Types of power

• Referent - personal connection.
• Expert
• Information
• Legitimate - job title.
• Reward - ability give rewards or praise.
• Coercive - ability punish.

Power - Asymmetrical control over someone else’s outcome.

Benefits of power

• Power leads to proactivity and action.
• Power leads to risk taking.

Risks/Costs of power

• Over confidence.
• Reduced inclination to take advice.
• Formal leaders who feel more powerful compared to team members are not good for team performance.

Sources of power

• Personal
  • Expertise
  • Information
  • Referent
• Structural - features of your position.
  • Legitimate - Who is the boss? Who is in charge?
  • Reward power
  • Coercion
• Cognitive
  • Priming - Do others make you feel powerful?
  • Beliefs - Do you feel powerful?

Strategies for building power

• Structural
  • Use symbols and artifacts to increase perception of your legitimate power. Such as medals, job titles, certificates and so on.
  • Connections to higher powered positions.
  • Use non monetary rewards such as - support, benefits, favors.
  • Avoid coercion, short term gains, but costly over long term.
• Personal
  • Acquire required expertise and make it public by using credentials, certificates, etc.
  • Develop persuasion ability.
  • Become a broker of information.
• Cognitive
  • Open body posture.
  • Remind of yourself that you have power.

People with strong moral identity will use power to enable.