the video's theme, as they form the foundation for understanding how power dynamics operate in professional settings.

💡Legitimate Power

Legitimate Power is the authority granted to an individual based on their position within an organization. It is the power to make decisions that others are expected to follow due to the individual's formal role. In the script, the example of a frontline supervisor making schedules illustrates this concept, emphasizing the responsibility that comes with such power.

💡Reward Power

Reward Power is the ability to give positive reinforcements such as money, praise, or recognition to influence behavior. It is a motivational tool that encourages people to perform well. The video mentions this power as expansive, using the example of a pat on the back for a job well done to demonstrate its application.

💡Coercive Power

Coercive Power is the capacity to punish or impose negative consequences on others, which can influence their behavior. It is a form of power that should be used cautiously, as mentioned in the video. The script uses the example of a teacher's power over grades to illustrate how this power can exist without active use, simply by the awareness of its potential application.

💡Referent Power

Referent Power stems from an individual's charisma or likability, which makes others want to be influenced by them. It is the power of personal relationships and admiration. The video cites Oprah Winfrey as an example of someone with significant referent power, who can influence people's actions through her recommendations and advice.

💡Expert Power

Expert Power is derived from an individual's knowledge, skills, or expertise in a particular area. It is the power to influence decisions based on one's competence. The video explains that people often look to experts for guidance, as seen in the example of a physician or engineer whose expertise can sway group decisions.

💡Informational Power

Informational Power is the influence that comes from controlling or possessing unique information. It is the power to persuade or influence others based on the information one provides. The video notes that this power is different from the others as it is not tied to the individual personally, and it is controversial because it can be misused to enhance personal power rather than shared for collective benefit.

💡Responsibility

Responsibility in the context of the video refers to the ethical obligation that comes with having power. It is highlighted by referencing Spider-man's uncle's famous quote, emphasizing that with any form of power, there is a duty to use it wisely and not abuse it.

💡Influence

Influence is the effect or impact one person can have on the thoughts, actions, or decisions of others. The video discusses various forms of power as means of influence, from legitimate power derived from position to informational power derived from knowledge or data.

💡Leadership Impact

Leadership Impact is the extent to which a leader's actions, decisions, and behaviors affect their team or organization. The video aims to help rising leaders increase their personal leadership impact, which is closely related to understanding and effectively utilizing the various power bases.

💡Professional Role

Professional Role refers to the specific function or position an individual occupies within their professional environment. The video encourages viewers to consider how they see themselves in relation to the power bases within their own professional roles, indicating self-reflection on one's influence and authority within their work context.

Highlights

The video explores French and Raven's Power Bases, providing practical applications for understanding different forms of power in a professional context.

Legitimate power is derived from a position of authority, such as being hired, elected, or appointed, and comes with specific responsibilities.

Reward power involves the ability to provide incentives like money, free time, or praise to influence others' behavior.

Coercive power is the capacity to punish or potentially punish, which can be a powerful influence even if not actively used.

Referent power is based on personal charisma and likability, with examples like Oprah Winfrey's influence despite not being in a direct hierarchical position.

Expert power stems from specialized knowledge or skills, which can sway groups towards a particular decision or direction.

Informational power is the power of the information one possesses, which can influence decisions without being tied to the individual.

The importance of not overusing legitimate and coercive powers, as highlighted by the responsibility that comes with power.

The video emphasizes the ethical use of power, especially informational power, which should be shared widely rather than hoarded for personal gain.

The concept of power is relevant to current positions despite being based on old research, showing its timeless applicability.

The video encourages self-reflection on where one sees themselves in each form of power within their professional role.

The addition of the sixth power base, informational power, in the 1960s, which is different from the other five as it is not connected to the individual personally.

The video provides a framework for rising leaders to increase their personal leadership impact and uplift those around them.

The transcript discusses the ethical considerations of power dynamics, especially the potential misuse of informational power.

The video serves as a guide for understanding and applying power bases in a way that is beneficial to both leaders and their teams.

The call to action at the end of the video, inviting viewers to share their thoughts on the types of power they identify with in their professional roles.

Transcripts

Spider-man's uncle once said, "Peter with great power comes great responsibility."

And in this video we're going to look at French and Raven's Power Bases, the forms

of power. And as we look at this I don't just want to make it academic. I want to

make it real world. So ask yourself as we talk about these, where do I see myself

in each of these forms of power in my professional role? So let's get into the details.

Hello again friends. Alex Lyon here and this channel, Communication

Coach, is here to help people like you, rising leaders, to help you increase your

own personal leadership impact to bring up the people around you. And today's

topic is power, French and Raven's original five power bases and then at

the end we're going to talk about this sixth power base that they added a

couple years later in the 1960s. This is really old research but I think you'll

be surprised at how applicable it is to your current position. So the first form

of power is legitimate power this is where you are hired, elected, or appointed

to a particular position that comes with responsibilities, legitimate

responsibilities. So let's say you're a frontline supervisor you're probably

going to at some point make people's schedule. That's your legitimate

responsibility. It's tied to your position. And clearly you don't want to

overuse this legitimate power and lord it over everybody. Like Peter Parker's [uncle] says

with power comes responsibility. The next form of power is reward power.

And this is pretty expansive. If you're ever in a spot where you can reward

somebody with money, with free time, with praise like a pat on the back, hey good

job. That's a reward that people like and that has an influence over them because

we want to work hard for rewards. I'm a a middle-aged man and I still like a pat

on the back if someone says a job well done that's a reward for me. The flip

side of this is the third form of power which is coercive power and this is

another one you don't necessarily want to over use. This is the power to punish

or potentially punish. So in other words if people know that you

hypothetically punish them then you still have coercive power so you don't

have to use this to have the form of power. So I teach college and everybody

knows that the teacher has the power over the grade and so in my position I

currently have coercive power although I don't mention that. I don't push that on

people but everybody knows that the boss can fire you that the teacher can give

you a bad grade if that's the great that you earn and so forth.

The next form of power is referent power and this is really the power of

likeability. If you have an influence over people because you have charisma

you have a good relationship with them they look up to you,

that's referent power. And whenever I talk about referent power in my classes

people mention people like Oprah Winfrey. She's not my boss she's probably not

your boss but she has a lot of influence over people. She recommends books and

then people read them they become bestsellers. She gives advice and people

take it she has a lot of referent power and this is one that is wonderful to

cultivate and use and you can't do too much of it because it's not like

legitimate power or coercive power. It's a kind of power where people want to follow

you. And the fifth of the original five power bases is expert power. If you have

a really high level of education let's say you're a physician or a lawyer or

professor or some kind of expert engineer then you have expertise. And a

lot of times people will look to you to bring in that expertise to influence a

decision, to figure out the way forward that's going to help and create the most

benefit. So that's an expert power that you bring to the table to influence

things. And I've seen entire groups get swayed by one expert because that expert

knew more than everybody else. so those are the original five and the sixth

power for more power base is a little controversial this is called

informational power. First of all, it's not tied to you as a person it's the

power of the information. So let's say you have information that you provide

to somebody, that might influence that decision or a future decision because

they've been swayed by it. they've been persuaded sometimes we're persuaded by

evidence by information. I say it's a little controversial because if you

think about it if you're in a professional setting and you have

information because you're in that organization, that information

doesn't really belong to you personally. And so you want to be very cautious not

to use that information as a commodity as a way to make yourself more powerful.

Information in organizations should be shared widely if it's the kind of

information that people would benefit from then it should be shared widely. You

shouldn't hold on to it and I've seen people do this they use it like it's

money to buy and sell and trade to enhance their own position of power. The

other way that this is a little different from the others is it's not

connected to you personally. So reward power legitimate power those are

connected to you and your position personally but informational power is

not. So, in other words, if you give someone information then they have that

information you don't have it anymore so now that information is shared it's

somewhere else. In fact, you might even give them information and they don't even know it

came from you. So in its nature, this one's a little different from the other

five and that's probably why they added it later. It is, however, very important to

put on the list. So like I said question of the day where do you see yourself in

this list? I would love to hear the kinds of power that you see tied to you in

your professional role and I'd love to hear that in that section below. So

thanks. God bless. And I will see you in the next video.