In politics and social science, power is the ability to influence the behavior of people.
The term authority is often used for power perceived as legitimate by the social structure.
Power can be seen as evil or unjust, but the exercise of power is accepted as endemic to humans as social beings.
In the corporate environment, power is often expressed as upward or downward. With downward power, a company's superior influences subordinates.
When a company exerts upward power, it is the subordinates who influence the decisions of the leader.
The use of power need not involve coercion (force or the threat of force). At one extreme, it more closely resembles what everyday English-speakers call influence although some authors make a distinction between power and influence – the means by which power is used.
Power, as we say, is a term that is derived out of the influence of an individual, or more, that they have on their subordinates, or other people.
The Leadership of any person varies according to the power he has. Now that power maybe bestowed upon him by an organization, for example, the government bestows the full administrative supervision and decision making powers under the same area of effect for an IAS officer. FACTORS AFFECTING POWER IMPEMENTATION : Now, an interesting phenomenon must be considered as we look on the leadership effectiveness that the power has.
Power, is simple a force. It can be used for mending or breaking or manipulating the environment. The Leadership effectiveness does not entirely depend on the power that the leader possesses. His nature, his abilities and behavior act as a delivering force and as a catalyst to the outcome of the power that the leader has.
People use more than rewards, threats, and information to influence people. In everyday situations people use a variety of power tactics to push or prompt people into particular action.