Leading With Influence The 6 Power Bases

Summary

The video script discusses the six power bases identified by French and Raven: reward, coercion, legitimate, expert, referent, and informational power. It emphasizes that while legitimate and coercive power can lead to compliance, they often fail to inspire commitment. Expert and referent power, on the other hand, are more effective in achieving commitment as they are based on knowledge and trust. The script illustrates this with a military example, showing how overreliance on legitimate and coercive power can lead to ineffective outcomes.

Takeaways

• 📚 The script discusses a research study by French and Raven, which identifies six power bases: reward, coercion, legitimate, expert, referent, and informational power.
• 🎖 Reward power is the ability to give, while coercion power is the ability to take away, both of which can be used to influence others.
• 👨‍🏫 Expert power stems from knowledge and expertise, which can lead to compliance or resistance depending on its application.
• 🏢 Legitimate power is the authority granted to an individual or entity, which can result in compliance but not necessarily commitment.
• 🤝 Referent power is based on personal relationships and the trust that an individual has in another's ability to care for them.
• 💡 Informational power involves sharing insights and knowledge, which can be influential in decision-making processes.
• 🔄 The script highlights that relying solely on legitimate and coercive power can lead to resistance or minimal compliance, rather than full commitment.
• 👀 A real-life example is provided where an individual's overuse of legitimate and coercive power led to ineffective outcomes and increased frustration.
• 🤔 The narrative suggests that expert and referent power are more likely to achieve commitment from others, as they are based on trust, competence, and care.
• 💼 The script emphasizes the importance of understanding and effectively using different power bases to achieve successful organizational outcomes.

Q & A

What are the six power bases mentioned in the research study by French and Raven?

The six power bases mentioned are reward, coercion, legitimate power, expert power, referent power, and informational power.

What is the difference between reward and coercion power bases?

Reward power is the ability to give something of value, while coercion power is the ability to take something away or impose negative consequences.

How is expert power defined in the context of French and Raven's study?

Expert power is based on an individual's knowledge or expertise in a particular area, which others recognize and respect.

What does referent power involve and why is it significant?

Referent power involves the influence an individual has because others admire or identify with them. It is significant because it can lead to voluntary compliance and commitment.

Why might legitimate power not always lead to effective outcomes?

Legitimate power might not lead to effective outcomes because it can result in compliance without commitment, and individuals may only do the minimum required, ignoring implied expectations.

What is informational power and how does it influence others?

Informational power is the ability to control or influence others through access to and the sharing of critical information. It can influence decision-making and actions.

Can you provide an example from the script where legitimate power was misused?

In the script, an example is given of a military officer who used legitimate and coercion power excessively, leading to resistance and ineffective outcomes as individuals only complied with explicitly stated orders and ignored implied ones.

What are the three major outcomes associated with the use of power as per the script?

The three major outcomes are resistance, compliance, and commitment. These outcomes vary depending on the power base employed.

How does expert power lead to commitment according to the script?

Expert power leads to commitment because individuals see the deep understanding and competence of the person wielding the power, leading them to trust and follow their guidance.

What is the role of referent power in achieving commitment?

Referent power plays a role in achieving commitment when individuals feel a personal connection or admiration for the person influencing them, leading them to willingly follow their lead.

Why is it important to understand the different power bases in organizational settings?

Understanding different power bases is important in organizational settings because it helps leaders and managers to effectively influence and motivate their teams, leading to better outcomes and organizational success.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Understanding the Six Power Bases

The script discusses a renowned research study by French and Raven, which identifies six power bases: reward, coercion, legitimate, expert, referent, and informational power. Reward and coercion involve the ability to give or take away, while expert power is based on knowledge and legitimate power is the authority to make decisions. Referent power stems from the influence others have over us, and informational power is about sharing insights. The paragraph emphasizes that relying heavily on legitimate and coercion power can lead to compliance but not commitment, as seen in a military example where an individual's heavy-handed approach resulted in resistance and ineffective outcomes. It suggests that expert and referent power are more likely to inspire commitment.

Keywords

💡Power Bases

Power bases refer to the different sources from which an individual can derive power or influence over others. In the context of the video, these are the foundational elements that determine how one can lead or influence others. The script mentions six power bases: reward, coercion, legitimate power, expert power, referent power, and informational power, each playing a role in how individuals exercise influence within organizations.

💡Reward Power

Reward power is the ability to give rewards or incentives to others, thereby influencing their behavior. It is one of the six power bases discussed in the video. The script implies that while reward power can be effective, it is limited in its ability to inspire long-term commitment and can lead to compliance rather than genuine commitment.

💡Coercion

Coercion is the power to impose one's will on others through threats or punishment. It is another of the six power bases and is often associated with legitimate power. The video script provides an example of a military officer who uses coercion by threatening consequences, which leads to compliance but not necessarily to commitment or effective outcomes.

💡Legitimate Power

Legitimate power is the authority one has by virtue of their position or role within an organization. It is one of the power bases that can lead to compliance but, as the video script illustrates, may not always result in commitment or resistance. The script describes a scenario where the overuse of legitimate power can lead to inefficiencies and misunderstandings.

💡Expert Power

Expert power stems from an individual's knowledge, skills, or expertise in a particular area. It is one of the power bases that can lead to commitment, as people are more likely to follow those who they perceive as knowledgeable and capable. The video script suggests that expert power is more effective in achieving long-term commitment because it is based on respect and trust in one's abilities.

💡Referent Power

Referent power is the influence one has because of their personal魅力 or the admiration others have for them. It is one of the power bases that can lead to commitment, as individuals are more likely to follow someone they like or want to emulate. The video script implies that referent power is powerful because it is based on emotional connections and personal affinity.

💡Informational Power

Informational power is the influence one wields due to their access to or control over information. It is one of the six power bases mentioned in the video. The script suggests that informational power can be a significant factor in leadership and decision-making, as those with access to critical information can shape the actions and decisions of others.

💡Commitment

Commitment, in the context of the video, refers to the willingness of individuals to fully engage and align with the goals and values of an organization or leader. It is one of the three major outcomes associated with the use of power, and the video emphasizes that commitment is a more desirable outcome than mere compliance or resistance.

💡Compliance

Compliance is the act of following directives or rules without necessarily agreeing with them or being fully engaged. It is one of the outcomes of power use mentioned in the video. The script illustrates that while compliance can be achieved through legitimate power and coercion, it may not lead to effective or sustainable organizational performance.

💡Resistance

Resistance is the refusal to comply with or the opposition to the use of power. It is one of the potential outcomes when power is exercised, as discussed in the video. The script provides an example where overuse of coercion can lead to resistance, as individuals may push back against threats or demands they perceive as unjust or unnecessary.

💡Organizational Achievement

Organizational achievement refers to the successful completion of tasks or the attainment of goals within an organization. The video script discusses how the effective use of power bases can impact organizational achievement, with a focus on how different power bases can lead to compliance, commitment, or resistance, which in turn affects the overall success of the organization.

Highlights

The study by French and Raven identifies six power bases: reward, coercion, legitimate, expert, referent, and informational power.

Reward power is the ability to give, while coercion is the ability to take away.

Expert power stems from knowledge and expertise.

Legitimate power is the authority to make decisions that govern others' actions.

Referent power is the influence others bestow upon an individual.

Informational power is the capacity to share insights and knowledge.

Legitimate and coercion powers can lead to resistance or compliance but not necessarily commitment.

Expert and referent powers are more likely to lead to commitment.

An example of misuse of legitimate power in a military setting led to ineffective outcomes.

People may comply superficially with legitimate power but not fulfill implied expectations.

Overreliance on coercion can lead to resistance and a breakdown in effective communication.

Expert power can inspire commitment due to the recognition of an individual's deep understanding.

Referent power is about trust and the belief that the influencer will take care of the individual.

Successful organizational achievement requires more than just compliance; it requires commitment.

Power bases should be leveraged strategically to achieve different outcomes in organizations.

The study underscores the importance of understanding and applying different types of power in leadership.

The practical implications of the study suggest that leaders should aim for commitment rather than mere compliance.

The study provides a framework for leaders to reflect on their use of power and its impact on followers.

Transcripts

[Music]

there's a very famous research study

conducted by two researcher French and

Raven and it said we essentially have

six power bases that we routinely can

employ reward coercion legitimate power

expert power referent power and

informational power so reward and

coercion the ability to give and the

ability to take expert power of

knowledge legitimate power bestowed upon

you as an entity that has the ability to

make decision ISS that govern others

actions referent which is all about

power bestowed On You by

others and finally information power of

being able to share

insights when you take a look at

legitimate power much like reward and

coercion you can only get so far if you

routinely leverage that in terms of the

three major outcomes associated with

power so you can either resist

somebody's use of power you can

comply or you can commit legitimate

power typically doesn't bring about

Commitment if you routinely employ

legitimate power it can bring about

compliance sometimes it can bring about

resistance one time I witnessed

something that was U very telling when I

was a young officer in the military and

that I saw an individual who constantly

was bossing people around and he was

constantly threatening them with if you

don't do the

following I'm going to make sure that

this happens to you so very big on using

legitimate very big on using

coercion so what started to transpire

where people did exactly what he told

them to do but they knew there were

countless other things that were

implied but weren't specifically stated

and so they elected only to do the

things that were stated and to ignore

the things that were implied in service

of accomplishing the task and the

individual became more and more upset

and he's like well why didn't you do

this this and this and they said well

that's not what you told me and so it

was a clear example of how legitimate

and coercion while efficient might not

lead to effective outcomes because

individuals have to fill in the blanks

with a lot of things in order to bring

about successful organizational

achievement if you want to get at

achieving commitment the two power bases

that most of lead to that outcome are

expert

and referent expert because people can

really see hey this individual has a

deep understanding of what is required

to be successful and referent because if

an individual opens himself up to

another's influence it's because they

have determined this person will take

care of me

[Music]