Power-Influence Leadership Approach
Power-Influence Leadership Approach
LDR/ 531
May 30, 2013
Power-Influence Leadership Approach Just as each person is different, so is the leadership approach he or she uses. The general definition of leadership is that it is a process that influences others on what needs doing, who will do it and the assisting of individual and combined efforts in achieving shared objectives (Yukl, 2010). There are five different types of leadership approaches: trait, behavior, power-influence, situational, and integrative (Yukl, 2010). This paper will show the reader the strengths and weaknesses of the power-influence leadership approach and an example of an organization that uses this approach.
Strengths
Position power is because the person is in a leadership position and has legitimate authority and personal power has expertise about a subject (Yukl, 2010). If a person is in a position of power but has an expertise on the subject, he can have both personal and position power. A person who can use successfully both types together can have employees willing to do what is asked with no questions asked. The employees know that the manager will treat him with respect and courtesy. Therefore, they return the favor. For example, a manager who can critique someone without offending him or harming his self-esteem, the employee will feel at ease because the manager is not putting him down or saying negative things in a bad way. Another strength is to use effectively the seven bases of power: coercive, legitimate, expert, reward, referent, informational, and connection (Yukl, 2010). When a person uses the seven bases equally and in the correct situation, this allows the manager to lead his people with a positive power of influence resulting in enthusiastic commitment from his employees.
Weaknesses
Everyone defines power differently. At one company, a person can have power over an entire division and make decisions and act on behalf of the company. In another company, the
LDR/ 531
May 30, 2013
Power-Influence Leadership Approach Just as each person is different, so is the leadership approach he or she uses. The general definition of leadership is that it is a process that influences others on what needs doing, who will do it and the assisting of individual and combined efforts in achieving shared objectives (Yukl, 2010). There are five different types of leadership approaches: trait, behavior, power-influence, situational, and integrative (Yukl, 2010). This paper will show the reader the strengths and weaknesses of the power-influence leadership approach and an example of an organization that uses this approach.
Strengths
Position power is because the person is in a leadership position and has legitimate authority and personal power has expertise about a subject (Yukl, 2010). If a person is in a position of power but has an expertise on the subject, he can have both personal and position power. A person who can use successfully both types together can have employees willing to do what is asked with no questions asked. The employees know that the manager will treat him with respect and courtesy. Therefore, they return the favor. For example, a manager who can critique someone without offending him or harming his self-esteem, the employee will feel at ease because the manager is not putting him down or saying negative things in a bad way. Another strength is to use effectively the seven bases of power: coercive, legitimate, expert, reward, referent, informational, and connection (Yukl, 2010). When a person uses the seven bases equally and in the correct situation, this allows the manager to lead his people with a positive power of influence resulting in enthusiastic commitment from his employees.
Weaknesses
Everyone defines power differently. At one company, a person can have power over an entire division and make decisions and act on behalf of the company. In another company, the