The Power of Authority
Authority
Authority means the legitimate or acceptable use of power.
“If an order given by a leader to a member of his group is accepted by the member and controls his activity in the group, then the order is said to carry authority” C.I Barnard
Authority means the ability to control the behavior of others. Authority is a symbolic reality and it is the ability to influence person’s actions in a desired direction without resorting to force.
The most important earthly influence in a person 's life is that which comes from his relationship with his parents. The newborn child enters life completely dependent upon, and completely obedient to his mother and father. As a child grows, he adjusts continuously in his responses to that parental authority, for better or for worse depending on the training he receives. He also gradually becomes aware of other influences of authority in society; those of his schools, of the various levels of government and law enforcement, of the people for whom he works
As an adult, a person often has two roles simultaneously. He is not only subject to authority of various kinds all of his lifetime, but he may also himself be in a position of power and influence over others, perhaps as parent, military officer, executive, or judge. A person 's ability to respond properly to authority, and his ability to exercise authority, depends on his orientation to divine principles of authority.
Authority, by comparison, is a quality that enhances power, rather than being itself a form of power. The word “authority” comes from the verb “to authorize”; therefore an individual’s power must be authorized by the group in order for it to be acceptable. An individual is considered an authority because of his technical expertise, combined with his ability to communicate effectively with the group. The individual in authority is the one who is primary in the group, controlling certain aspects of what the other group members do and say, and perhaps even what
Authority means the legitimate or acceptable use of power.
“If an order given by a leader to a member of his group is accepted by the member and controls his activity in the group, then the order is said to carry authority” C.I Barnard
Authority means the ability to control the behavior of others. Authority is a symbolic reality and it is the ability to influence person’s actions in a desired direction without resorting to force.
The most important earthly influence in a person 's life is that which comes from his relationship with his parents. The newborn child enters life completely dependent upon, and completely obedient to his mother and father. As a child grows, he adjusts continuously in his responses to that parental authority, for better or for worse depending on the training he receives. He also gradually becomes aware of other influences of authority in society; those of his schools, of the various levels of government and law enforcement, of the people for whom he works
As an adult, a person often has two roles simultaneously. He is not only subject to authority of various kinds all of his lifetime, but he may also himself be in a position of power and influence over others, perhaps as parent, military officer, executive, or judge. A person 's ability to respond properly to authority, and his ability to exercise authority, depends on his orientation to divine principles of authority.
Authority, by comparison, is a quality that enhances power, rather than being itself a form of power. The word “authority” comes from the verb “to authorize”; therefore an individual’s power must be authorized by the group in order for it to be acceptable. An individual is considered an authority because of his technical expertise, combined with his ability to communicate effectively with the group. The individual in authority is the one who is primary in the group, controlling certain aspects of what the other group members do and say, and perhaps even what
References: Blau, P. M. (1963). "Critical remarks on Weber’s theory of authority". The American Political Science Review, 57 (2): 305-316. [ 4 ]. Blau, P. M. (1963). "Critical remarks on Weber’s theory of authority". The American Political Science Review, 57 (2): 305-316.