Organizational Behavior
Organizational Behavior
Power Bases
There are two broad categories of power within an organization: positional and personal power. In total, there are seven bases of power that can be found within organizations. According to Hersey & Blanchard (2012), the powers include reward power, which involves an organization’s ability to reward appropriate behavior. The management in any organization is in a position to award employee in ways like pay increases, status symbols, recognitions awards and promotions. The second power is the coercive power. This is the opposite of reward power as it involves the use of undue force on individuals. Coercive power is a form of punishments for not achieving the desired performance. The management uses coercive power in strategies such as elimination of rewards or benefits.
The third is expert power, which is based on possession of knowledge that valuable to the company. An individual within an organization can have expertise in a field hence can acknowledge to have expert power. Expert power can be the basis for an individual to rise in power within an organization (Hersey, & Blanchard, 2012). The fourth category is referent power in which an individual is a source of admiration, and loyalty with fellow employees and colleague wanting to emulate her or him. Indirectly, the qualities that an individual with referent power has, gives him some degree of power over others. Individuals with referent power are seen as charismatic, and visionary having the desire to lead the organization into success. An individual with referent power is also confident of his abilities and organization’s potential to attain its objective. The fifth power is connection power, which refers to the situation where an individual knows people within and beyond the organization. An individual with connection power has network and knows people in different sectors.
The sixth power is information power, which refers to an individual’s ability to access reliable information regarding different circumstances that affect the organization (Hersey, & Blanchard, 2012). An individual who can access reliable information exudes some degree of power as his colleagues look up to him for information. The seventh power is the legitimate power, which represents power invested in authoritative figures such as managers, CEO’s and supervisors in an organization. Employees recognize individual holding this positions to be in possession of legitimate power. However, people tend to recognize legitimate power as it relates to a position rather that the individual. (Hersey, & Blanchard, 2012)
Level of Readiness
Hersey and Blanchard (2012) also present four levels of follower readiness as it relates to situational leadership. Follower readiness refers to the ability and the willingness of a follower to complete a task. They are Level 1 which is an unable and unwilling follower. Level one follower lacks the confidence and is thus unable to perform a task. The second level is the unable but willing follower. Level 2 follower is confident and has the motivation to perform a task as long as he receives guidance from a leader. Level 3 follower is the able but unwilling follower. This individual has the potential to perform a task, but feel insure about his abilities to perform. With insecurity, he becomes unwilling to perform the task assigned to him. The fourth level is the able and willing follower. This follower is certain of his capabilities to perform a task. He is confident that he can complete a task adequately (Hersey, & Blanchard, 2012). Bases of power and level of readiness go hand in hand. An individual may have the confidence to perform one task and lack it in performing another task. This is based on the power that the individual holds. Managers can exercise reward power, for instance motivate employees to accomplish a certain task.
Reference
Hersey, P. & Blanchard, K. (2012). Management of organizational behavior. Person college division.
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