Instructions:
- Post a new discussion related to the topics covered in this module. Your post needs to provide specific lessons learned with examples from this module helping you enhance your leadership capacity at work.
- After posting your discussion, review posts provided by other students in the class and reply to at least one of them.
This module helped me to understand the 5 bases of power and how each one can be used to better ourselves and our department. Power is the capacity of one person to influence another. I liked how the module described the uses of each and how depending on the situation different types of power may or may not work. Something that worked today may not work tomorrow and likewise something that worked with one person may not work with another.
This module on leadership and power, described power as the capacity of one person to influence others. I feel as though a common misconception is that power can guarantee influence, which is not true. When utilizing power, you must identify the base that would be the most effective for the situation and employees involved in order to positively influence.
This module was helpful, and it reminded me that different bases of power will work differently depending on what the relationship is that you have with the person you are dealing with as well as the situation that you are in. What may be effective for one may be ineffective for another.
I agree with your last statement Em, I can think of a few times in the past where if a supervisor had changed their method, it would have been much more effective. There was an opportunity for a positive outcome but ended a lot different.
In this module, I learned that the 5 Bases of Power are reward, coercive, expert, referent, and legitimate. The power bases are situational, relational, and transitory. Employees will either comply for a short time, for a longer time, or permanently with the leader depending on how they react to your power.
I now have a deeper understanding of my past leadership experiences by examining them through the five bases of power: legitimate, reward, coercive, expert, and referent. These different types of power have played a crucial role in shaping outcomes, whether positively or negatively. This newfound comprehension provides me with a framework to strategically utilize these powers in future leadership scenarios.
This module discussed the 5 basis of power which are reward, Coercive, Expert, Referent, and Legitimate. All of these powers can be used in different situations and one type does not cover all areas. They can be used in both a positive and negative manner. As leaders we should strive to use them in a positive manner to foster growth and creativity and not as source of ultimate control over those under our authority.
This module talked about the five bases of power and how they are situational, relational, and transitional. If we remember that inspiring people is much more effective than a dictatorship, it would help our agency grow tremendously. If people believe in what you are doing, they will make it their goal, also. We also have to think about when we are met with resistance, maybe the wrong power was used in the situation.
Angel, I agree. If someone does not believe in what you are doing, then they will not go along with you.
This module talked about the five bases of power and how they are situational, relational, and transitional. If we remember that inspiring people is much more effective than a dictatorship, it would help our agency grow tremendously. If people believe in what you are doing, they will make it their goal, also.
I agree, and if people believe in what you are doing, many will look for ways to help reach the goal.
I agree, no one wants to work for dictator who fails to understand the bases of power. We need to have buy in from those we lead.
Leadership is a complex and multifaceted concept that involves various skills, traits, and behaviors. However, one of the critical elements of effective leadership is power. Power is the ability to influence others to achieve a common goal or objective. Leaders can use five power bases of leadership to exert their influence over others.
The first power base is legitimate power, which comes from the formal authority granted by an organization or position. The second power base is reward power, which comes from the ability to provide incentives or rewards for desired behavior. The third power base is coercive power, which comes from the ability to punish or penalize individuals for undesirable behavior.
The fourth power base is expert power, which comes from knowledge, skills, and expertise in a particular area. Finally, referent power comes from personal characteristics such as charisma and likability.
Influential leaders understand these five bases of power and know how to use them appropriately in different situations. However, they also recognize that relying too heavily on one type of power can be counterproductive and may lead to resistance or resentment among followers.
when Dr. Long was describing the 5 Bases of Power, it reminded me of several Leaders I have worked under over the years. I find that the older generation of leaders lead by coercion legitimate powers and I felt that I would be punished if I did anything wrong, instead of instructed on how to modify what I did to improve my job. Times have changed from then and new leaders use the reward and expert powers.
In this module, power is described as the capacity of one person to influence another, but power does not guarantee influence. This is a strong message because we often see individuals get promoted for intellect, expertise and etc., but are unable to lead because they lack leadership skills. I’ve learned there is a need to inspire our people; rather than telling them what to do.
As leaders, we must have the ability to utilize and learn the different aspects of the "power base tree". Dealing with a team issue is certainly different than dealing with an individual's issue. Over time, a leader should become accustomed to dealing with
the different personalities of the individuals they work with or supervise. Managing people may be our most time consuming issue.
Jason Demoulin, I agree. A large part of our jobs as leaders are getting to know our people and what motivates them the most. A disconnected leader is ineffective.
Understanding the bases of power and when they each apply, will make a person a much better leader, More times than not, someone will strictly lead by legitimate power only. This is bad for the agency and all involved.
I agree. If I were to influence certain behaviors from one of my followers, I would first identify the type of power that would be conducive to that individual.
Anyone in a leadership role must have an understanding of the power he has been given and must strive to earn the respect of his subordinates. Understanding the different bases of power and following principles in order to keep from abusing his power is crucial for a leader in any organization.
Kyle that was very well stated. The abuse of power can negatively impact an organization to it's core and leave long lasting impacts even after the abuser has been removed from the equation.
Leadership is based on a combination of these principles. First, a leader's personality will give you some indication of how they will lead. Also, the statement that power doesn't guarantee influence is so true. The result will come through your ability. Finally, being a leader, you must equally disburse any authority to ensure balance.
This module discussed the five power bases. Although they are not all positive leadership powers, it’s vital all great leaders use a variety of power bases. Great leaders know the importance of being flexible when supervising people in several different generational categories. Leaders who use on type of power to lead are not allowing themselves to lead to their fullest potential.
Correct, you must be open to a balance of power. If the discussed principles are distributed evenly, this will significantly affect those that follow.
Megan Russell, I agree. You have to utilize different bases of power when communicating and leading different personalities and different generations. Some employees respond differently than others and its our job to modify how you lead them.
Leadership and power are directly related. Being a leader is certainly multifaceted when you think about how ethics and values play into it. Having the trust and respect of your peers and subordinates is highly important. A leader will not abuse their power and must understand that you cannot treat people the same way and you cannot expect an individual’s needs to remain the same. Leaders need to be amiable and respond to individual situations accordingly.
I agree with you that a good leader with good ethics and honest values earns the trust and respect of his peers and those who follow him. The presence of those virtues almost always insure the leader will not abuse his power.
This module helped me understand the importance of power. Taking the time to understand our employees and using the appropriate power during the right scenario is important. I have never had any respect or trust towards leaders that led strictly on the basis of legitimate power. I find it much better to lead after having gained my employees trust and respect.
I have seen people lead with legitimate power only. It is a scary situation, and it is tough to help that person rebuild the respect of their subordinates. Subordinates have felt attacked on many levels and were more stressed working under this individual.
Could not agree with you more Jennifer. I have also seen and been part of this type of leadership where an appointed leader does more harm than good. This is a dangerous situation not only for the section is to lead, but as an agency because capable leaders will become disgruntled if advancement is not by merit but appointment.
I agree, far too many leaders sort of beat their chest and let everyone know they are the person in charge. Sometimes it's hard to gain their trust and respect, but once accomplished, it is much better for everyone involved.
All great leaders use a combination of power bases. Limiting yourself to one or two would weaken your flexibility when supervising different types of officers. Sometimes you may need to be more coercive and lean on Expert power or Referent. Knowing your people and what the situation calls for will be an essential factor in which power base to use.
Leadership and power are only measured by the influence and the perception of influence that a person has over another individual. How many times are the informal leaders of an agency overlooked because they are not ranked; however, they are perceived by their coworkers to have great influence due to a particular power base.
Informal leaders can often be overlooked, leading to missed productivity. Some leaders may see informal leaders as challenging their rank and authority.
I agree, Amy. While these informal leaders can be a valuable asset to an agency, they can also create challenges for formal leadership if their agendas conflict with the organization's objectives. Formal leaders need to recognize and leverage the strengths of informal leaders while ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
I had a corporal once that told me you can’t teach everyone the same way. Everyone has different learning styles. This module reminded me of that. Not everyone will follow you or the rules the same way. With a shift of eight to ten individuals you may have to utilize all the basis' of power.
I found this module to be highly informative and practical in terms of its implementation. I particularly appreciated the detailed insights provided on the Bases of Power, and the principles outlined for effectively implementing them. However, when dealing with a large number of people, the challenge lies in selecting the appropriate principle to apply at the right time. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this module and found it to be extremely beneficial.
Another great module. Going back over the bases of power and giving examples really hammers the concepts in my head. I really enjoyed the principles in this module and the examples given for each principle of what to do and what not to do. I remember starting off the only real power the majority of supervisors I worked for displayed was coercive. That is something that has definitely changed over the years. I believe something people really need to be taught is that you only have as much influence as other think you have, regardless of your position in the organization. This is a strong statement I believe we all should think about.
I completely agree that it was a great point. It's important to consider that if we don't take the time to listen and understand the deputy's perspective, they may shut us out and not be receptive to our message. It's crucial to approach the conversation with an open mind and refrain from speaking before fully comprehending their viewpoint, as this could lead to a loss of respect from the officer.
This module lecture would be good for any supervisor, especially new ones. Learning the different power bases and how top use them could be beneficial for them to learn. Once you become that supervisor who abuses those powers, it is hard to come back. The way you use your power can have lasting effects on your subordinates. They can either respect you for the way you lead and use your power, the correct way. Or you can lose their respect by using that power the wrong way.
As discussed in this module, the five bases of power are coercive, reward, legitimate, expert, and referent power. We, as leaders, can use a combination of these bases of power to influence behavior positively and sustainably. Using a combination of the power bases can create a more positive approach to influencing behavior that can lead to long-term success. Leaders must be prepared to utilize the bases of power in combination with each other to be truly effective. In doing so, we can provide a better culture to work in, a team mentality, and eliminate many issues we see in law enforcement today, such as retention, loyalty, the lack of buy-in, etc.
At the end of the day, we should all simply strive to do the right thing. Whether acting in a formal or informal leadership capacity, the right decision is to do the right thing. If you make a mistake, take ownership of it, then do the right thing. People will recognize your effort and respect you, even when you make a mistake, if your intent was to do the right thing.
We should always do the right thing. I have previously discussed how I was raised with certain morals and values: "right is right, and wrong is wrong.” I have strived to live by this and apply it to my marriage, children, and even how I lead the men and women who work for me. Ownership of your mistakes will make people see your efforts and true intentions. I also believe it goes back to humility in leading. Not only do I take ownership of my decisions (right or wrong) and mistakes, but I also try to be humble when doing the job and invite input from my team members when I may not have the best answer.
Lewis Blanchard
National Command & Staff College
Session # 17, Myrtle Beach, SC
Learning Area 2, Module 5
Discussion Board: Leadership and Power
Leadership is about influence. However, as you go higher in rank, you must realize that it comes with responsibility, and more eyes are observing your actions, and ears are listening to your comments. Individuals will generally respond to power through compliance, identification, and internalization. Leaders must combine the five power bases according to the situation and employee and often use them in combination. Times change relatively fast today, so it is essential to remember that what works today may not work tomorrow.
I agree with you, leadership is all about influence but so often this is overlooked as individuals become consumed in the power that they have over others and never consider the factor of influence. A leader must fully understand the bases of power, and as you stated to be able to change with each individual and each different situation.
This module made me remember some of my previous supervisors both good and bad. I'm sure we have all experienced supervisors that have misused their power and demanded rather than earned respect, but it also helped me remember those supervisors that never needed to remind you of their position and never abused their power. I think all leaders would benefit from viewing this lesson. I particularly liked the five principles to follow in regulating behavior at the end of the module.
This module gave better insight to behavior we have all experienced In the past. Most of the time we didn’t understand why individuals would do the things they did. Some leaders are possibly just afraid to empower their people which would lead to the legitimate power issue. Our job is to recognize all five of the power bases, refine them and implement them where needed. I agree with the lecture that, what works today may not work tomorrow.
“..in the past.” Exactly. I wish I’d have learned this years ago.
The principles of power are presented well and make complete sense. The fourth principle of not over-regular behavior struck a chord with me. I have worked for supervisors that tried to coerce officers to donate to city-sponsored charitable organizations like the United Way. I suspected it caused the opposite results and officers who would have contributed decided not to. I have also seen supervisors coerce officers to attend community events. Those supervisors drastically hurt morale, and I am positive we lost officers to other departments due to that behavior. I encourage officers to donate yearly to the United Way by simply donating myself. I let them know that they can target their donations to specific organizations. I like my donations to go toward the Children's Advocacy Center. Some troops donate, and some don't, but I know it is their choice, and I can only try to influence through example. The same goes for participation in community events. I attend as many as possible without over-taxing my time with family. I let the officers know that community events are important to our Chief and that I will use their participation as a plus in their yearly evaluation. Again, I encourage them. I don't coerce them to participate.
Richard, you are correct these supervisors can ruin a good officer along with an agency. The example you set by just giving and giving your people the opportunity to follow your lead was outstanding. In the end of the lecture when they discussed agencies that ignore their peoples needs always spending more on recruiting and training this is a prime example.
This module gave a basic understanding of the five Bases of Power, their associated power strategies, and how to apply them effectively. The most important thing to remember is to use power responsibly. When using these bases of power, it is important to consider both the short-term and long-term goals. By using these strategies in a positive and respectful way, we can create lasting relationships and trust. We must also be aware of our power's effects on others; it is essential to act ethically so that no one feels taken advantage of or manipulated.
I agree with you, the way someone uses their power does have a big influence on lasting relationships and trust. Without your subordinates trust, you can't lead them efficiently, especially in law enforcement. In law enforcement many supervisors misuse their power, they use and rely on the term "because I said so" to much.
I had a former supervisor who lived and died by the reward power base. Everything was a trade off which is great if you are the one who is having desires filled, but had to be taxing for her as the leader. We have to learn how to utilize different power bases in different power conditions.
Mitch, I agree. I liked Long's statement of "what works today, may not work tomorrow". An effective leader must understand all five bases of power and know when it is appropriate to use each to ensure the success of their team.
Mitch, the reverse of that is that her employees learned her behavior. By learning what her power base was, they were able to manipulate her just as often as she manipulated them.
This module spoke a truth to me about the relationship between power and influence. While we may have legitimate power set to us because of our rank structure in a department, the ability to influence others is what is allowed by the employees. This is where great leaders succeed the best. In the movie that the video clip was selected from, Coach Brooks was the legitimate power as he was the head coach. His ability to influence the team had to transform so that they could come together as a team and beat the USSR. Through consistent hard work and getting the team to shed their individualism and react to his power from the compliance level to the internalization level is a text method of transforming the reaction to power responses.
This module discussed the five bases of power, which are reward, coercive, expert, referent, and legitimate. As leaders, we or others are under the impression that the leader had or possess all the power to influence others to accomplish the goal or task at hand. but, the true power is when a leader empowers others to do a task, job or mission which gives them the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally. this action builds the trust and send a positive message to all that the leader trust and believe in them and their abilities. This builds the trust and credibility of the leader to the team enhancing the team as a whole.
Patrick, I think you are spot on with the difference between power and true power. There is a large difference between getting others to do as you say because the have a paycheck on the line or are afraid of discipline. But to get the followers to internalize the change and follow the values of the leader and organization, that becomes true power.
I have seen and worked with a leader who used coercive power to lead his officers. The entire experience was like walking on pins and needles at work and was not a positive or enjoyable experience. The chief I worked for at the time was a perceived expert in law enforcement. Yet, he felt he needed to focus on his ability to hold negative actions over his people with threats of days off, suspensions, or even termination. He insisted his officers must fall in line or else. His leadership ended up making many good officers look elsewhere for employment. When it is all said and done, officers want to be team members and look forward to doing their already difficult job. He eventually changed his ways and was humbled by some experience or experiences. He is now reportedly very approachable and supportive of his officers. Bravo to him. We can all change.
My department had a shift lieutenant that led the same way as your chief. Unfortunately, he did not change and ended up having to finish his career at another department as a non-ranking deputy. The man was tactically sound, a great trainer, and very intelligent. His emotional intelligence was lacking, though. I am glad your Chief was able to learn and adjust; that speaks volumes about his character.
Learning the bases of power was new to me. It gave me a new perspective on how and why things are done and how I line up with my current position. It will be good for me to tailor my leadership, power, and influence styles to the situation and the person moving forward.
This module was very enlightening and informative about the different power bases. I think it is fair to say we have all observed all these leadership traits throughout our careers. I will also make adjustments based on what we learn in this section.
Throughout this module, I couldn’t help but visualize several supervisors and leaders alike from my past and current assignments. Too often, too many people in formal positions of authority fall into the trap of power. Our history as a species is riddled with the tales of abuses of power and ego driven conquerors. Our organizations are no different, just smaller with less murder. Power has a way of corrupting the hearts and minds of those with it if they fail to surround themselves with other key personnel who can help them keep their egos in check. Relationships with our people, especially those we are closest to, are critical to prevent these abuses and to maintain our humanity as leaders. Strong leaders must seek out those in our ranks that manipulate and intimidate those below them and educate and develop them or remove them from our organizations entirely.
Jarrett is so totally agree with you. It's like the old saying, "One rotten apple, with ruin the bag." toxic leaders, subordinates, peers and seniors that abuse the power that they possess do nothing but destroy the team and causes a negative result. This type of misuse of power has no room in our ranks and need to get terminated before more damage can occur..
It is critical that supervisors and leaders alike recognize the dangers of power and its potential to corrupt. Our responsibility is to stay mindful of our power dynamics, both in formal positions of authority and in our relationships with those we lead. We must challenge ourselves to be aware of fallacies in judgment, guard against egocentric biases, and ensure our decisions are in the best interest of those we serve. At the same time, it is just as crucial to guard against negative influences and take ownership of our relationships with those we lead.
This was an interesting way to break down the differences in power and leadership. I haven't seen this broken down before. It's interesting because I see a couple of them I do, good and bad. I have also been led by all of these at some point in my career. I hope that after learning some new tactics, I can be better.
Well said Chad Parker. This was new content for me as well. I too hope to do better as I learn to appropriately deploy my 5 power bases.
This has given me a better understanding of where we all, as supervisors, stand within our agency. I can identify the positive power aspects and utilize them to further help officers instead of being toxic. Too many supervisors believe “rank has its privileges” and demand every subordinate to submit to them. Supervisors should understand that power does not guarantee influence or respect. They must physically strive and maintain positive actions to reinforce goals and missions. Learning to manage the 5 bases of power would also significantly retain officers within departments.
When I was a new Sergeant, I would tell older officers to do something so that I did not have to do it and they would get that look on their face like, what is this kid telling me to do. In a joking response I would point at my sergeant stripes to remind them of my rank. In reality and in realization from this module, this was me having to exert power and influence over them from a different power base, and it became do as I say, and not as I do, which translated to them as "rank has privilege."
In my experiences within our agency and the military I have had many leaders that expected me to do what I am told without question simply because they were put into a position of power. Naturally I would do as ordered, but I gained no respect for them nor did I trust them. I decided a long time ago that when I began my journey as a leader that I would much rather have earned my employees respect vs lead them simply because I was put into a rank.
Learning that there’s five bases of power that consist of Reward, Coercive, Expert, Referent and Legitimate helped me with identifying the right approach. Everything is situational and utilizing the correct approach of power will make the difference. Perception is everything and the most important thing to realize, is that their perception is their reality. Having an understanding of the powers will help me to lead, guide and direct my division.
Your commitment to mastering these concepts is commendable and will undoubtedly contribute to your success in leading your division. Keep up the fantastic work and continue leveraging your knowledge to make a positive impact as a leader.
Joseph Spadoni Jr.
Session #15
This module’s lesson taught me a lot about leadership and power that I never realized. When Dr. Long spoke about the bases of power, none of that ever occurred to me until now. Dr. Long really opened my eyes to the influence we have on people through the different bases of power. In myself, I’ve seen Expert power used the most.
Besides recognizing the power bases, it is important to judge when to add or change power bases in changing situations. We must read the situation as intently as were read and the motivations and perspectives of the people we work with.
Cedric, you have an Excellent point about switching between the power bases and how being in tune with your subordinates' goals and motivations can direct the approach.
I have used these 5 bases of power, with out any knowledge of them. It gives the leaders understanding of how to motivate his subordinates and continue to receive the appropriate reactions of power. If we understand why our employees are reacting to our commands, this will allow us to understand and develop them as future leaders.
Jeremy Pitchford session #015
I think it's important for leaders to understand the 5 power bases. It gives them the opportunity to develop their ability to use each power base and to understand which power base is appropriate for the desired goal or situation.
I agree and think it may shed some light on what leaders conclude concerning perspectives others have on them.
I agree. As leaders, we need to recognize what power should and shouldn't be used and when to use which power.
While viewing this lecture I thought back on the supervisors I have had over the years. The ones that used their power to influence us in a positive way not only saw better results they also went on to bigger and better things. The ones that barked and demand respect have faded in this new generation of public safety. I have truly enjoyed working for supervisors that never pointed out their power.
I also feel that the ones that wanted his subordinates to respect them for their rank, were bad leaders. I feel that I learned from them, what not to do, just as much as some of the good leaders I worked for.
Kevin,
I shared the same experience and the supervisors that I worked up under that led us by using their power to influence us were the ones that inspired us to be our best. Those supervisors had the larger percentages of officers from their shifts that were promoted in rank or assigned to a specialized division or made detective over the supervisors that managed shifts with Coercive Power.
I feel everyone can relate to working for power hungry leaders. I've learned more in my career, both military and LEO, about how I want to be viewed as a leader from the bad supervisors I have had than I have from those strong leaders I've been assigned to. Each of the strong leaders I have had the opportunity to work for and with have shared a common trait. They were genuinely empathetic and caring both inside and outside of the work environment.
It is very important as Public Safety Leaders to understand the power that is given to us to lead our agencies. This power can be used for good or bad depending on the way it is applied. We must understand that depending on the application of the power is how our subordinates respond. They may respond in a positive or negative manner depending on how they perceive the application of power.
It is very important to keep in mind the different bases of power and how power is regulated. We must always understand our power and the power that is regulated to other to work better as an organization. Any overpowering could lead to unwanted consequences.
I agree, for if with misuse our power it will cause the unwanted consequences you mention.
This module discussed this importance of power. It also detailed the importance of five different principles regarding power, precisely define behavior to be regulated, be consistent, organize behaviors for ease of comprehension, and don't over regulate.
This lecture taught me about the different types of power. Referent power is earned out of respect and trust. Referent power is made from your subordinates
After viewing Leadership and Power, I paused and tried to remember which of the five bases of power motivated me most in my work history. I would like to think it was expert power, but if I'm being honest with myself the answer is referent power. I want to believe in something bigger than myself.
While going through this module, I can look back and relate each base of power to a specific incident or relationship with officers. For example, situational leadership goes hand in hand with the power bases. I can see where I have used each of these approaches at different times to help motivate my team members. I also found it interesting in the lesson that one can only resist, comply, or commit.
I can definitely agree that there have been many occasions upon reflects where these bases of power. It is really eye opening on putting a "name to the face" in the sense of the bases of power.
In the opening video, I liked how GD Bernard Banks defined the bases of power and explained that the responses to power is that one could resist, comply or commit. Legitimate power will not bring about commitment but may bring compliance and sometimes resistance. So many “managers” rely on their legitimate power and authority to bark orders and demand respect, but only true leaders learn how to use their expert and referent power to influence others and achieve their goals and objectives. Dr. Long said that leadership is “using” interpersonal influence. In order to truly influence a person, you must inspire then and gain their confidence and respect.
I enjoyed the video at the beginning of the module where General Banks discusses the Bases of Power and the example he provided of the misuse of someone's "legitimate" power and the negative results associated with it. I also agree the most beneficial power attributed to a leader is "expert" and "referent" power.
I agree, Chris. We all know those "leaders" who like to throw around the legitimate power or reward/coercion to achieve their ends but they cannot garner the respect and loyalty that a true leader can.
It saddens me to see leaders use reward or coercive power against their subordinates or peers. I have witnessed this all too many times in my workplace.
Jeremy Pitchford Session#015
I don't like to see coercive power used either Kecia, but it is, unfortunately, necessary sometimes. I think it should be used only when required. I also think reward power can be beneficial, but again it should be used sparingly.
I agree it is tough to watch a leader misuse their power in this way. I have seen very smart and skilled leaders fail by misuse of their power. This always leaves me thinking what a waste.
Leadership and power: An interesting module in that, I have cycled through the different bases of power throughout my career. The first cycling was born from necessity and self-preservation. As a young NCO in the Navy, I was not exposed to or developed as a leader before being put into a position of leadership. I was instructed to lead from the “top-down”. Legitimate power was bestowed upon me by rank, I had no real power to reward but did have power to coerce. I inherently knew this was not the right way to achieve great results but had no mentors or training to show me a better way. Moving on from the Navy and into public safety, I took my experience and cycled into the legitimate and expert power bases. A much better place to lead from but it doesn’t get me to the “why”. As I’ve matured over my career, I’ve worked my way into the legitimate and referent power bases. Because of this training, I’m now working towards the “why”!
great module. True leaders have the ability to control their power. Never try to abuse your power because your in a supervisor role. It can force subordinates to seek employment else.
In looking at my own workspace, I wonder how my subordinates look at my power? I wonder how often my power changes based on situation, relational, and transitory? I definitely see how I have referent power with some people, but not others. I see the times where I have to develop my power with people, to get them on board with things, instead of doing it because I am ordering them to. I am looking at these learning areas and am stressed. We are already in learning area #2 and I already feel the task is daunting to being a leader. Don't get me wrong, I am excited to do it, but man there is a lot of work that goes into it. I hope that with experience, it will get easier. There is just sooo much to think about.
As have most of these modules, I have had to internalize my leadership and look at myself and the way I do things. I also wondered how my subordinates and others look at my power. I would hope it is more closely related to the "expert" and "referent" but I can understand that a majority of people only view me from the "legitimate" power bestowed upon me by virtue of promotion.
I found this module very interesting. I liked the way the powers were broken up and explained.
I was struck by the idea that power bases are transitory, situational, and relational. I realize power bases are not necessarily leadership, but they can fuel leadership. I equate the idea that power bases are not constant or transitory with leadership styles. I have been asked numerous times to name my leadership style. My response typically is that it depends on the situation. I believe if we as leaders lock ourselves into a single leadership style, we will fail more than we succeed. A single leadership style, like power bases, may not work the same in every situation. Leadership styles are transitory, situational, and relational. I do have preferred leadership styles and some I am better at than others, but I refuse to lock into a single style. I have had employees where they thrive under an environment of nearly excessive feedback while others thrive when left alone. Additionally, I have led officers who only respond to coercive power while others completely accept legitimate power. In any event, power bases and leadership styles require constant development and evaluation as they are not constant or permanent.
This lesson discussed how the use of certain power may change from day to day and person. We as leaders have to become " Chameleons" so to speak. If we lack the ability to constantly adapt and change to each situation and depend on only one tool, we will never achieve long term success.
This module on leadership and power truly hit home for me. It not only explains the power bases and discusses how each affects the relationship between the leader and subordinates, but it also draws a correlation between power and influence. Dr. Long outlined that power is the capacity of one person to influence another; however, power doesn’t guarantee influence. The suggestion is that influence is based on a relationship. Dr. Long stated in his lecture that you only have as much influence as others think you have, regardless of your position in the organization. Leaders need to realize that these power bases are situational and can be unique to each person you are trying to influence.
We have all had supervisors who only had their rank's legitimate power. These were the guys barking orders and consistently using coercive power to get you to comply with their wishes. These are also the ones that did not have the respect of their people. I have often said that I respect the rank, not the person in these situations. A true leader does not need rank to have the respect of their people.
I thought this was an informative lesson defining the bases of power. The most influential leaders in my life have been those who possessed expert power and were awarded referent power. These were the leaders who I knew could and would do things morally, legally, ethically, technically and tactically correct. I had absolute trust and respect for them as individuals and as leaders. They were the leaders that motivated me to work hard and that I sought to please. They were the leaders that I now strive to emulate. Their use of the other power bases was rare and when employed was the definitely warranted by the situation.
Kent, adding to your take, the worst leaders in my life were very influential to me as well in that I was inspired not to be like them. As you could imagine, the legitimate power base paired with the coercive power base could be devastating for employee morale and initiative. I took this inspiration and ran the other way when given the chance to lead.
Learning about the different power bases was interesting. The discussion of the considerations of using power and the reactions of power stood out to me. Understanding that different circumstances and different people may require a different type of power base. As a leader you must be flexible and cannot become reliant on one power base.
I agree. No one power base can be used in every circumstance. There will be a time and place for each. It is important as leaders that we are aware of the situations and adapt the best we can. It is also important to learn from prior encounters on which power base was the most effective given a certain situation, but also remain flexible and willing to use a different power base if warranted.
Over the years I have heard of these different bases of power. More on an individual bases of each one. I like how this module explained and defined each one. In going through this module, I find I have used all five bases. Sometimes simultaneously because each person is different and is inspired or influenced differently. I know that some of the leaders I looked up to and wanted to be mold myself after, would often use multiple bases at the same time to motivate the shift.
Reactions to power and how to regulate behavior needs to be focus in organizations and the cornerstone of mentoring leaders. How to do it in a healthy manner that leaves an employee whole and able to function at a high level is paramount to success. I think each principle presented should be engrained in all supervisors, but especially so principle five where the human element is considered. If an employee is not healthy in home and work, both suffer. This principle does apply to both and needs special attention. Getting to know employees on a personal levels is the bridge to applying this principle successfully. If you don't know an employee, how can you meet their needs? WE have to care. Being at the top looking down never works. We need to use power to be on the same level and elevate our teams.
General Banks's comments reminded me of this story that I'm not proud of: when I was a young officer near downtown, we had a person is our chain of command that was difficult to work for, a firm wielder of legitimate and coercive power. One of the sillier directives this person send down was that if a supervisor noticed any officer staying in one place for more than 15 minutes, the supervisor was to find out what the officer was doing and get them moving. This directive was announced in lineup and we all cringed. My two closest partners and I were actually hard workers with high activity, but the arbitrary nature of this directive irritated us enough that I came up with a clever plan to stick it to the man. I bought a cheap kitchen timer. We arranged ourselves in a neat triangle on the CAD map, and set the timer for 14 minutes. For a few days, every 14 minutes the timer would go off and we'd rotate positions on the map, leaving to take calls then returning to our place in the triangle. This was petty and now I'm ashamed that we did this, but it does demonstrate General Bank's comments nicely. We did what we were told to do, but refused to do the things it was supposed to imply. The directive was supposed to reinforce that we weren't to be sitting and wasting time, but out patrolling and working. But we were so offended by the way the directive was given (and who gave it) that we actually did less work, just to show that we could follow the order without bowing to the ineffective boss. This shows the importance of using power carefully and in using the most effective types of power. Of course, the ability to use these right types of power is a product of developing your leadership, so that you have willing followers.
Jeff,
Thank you for telling this story. This goes back to so many of the things we have discussed in this program but what came to my mind first was a failure to outline a vision. Had this boss merely come to each lineup their self or described to the supervisors what their vision was that led to the need for officers to patrol, it might have been better received. For instance, if this boss said violent crime was up and data shows patrolling can lower violent crime, some might have listened. In this case, it was probably seen as a check the box and unnecessary oversight than having a true purpose. I completely see how that was frustrating and I hope I never fall into these kinds of trap by failing to connect with my officers and clearly outline my vision.
Jeremy
This module explains a lot that we already know, whether we know the formal names or descriptions of each. In every organization there are informal and formal leaders. Understanding the different power bases and the way that each interacts with a formal leader or informal leader is what was eye opening to me. As formal leaders the more we understand about how informal leaders in our agency work, and who they are, the better we will be at getting the things done that we need to accomplish.
Informal leaders are very powerful, I agree. Knowing who they are and their informal roles is critical in forming a strong and functioning team. These are the folks that you should elevate to team leaders and focus their influence on accomplishing goals that are uniform with the organizational mission. Acknowledging them is key and then utilizing their talents in solidifying the "why" will build a unified team.
This module was compelling. One thing that stood out to me was the leaders inspire video. Referent power is defined by trust. This is not something one can command of others, but rather something the leader has to earn on a case-by-case basis over time. The most influence potential a leader can have and the most volatile. Leaders who earn and maintain the trust of others consistently drive good results within employees. It also enhances engagement and retains key talent. Reference power will stay with a person as they move up in the ranks, and it will transfer to others and have a ripple effect.
I agree with everything you're saying, Jared. I would add to it that Sinek's concept of inspirational leadership also involves people's willingness to follow a leader because they believe in the same things as the leader. I think this is key for us to understand because it helps us know how to build our teams, and also the importance of building a vision for our units or departments that our people can believe in and ten making sure that our decisions are consistent with that vision. If our people see us helping to pull in the direction that we have all agreed we want to go, they are more willing to follow us. T
I think the best leaders earn referent power before they are given the rank that gives the legitimate power. Those that excel in their positions humbly gain a following. Those that doe their best to make those around them better are ones folks can look up to, and model after. These people are the individuals on your patrol teams that should be made mentors. They are the ones that have the referent power given to them by those they work around. As we promote those people, that referent power will stick with them, and make them trusted throughout their careers.
In this module I learned the different types of power. With rank comes legitimate power. Referent power is the power earned out of respect and trust. I prefer referent power and believe it is the hardest to achieve. All the other powers can come along with a title or rank. Referent power is given to you by your subordinates.
i agree
I have used all five leadership bases without even knowing what they were called. Because the bases don't apply the same to each person or in each situation, any leader with experience has used most if not all. Sometimes more than one base has to be tried to influence a follower because the first didn't work. All people are different, and they can change depending upon where they are in life or the difficulty of the situation.
In module #5, we learned about the five Bases of Power: Reward, Coercive, Expert, Referent and Legitimate. We also learned about the reaction to power: three Power Strategies -- Compliance (short-term), Identification (referent power) and Internalization (consistent with values). It is also explained about the basic principles to follow in regulating behavior. I have not heard of the bases of powers and found this information to be very informative. I strive for Expert, Referent and Legitimate. I want to lead because I am knowledge and I inspire others. I believe the reward and coercive bases will lead to negative results in the work place.
I agree, inspiring goes much further in a team the power struggles based in compliance or identification. Internalization creates a buy-in and longevity and frankly excitement to belong. You will have successes with the others but never anything to build on.
Understanding the different types of power and different reactions, I can relate to situations where I have experienced them all. New supervisors, who have little leadership knowledge, often start by using coercive power and hope for a following. it isn't until they develop referent power, by building relationship with their team, that they truly start do develop leadership abilities. This module is great at explaining the difference.
I agree. I think building relationships and developing referent power is key. Coercive power may work for a short time, but without cultivating relationships, earning trust, and gaining buy-in there will be no long-term influence.
I agree with your post. Recently my agency promoted an officer rather quickly. Although he had a solid reputation as a patrol officer, he was faced with some leadership dilemmas as more senior officers he then supervised responded to him with varying degrees of compliance. In a relatively short amount of time, officers on his shift responded to him with internalization, once they gained confidence in his knowledge and ability.
This module lesson provided me with a basic understanding of the five bases of power. The five bases if used properly coupled with influence can help successful leaders lead others to the desired outcome. After viewing this module, I understand now why my past efforts ended in success or with not-so-favored results. Each new initiative requires a new strategy. It is true; one only has as much influence as others think you to have, or what they allow you to have, regardless of your position in the organization. Influence is gained through trust and trust is gained by forming professional relationships with those you lead.
The concept of the power bases is interesting and taking into account that all power is transitory, it seems apparent that on some level you need to have a base of all five, so that situational circumstances don't impede you from being able to influence outcomes as needed. Being an informal leader can be done with referent power and to some degree expert power, but there are times that you need legitimate power in order to accomplish an objective.
I agree with you Trent. Our goal as a leader should be to gain referent power, but sometimes it is necessary to exercise your legitimate power to get the ball rolling.
This was a very thought provoking module. I have always been familiar with the bases of power in leadership. However, in this module I found it very informative about the considerations for using such power. I learned a lot about how the power bases are situational. Some bases of power may work one day but may not work another. Also, the power bases are unique with each employee. Some employees may be motivated to change their behavior differently than others. As leaders we need to know how and when to use the different bases of power.
I also learned about the situational nature of the power bases. It isn't a profound idea at all, but still a fascinating science in how people are motivated. As Simon Sinek said, it is biology not psychology.
It is critical to know what kind of power you have within your organization. Knowing what kind of power you have is not enough though. You must know what kind of power your staff believes you to have. You may think you're exhibiting one kind of power but really they power you're exhibiting is unproductive and hurting the organization from exceeding expectations or accomplishing goals. Something to remember too is that your power effects the relationship you and the organization have with the community. There is a balance you must achieve but actively listening to your staff and always seeking self improvement will help in accomplishing the perfect balance of power.
This lecture was very informative as it relates to the bases of power. In the presentation I keyed in on the consideration of using power. This comes in three forms and in the situational use of power what works in one circumstance may not work in another. In our profession we see the daily struggles of trying to solve various issues within the organization and in society. In the organization the way we handle one officer may be different that in how we handle another one. This may be due to a variety of reasons. And in respect to the same officer, what works today may in fact not work tomorrow. We have to set the tone for others to follow and in doing so, they too will follow because they wish to be like you.
The three powers is what can drive us to be effective leaders. We have to know what works for each individual in our organization's.
I enjoyed this module and getting an insight into the different power basis. The one that hits home though is Referent power. Without having people willing to listen and follow your lead because they trust or respect you, all is lost. The team or organization will not move forward and become better when people do just what they are forced into.
I agree, referent power is important to me because I want my subordinates to follow out of respect and trust. Referent power is more influential and stable. I believe it makes for a less stressful work environment.
I totaly agree, Referent power is in my opinion the most powerful and effective of the bases. I have seen how this power comes fairly easy for those officers who maintained a good reputation and were knows as hard workers from the beginning of their careers. When they promoted to a supervisory rank, the younger officers automatically looked up to them because of their reputation. I have seen others who weren't as well known or who had a bad reputation as an officer struggle to obtain the referent power once promoted. The goal for those who seemed to come by it a bit easier is to maintain that trust and respect.
It is key for law enforcement leaders to apply the right type of leadership power to influence the behavior of others with or without resistance to prompt action. A powerful leader will lead by example to ensure their subordinates know what is expected of them. From experience, when a combination of leadership powers is properly applied in an organization, it creates higher morale among officers and less turnover rate within the agency.
I think you touch on something I did not feel this module covered in a positive light, legitimate power and the need for prompt action without resistance. Yes, using legitimate power and coercive power in conjunction habitually will eventually erode any possibility of referent power, but there are times, especially in public safety, I need prompt compliance with no resistance, usually in emergency situations. I don't feel the module adequately covered that, so glad you mentioned it.
This was a short but informative module regarding leadership and power. One of the lines that stuck with me from the lesson is, "You only have as much influence as others think you to have regardless of your position in the organization". This is so true. I've seen leaders get promoted but lack respect from their peers because of their failed ability to inspire. It's so important to realize as a leader that power is transitory, what works today, may not work tomorrow. It's important for leaders to be aware of this and to constantly be aware of their influence on others.
Glenn,
You are so right. I have see several leaders in my career who have been promoted but fail to inspire their subordinates. Leaders need to be able to adjust and be fluid in using the bases of power. If they are aware of the transitory nature of power they will be great leaders that will be able to influence the people around them.
I have to agree with this, the fact that it is relevant to what power people perceive you to have is something that we all need to take into consideration. When we are in positions of leadership, we only control what people will allow us to control. That title does not always mean anything, it is the level that we use the power and how we treat people that get the respect that we are usually looking for.
This was an important module yet I don't feel it conveyed the information enough. I did further research and grasped what the intent was in the end though. Each form of power may have it's use at times. However some forms like reward and coercive can be abused as negative motivators with consequences. We all currently strive for a mixture of legitimate and referent power as this will yield the most positive results for the team overall.
Andrew, you make a valid point. The misuse of power can disrupt the way law enforcement organization’s function. Deceitful power plays can impact the productivity and damage the reputation of an organization.
I agree with you Andrew. Referent and Legitimate powers are what we should strive for. I believe the work culture will positively benefit from these powers and help the people function as a team.
This module provided a lot of insight for me in the different ways in which leaders can influence their employees and encourage them to be productive, depending on several variables, including the personality of the leader, the skills of the group/employees, the task or assignment at hand, or the team dynamics and personalities of individual team members. As with other leadership styles, each base of power has its place in supervision and can prove effective in the right setting and right circumstances.
Having a better understanding of the bases of power was very beneficial for me. It's a good reminder for all leaders to remember that power does not guarantee you influence and if used incorrectly will not get you the desired outcome you were aiming for. In fact, when used incorrectly, could be very detrimental to a goal or outcome you are trying to achieve. This module is a very crucial part of leadership that leaders must understand so they use it properly in the right situations.
There was a lot of great information in this lecture about leadership and power. When I thought of leadership, power was not the first thing that came to my mind. However, this module helped me understand that power is very important in leadership, especially how you display that power. For me, I strive for expert, referent and legitimate power. I do not want to be coercive or rewarding with my power. I think that the first three bases of power is what is best for any leader in any organization.
Jared, while I agree in large part of your post, I would offer that coercive and rewarding power are also beneficial in certain situations. For instance, during a dynamic and stressful situation a leader may have to use coercive power to get tasks accomplished in an expedient manner. Reward power can also prove to be a motivator when it does not rely heavily on monetary or other tangible compensation but allows for various intangible benefits as rewards. A well said, well timed, sincere words of praise can go a long way at times.
I agree Jared because when you think leadership Power is not the first thing that comes to mind for us. However those we lead look at our standing, expertise, and respect within the agency which simply is how much perceived power do we have to them. How it is used is what's important in the end.
Jared, I agree with you that expert, referent, and legitimate is the way to go. I honestly can’t give or take away much so that doesn’t have much sway within my operating parameters. My reward is when I learn people are following because they want to because they believe in what we are striving for.
It was a great learning for me to know the 5 bases of power. I have seen each one but did not understand what was going on until now and it all make sense.
I agree. What works for one employ or situation will not always work on another.
Leaders only obtain power when it is perceived by their team that they possess this leadership traits because of their rank/title or because they have the most experience on the subject matter and excel in the area. Leaders use this power to influence others to complete tasks or assignments. Each of the bases of power discussed has its merits, however, a combination of them may be needed to achieve the desired outcome. The situation, task, and personnel will dictate the variation applied, whether it be a combination of legitimate, expert, and coercive, or simply referent.
David,
I agree that it is important for leaders to be experts in their subjects and excel in their area. This brings a lot of credibility to that positive of power and I know I personally like to be led by someone who knows what they are doing and is competent.
Very well put, David. Not every situation is the same and not every person is the same. Leaders must always remember that power never guarantees influence and must be used properly to get desired outcomes.
This lesson provides details on the type of power present in leadership. The main take away for me is the considerations for using the different power types and the reactions to the power used. In the future I will reflect on the five principals to apply the most accurate type of power in regulating complex behavior issues. I want to do this mainly to promote equity and assure that the type used is proper.
You are correct Chris but i think it is going to be a difficult task in our department.
This module had some excellent lessons to take away. The bases of power are something I never thought about. This module broke down the 5 bases, which I have seen used with experience but never understood, on this level. It is also important to remember that power bases don't work the same in all situations.
Me to Jose, I never had the bases introduced to me in this way. (by definition) . Most of what I used was guided by what felt like the right thing to do based on past experiences. And yes, different strokes for different folks, good lesson.
In this training module, the instructors did a good in explaining the relationship between leadership, power and behavior. We all have experienced our fair share of supervisors who were poor leaders. Individuals who can't handle the authority given to them by their agencies. These leaders are the same individuals that thrive on power and usually abuse it. I believe the information provided in this training module can be used to help our agency identify certain qualities or traits our future leaders may possess.
This module allowed me to reflect on my own leadership style and what base I like to follow most. I found the expert and referent bases to be the most successful approach but must keep in mind that this will not work for everyone. We must be willing to change our approach depending on the situation.
I agree. What works for one employ or situation will not always work on another.
During this module, I learned about the 5 bases of power (Reward, Coercive, Expert, Referent, and Legitimate). If leaders use the power correctly, the outcome could be positive but if used incorrectly the outcome could be negative. In addition, some leaders use the power for their own gains.
This is true. We can use this knowledge for using power depending on the situation. If used correctly with the proper case, it can be a helpful tool.
Robert - I agree with you that all leaders have to be able to know their staff inside and out but most importantly how to approach each of them.
All of the power bases can work in combination to influence our behaviors because in general power is the capacity of one person to influence another. It is how we use power in our leadership roles to get a response from our teams. No situation is alike and the leader has to be focused on how to implement that power in that situation that certainly defines our effectiveness and gives clear insight to the goals of the mission. I have applied situational power roles and reward often because I believe that I have a good understanding of my team. Meaning that I know the strengths and weaknesses of my team. I can delegate specific tasks and I trust in them that the goal will be completely timely and properly. If it is completed then I give them more responsibilities as the mission moves forward. The team has to understand why were are going to complete the task coupled with confidence, because it creates an easier path to the goal as you have one hundred percent believability.
The intro video and lecture module both discussed at least five bases of power. The bases are reward, coercion, expert, legitimate, and referent. Each base of power has a separate application and avenue for use. And as Dr. Long stated “Power bases are transitory. What works today may not work tomorrow,” (2017). By using the legitimate power of my position and coercive power of the threat of disciplinary action I can force my personnel to comply with an order. However if I want to motivate them to change and develop as leaders I will need to use a combination of other power bases until I can achieve referent power to influence them. Which is the ultimate goal to be able motivate them to do the right thing and for the right reasons.
Long, L. (2017). Leadership and power. Module 5, Weeks 3 & 4. National Command and Staff College.
Each of the 5 bases of power has situations that are appropriate to be used in. We need to be sure that we use the right base of power for the situation that we find ourselves in. I find that many leaders take their legitimate base of power and combine it with another. They find one that works for them very well in a particular situation and then overuse that combination. Too often it is the legitimate base combined with the coercive base. This leads to a leader in a legitimate position whose people follow mainly out of fear of repercussions if they don't.
One of the modules in this lesson that stuck out to me was the (3) reactions to power: compliance, identification, and internalization. I never really thought about the difference in how people react to me as a supervisor on the basis of power. In all honesty, I guess I probably just grouped the reactions together and never really individualized it surrounding why someone does as I ask them to do. The module described that people react to power in different ways and for different reasons. They may do as you ask because you can provide them a reward or punish them if they don't. They may do as you ask because they like me or want to be like me. Finally, they may do as I ask because they believe it is the right approach. This module caused me to start looking at those I supervise and trying to group each of them into one of the three reactions to power. I really want to know why each of my employees does as I ask.
I know I am not alone in my experiences with police leaders who thrived on getting compliance (in a negative manner) . These leaders used their formal regulation w/in the agency using a combination of reward, coercion and legitimacy. They believed they had a lot of influence; but in fact their legacy was that of a tyrant and were never respected by anyone in the agency; other than similar leaders or those that just chose to comply.
YES!! This is so true. I'm sure almost every agency and business has someone who leads by compliance. This should not be allowed. Simon Sinek said, "we follow those who lead for ourselves" and, "people take your cause and make it their cause." Leaders, especially in law enforcement, should be inspiring others by their passion and not by intimidation.
After reviewing this module, I have learned that it is key to ensure you are using each of these bases of power in the right situation. At some point in my military and law enforcement career, I am sure I have used each of these bases of power with negative consequences. I’ve learned from those mistakes made by myself and also learned through the mistakes of others I have worked for.
Derek,
I am sure that with your experience you have been on both sides of each of these bases of power. I know for my part I have experienced being led as well as leading with different power bases. I have had the great fortune to follow leaders not because of their position but because I wanted to. I was inspired by them and gave them referent power. The reward was that I was able to learn to try to imitate them to try to gain the same when I became a supervisor as well.
As we go through the course it really becomes more and more clear to me that I have to work more on knowing the people I am entrusted with, and know the best means of approaching them. It can not be a one size fits all approach to leadership. Seeing the five bases of power broken down like this helped me reflect on what approaches may be best for what individuals.
Robert - I agree with you that all leaders have to be able to know their staff inside and out but most importantly how to approach each of them.
Robert, I feel the same way. I have learned that I have so much more to do in order to become a better leader and better supervisor. It definitely is not a one-size fits all as previous supervisors had made it out to be.
Robert-I agree with you totally. I myself need to learn and know the individuals I am supervising or entrusted with. Not everyone reacts or is receptive as the next. Everyone responds to critique / criticism different. Individuals "tick" a certain way. Certain phrases or words motivate individuals; where some may cause them to shut down. Its also about the approach and delivery; not just the stance.
To know when and how to apply the appropriate power base is nothing short of an art form. Which is only perfected through practice and a lot of trial and error along the way. And then consideration must be taken with the vast amount of variables involved; Revolving personnel, the ever changing society, rules of law etc.
Chris, I agree. I think this is where the image of a "born leader" comes from because some people's social skills and self-reflection are higher than others. Some leaders are better at seeing that the power base they are using isn't working and needs to be changed. Maybe nature over nurture argument, but it does seem that some have a better knack of filling the role and adjusting as needed.
This module was very informative on the bases of power. Leaders do have influence over those they lead or target. I believe that there is a difference between a leader who is being coercive and one who generally possess the knowledge needed to be considered an expert base and be someone who others can look up to and come to with questions they know will get answered. Being a respectful, supportive leader will show your staff that you are truly there for them and support what they do. Also, understanding that there will be times you need to hold others accountable for their decisions and actions will also show others your leadership.
The bases of power discussed in this module was very informative. I do believe leaders have influence over their target, when they are the target. I think that in my department I am considered an expert base of power because I possess the knowledge and information that my staff need. A leader must be full of knowledge and know their department. A referent base of power is also a positive power to have because your team wants to be like you because of the knowledge you possess, and the respect your team have towards you. I think that every leader should reward their staff when they do something good. Having staff that feels appreciated will have a positive affect in your work culture. Employees do more when they feel appreciated. It is true that people with power has the ability to influence others.
This module is a great reminder of the varying influences leaders have on others and the pros and cons to such leadership. At one point in my career, I had an IA Sergeant that was known for catching involved employees in the gym and asking them questions in an off-the-cuff manner, claiming to have no relation to an on-going IA. Word quickly spread the IA Sgt. was doing this and many of us avoided him, the gym, or flat out refused to answer his questions in that setting. That is a clear indication of coercive power that had a sinister effect leading to a great deal of mis-trust in the sergeant. Sadly, he moved out of IA and was promoted to Commander (SHOCKER). That perception of him from his days in IA followed his career and he was surrounded by a cloud of distrust. There can be a time and place for coercive power, but it should be minimal and certainly not used on potential witnesses to an active IA investigation!
A review of the five bases of power reveals how important it is for leaders to focus their energies and efforts into developing their people. Although some may feel it is necessary to exert the bases of reward and coercion, they are actually self-defeating concepts. In building a team for a project or an agency initiative, it is clear that collaboration should be a mainstay (Long, 2021). This can be accomplished, in a limited capacity, by leaders who subscribe to the Legitimate and Expert Power bases. These are fraught with severe deficiencies, such as short-term success.
However, the most well-suited power bases for developing folks in trusting and collaborative environments is the Referent Power Base. This base has room for future growth and planning, develops folks and projects, builds trust and allows for open and formative communication that will serve organizations well in future endeavors. In such a scenario, power is bestowed upon the leader by others, namely the team members (Abrashoff, 2008). In essence, these folks commit to goals and accept the leader because they want to work with him or her, they identify with the leader. This is an excellent way to build a high functioning, collaborative environment.
In retrospect, leaders must learn to work within all of the power bases. Some are more suited than others at certain times. It is important to note that these bases are transitory, relational and situational. Accordingly, a leader must be well-versed in each base and know when their applications are best deployed.
References
Abrashoff, D.M. (2008). It’s our ship: the no-nonsense guide to leadership
Long, L. (2021). Leadership and Power. Module 5, Week 3. National Command and Staff College.
In this module we have learned that leadership is an act of regulation that is performed in order to achieve a specific response from another person. As leaders we have to know how to influence others to get the response we want.
Buck- Absolutely! I found the lecture to be interesting and was curious if you have tried applying any of the power bases that were discussed in the lecture? I have used these at times interchangeably when needed, but I prefer to use referent and Expert. What would your preferred approach be?
Best and stay safe-
Ken
Very well put Buck! Your post is small but hits it right on the head. As leaders, we are looking to receive a specific response from someone through an act of regulation.
For leaders to have credibility, they must have: integrity+competency+relationships. (McChrystal, 2013). Relationships coincide with behavior regulation. If a leader cannot manage those two aspects, he/she will struggle to establish a positive influence.
Jay Callaghan
Session #013
Building on good leaders inspire or empower people, good leaders also know how to move through the five bases of power. Good leaders know the difference between reward, coercive, expert, referent, and legitimate power and how to apply each. Not every situation is the same and blanket policy of power will not fit. One must be able to recognize when change is needed and how to lead by example, explain the why, and inspire people to change.
The main take away for me for this module was that all of these power bases are unique and need to be applied at the correct time to obtain the desired outcome. This is the tricky dynamic of the power bases and their use; knowing when to use them. A single power base use may work, but often times it will not and you must be prepared to use them as a leader. If you want to be a truly effective leaders you must know what power bases are available to you and also learn to balance their use and know when to use them.
I think the aspect of know what to use, when, and with how is incredible challenging considered what works with someone today will failure miserably tomorrow. Very simple principals, very hard to put into use without practice.
Yes Sir I agree. To identify and use the appropriate power basis is an art form only perfected through practice and a lot of trial and area along the way.
This module discussed the 5 bases of power; reward, coercive, expert, referent, and legitimate. A good leader knows when and how to apply each of these bases of power for a given situation. Leaders must understand when to switch between bases of power or to employ more than one base of power to appropriately address a situation. As supervisors, we all have legitimate power, but learning to apply the other bases in the right situation can improve our success in achieving a desired outcome or behavior.
This is exactly the point of the lecture. For us, as legitimate leaders to combine power bases to achieve the right result in the right situation. This requires us to know the people we are addressing and to adapt to the needs of that specific group.
I have found far too many times supervisors do not realize when it is time to switch. Often times, leaders stick with coercive and legitimate power because it is the easiest of the bases to apply.
After watching the lecture, I started to think about leaders I had as I came up through the ranks. I think as I look back, the best leaders were the ones who had every power base in their arsenal. This seems lend to a well rounded leader who knew what style of power was necessary for certain situations.
I had some of the same reflections and thought back to the leaders I have had over the years, and the style they used as their "go to" choice of power base. It's interested to see how the ones that really developed me and molded me if you will all tended to use the same methods from my perspective.
Too many times we act as supervisors and are trying to achieve the results that quantify the work we do. Number of citations, cases solved, crime rates, overtime costs, and training costs. While we concentrate on these we sometimes lose focus that the employees that we work with are people and not just a cog in the law enforcement machine. We need to realize that they could have things going on that might effect thier job. If we treat co workers like people or efficiency will get much better
I like the way you said this. We don't work with robots, we work with human beings. With people who have feeling, or children who may have a recital or practice. They have wives and bills that may be piling up. There are so many things that could be on someone's mind affecting their work. Everyone is allowed to have a bad day. Good leaders notice the bad day and at least step up to attempt to assist. If this was done just a bit more, more places would be better to work for or at
Good point, Brad. I think that's why it is so important to know your people and what they have going on in their lives. That way a supervisor can distinguish between that "bad day" and bad ongoing habits.
In public safety, we really have the ability to utilize just about any of the 5 bases of power. We can reward with praise, we can punish with a citation, we can be role models for youth in our community and we can be experts in tactics. We do all of this with the legitimate authority bestowed upon us. This module was interesting in how it explains the type of power we consider to use can change based on the situation, the people, and the conditions and that being able to adjust accordingly is crucial for success.
Eric,
I was thinking of this lesson too focused on internal leadership. I immediately thought of events, from each leadership basis, as they related to experiences I've had or heard of between myself, peers, subordinates, and supervisors. I appreciate your response which reminds me of the many ways we lead in our community as well. Too many people see LE from a coercive basis, so it is even more critical we work the other power bases into our interactions with citizens.
I appreciated Doctor Long's Principle #4. Don't overregulate behavior. I have worked for several supervisors previously that were highly critical of their subordinate’s behavior. They seemed to be concerned with employee behavior more than the actual work being done. One individual would scour social media posts to see what her subordinates were doing off duty in an attempt to issue a “conduct unbecoming” disciplinary write up for policy violation. This was a sad attempt of the flexing of power, which ultimately led to a mutiny on her shift and her being transferred to another division.
I`ve seen some of the same traits with some in my department. Nice to see that that her conduct was recognized by your department. I wonder if her conduct continued in the new division. Did they just move a problem and not address it.?
I agree. I've seen a few supervisors through the years who overregulated the behavior of those under their care. They either wanted their officers to be exactly like they were, or they looked for actions they could discipline for attention. There are some who actually believed as long as they brought attention to the negative actions of others, their own would be unseen or ignored.
We just had this happen with one of my deputies...lol a Major seen something on a deputies social media account and it had nothing negative about any agency but told him he needed to delete it. Other supervisors thought it was a funny post. Some people go out of their way to get others in trouble.
I was glad to hear the comment made during this lesson that the five bases of power are relational, and can change with the person. As an instructor, I have learned that instruction, or leadership, may need to be modified based on individuals, and individual personalities. One of the previous lessons focused on differences among different generations. This is a prime example of needing to make changes in leadership styles based on the person. A leader must have a firm grasp on the five bases of power, then be flexible enough to incorporate them efficiently based on the target group or individual.
Learning more about the 5 bases of power has allowed me to evaluate which power bases I use most commonly. It also allowed me to reflect on what other leaders around me use to influence people. It's interesting how these methods evolve with the change of leadership. Under the previous administration, coercive power was commonly used to influence behavior. It was effective at achieving a short-sighted goal, but it also negatively impacted the relationship between supervisors and the staff. We now more commonly use the other bases to influence people and achieve our intended goals. I believe morale is overall more positive because of it the changes we've made.
Power is not something to be taken lightly. Power in not something to abuse. Power is something that should not go to someone's head. I firmly believe that true leaders have the ability to control their power. I have never been the type of supervisor to abuse the power that I have earned. Do notice that I chose "earned" I feel that power is earned, NOT GIVEN! Power may be stripped from a person at any given moment and without notice. A true leader should know that power, although necessary, can be detrimental if abused. I have witnessed power absolutely destroy someone's reputation and integrity. Leadership coupled with power are needed, but should never be abused.
Marshall- I agree. Too often folks do not seem to realize that power is ceded just as respect. It is an earned credential. How some folks lose sight of this is beyond me.
Best and stay safe-
Ken
I totally agree Marshall. Some people get power and they abuse it. It goes straight to their head. A leader should not abuse their power.
You are right Marshall. Those supervisors who let the power go to their heads began to loose respect from fellow officers. You often hear people say that they respect the rank, but not the person. When you have this type of supervisor, it becomes hard for that person to "lead" his officers.
I found it interesting to review the different bases of power and think of specific people and instances where I have seen them used, even before knowing what they actually were. For each of these examples it was clear that some definitely work better than others. It also important to keep in mind how each bases of power is situational and the person using that power must be cognizant of it's use. We as leaders must strive to build upon our skill sets to employee these power bases when appropriate to achieve our goals while balancing those we lead and how they will react.
“Leaders have the position of power and authority, but those who lead inspire us.” This statement drives home the fact that just because someone is in a supervisory position, does not mean they are going to inspire their employees to become better themselves. I have been fortunate enough to have those in supervisory positions to be great leaders in my career. However, I have had great co-workers who inspire and lead that are not in those upper-management positions. Those individuals have power to influence because they are willing to mentor and pass on their expert knowledge. Attitude is everything in my opinion when it comes to power – being humble and modest, not taking all of the credit, goes along way with their peers and builds trust.
I agree. Legitimate power alone will not get peak performance from staff. A leader must show support and get to know their staff to better understand how to motivate them.
Being prepared to promoted takes time and effort, but if you do not invest in building relationships with the people you will soon be given legitimate power over you will find the power you wield is coercion. You may realize you can't beat people down all the time and revert to an occasional reward. Those of us already in leadership positions have to influence the up-and-coming leaders to understand the way all the powers work together. We need to help them become experts in their realm of knowledge to give them a great starting position as a leader. We all see the individuals who have referent power from their peers good or bad people will follow them.
I look at the reactions to power in the world of law enforcement; compliance the short-term power is what we desire at the moment on the call for service. Identification, long-term power, or referent power the perception from city hall and the fiscal employer of the department. Internalization, the citizens grant us this power when they perceive us to act according to the oath and within the core values of policing.
The fifth element was a telling indictment on some of the profession's struggles through the five principles to follow. In previous lessons, the generational differences illustrated items such as what each generation holds essential, ways to communicate better or create engagement, and why some generations tend to jump ship earlier. Taking some of the themes, one can see how a failure to maintain constructive personal behavior levels can increase employee dissatisfaction.
The result is the employees will seek employment elsewhere. From this, we incur the creation of another vacancy and the additional strain on the recruiting and training divisions to attempt to fill the shortages in a resource-depleted environment continually. Leaders must continually balance the organization's needs with that of the employees and sometimes make concessions to support the employee's basic needs.
In this module it reviewed the relationship between leadership and power or authority. Just because someone is placed into a position or designated a title doesn't magically make them a leader. This module covered the 6 power bases that influence a subordinate to comply or follow through with what the leader has directed. In my career I have experienced each one of the six at some point. The best leaders that I can remember demonstrated a healthy balance of many of the six. I found the video of Simon Sinek again on the "Golden Circle" as well as sharing the real world and historical references helpful in gaining a better understanding of the concept.
What really hit home with me was the statement that "people follow those who inspire those around them." By being a role model, and holding yourself personally to a higher standard is crucial. Coming from an informal leadership position and working my way into a formal leadership position. A person may not realize that others are following your lead. Remaining humble is essential.
This is very true. I have had experiences with being in an informal leadership role, where others may look to you for advice and knowledge. Looking back at those times, I believe remaining humble and modest helped me get through to those looking for advice or mentorship. I'm sure all of us had experiences with the arrogant individuals who chose not to be role models. Though they may have knowledge and expertise, leadership lacks.
I agree with your statement in its entirety Troy. Leaders inspiring those around them deserve to be followed. The actions of supervisors will be observed and emulated by those he/she leads. Remain humble as you enter into your new formal leadership position. It will surely be seen as a feather in your cap by the administrators who bestowed you with the authority.
Troy,
I agree with being a good role model for others to follow. We all should hold ourselves to a higher level. Many people follow the lead of others without the person doing the influencing knowing that he is being looked to as a role model. I can remember starting my career and wanting to be like other deputies because they were the epitome of a great role model and instilled in others to always do the right thing.
"People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it". We all can respect someone who genuinely believes in a cause. That "why" is the passion. Ever notice how when you have to talk about something your passionate about, you don't need notes. That passion attracts people to our cause. Showing the relationships of power is great, but its something that we learn pretty quickly. For me, the lesson is to spend more time on my "why" when engaging with my deputies. Conversely, I need to get them to open up about their "why".
I find it very telling that so many public agencies fail to consider employees personal needs. They say that family is important and that they are supportive of personal needs and families, but usually it is at the last minute that personnel find out about schedule changes, or transfers. That is why turnover is high in most public service jobs, along with leadership not being referent but rather coercive in their power.
Nicole here in my little city we fought for the ability to donate unused sick and vacation time to officers who needed it. The fight lasted over two years and we were able to donate vacation time only. It helped several people, During this covid period the rules changed and we can donate sick time to those who legitimately needed it.
Part of protecting the referent power starts at home, in your example of schedule changes our profession can be cruel but we have to keep our families aware there are somethings outside our control. I get people getting upset because days off change and add a major strain to family life, but the benefits and a cooperative department do not mean always accommodating.
I agree this very often happens and is why we as leaders need to take stock of our actions and the actions of those who lead us and change for the better. We now more than ever need good people in this profession who are here for a career and not as a short stop before a new job.
When it comes to Leadership and Power and the 5 different bases I always come back to; our people are what drives our organizations in a positive direction. When we take care of our people and empower them to be great, we will see tangible positive results. There may be a time and place for each of the 5 different bases but in my experiences if I always remember to put my people first the "base" that will have the greatest positive impact has always been clear.
So well said!
I was thinking the same thing. All 5 bases have use. Our job as leaders is to know the time and the place to use each base the most effective to get the results that we are looking for
I can relate to the idea of how power is perceived will dictate relevancy. I had a supervisor who seemed harsh and unapproachable up front, but once you got to know him, it was quite the opposite. He really wanted the best for us, but the typical talk around the office by people who didn't take the time to know him, led to a bad perception of him as a leader.
The five bases of power makes sense and was something I've seen before. I had not seen the explanation or correlation for the reactions to power.
Nathan, I do my best not to let other's "perceptions" of someone influence me. I typically base my own opinion on someone once I get to know them But, I agree with how power is perceived specifically power of the upper command.
By defining "Power" and breaking it down to 5 basic bases made me reflect on how successful supervisor and leaders utilize a combination of bases to lead. By only utilizing the first one made me think of K9 training. A wonderful approach when conditioning an animal, but probably not a productive approach, when used alone, to modifying human behavior.
I've seen the Simon Sinek video numerous times and I learn from it a little more each time. Why do we do what we do? It's a good rule of thumb for us to have as leaders. We'll get more followers when we demonstrate or advertise why we do things in this business. The why for law enforcement for me is kind of easy, we all desire to live in communities that are safe and crime-free. It makes sense and might help us as leaders sell new ideas if we focus on our why.
The other area I learned was when to use our power. Situationally, relationally, and transitorily. We have to be mindful of using our "power" because it can be destructive if used too much, at the wrong time, or disproportionally to the situation. People and situations are unique and we cannot approach problems with a one size fits all mentality.
The module talks about the bases of power which is defined as the influence that you have over your target when you target. The one that stood out to me was referent. Referent states it positively identifies with and wishes to be like you. When someone wants to be like you it means they believe in you and that you will help and lead them to believe in themselves. So your perception of someone else is truly their reality.
What I noticed regarding power is perception. Someone’s perception of you is 100% their reality. And since we do not always know what people think of us, we do our best with what we know. I think far too often leaders get away with using legitimate power and are just that, leaders with authority. Going back to the Golden Circle by Simek, the WHY drives behavior. It also inspires and builds loyalty. I liked the explanation of the reactions to power. Internalization is where we want our people to be, in line with our values and our beliefs.
I like how you say the why inspires and builds loyalty. If the messaging is done correctly, I would agree. I don't know if we're so good and identifying our why to our followers. I almost wish that would've been the topic for this essay, "describe your agencies why."
Until this module, I didn't realize that there were 5 bases of power. I found it interesting that you don't only have to use one at a time and there isn't a specific situation that they have to be used in. It is up to your discretion to decide which one or ones seem fitting at any given time. I also like the point that the lesson pointed out that they are relational and are unique to each person. Each person that you are working with at the time may change, and that may mean that the power base at the time may need to be changed as well. It is important to remember that what works in one circumstance or situation might be different in another, and you have to adjust accordingly. That's what makes a good leader.
After listening to Simon Sinek speak several times now, I am really buying into his philosophy on "The Golden Circle" and how we all need to be looking at things from the perspective. If we listen to the theory and understand that by communicating our differences we can set ourselves apart from others to inspire staff to act, making them become more engaged and getting "buy-in". Once we have that the agency's will see the positive changes from within. As Sinek states, successful people and organizations express why they do what they do rather than focusing on what they do. I think this is a strong point for many young people within an agency. Lots of times new/younger staff have questions and loose their way becoming frustrated because they fail to see the big picture.
I agree Kelly. I think a lot of what we say and do needs to inspire the people we work with and supervise. I really believe it starts at the top in providing that inspiration. Most higher ups can be exhausted and are just waiting their time. But I have plenty of people that need the focus of WHY which I know will motivate them to do more.
Honestly, I think this is why "the government" gets a bad rap because we're terrible in selling our why to people.
Yes! just about all government is horrible at selling people on the "why". The Declaration of Independence is a great "why". But each agency needs to engage more with the community they serve and communicating that "why" must be the priority.
I think as leaders defining where our power comes from can really help to humble us. Leaders who are introspective will analyze their leadership style and realize that while they have power, that power is only as productive as the followers allow it to be. While coercive power is productive with results, I think it destroys the loyalty many followers have with their leaders. The work environment then becomes an "us" versus "them" mentality. Referent, expert and informational power really establishes the leader as being a "why," thinker as Sinek describes. Referent, expert and information power garners much more influence and makes the work environment an easy place to be. I liked hearing Sinek talk about the Law of Diffusion and Innovation. It makes you think about what our world could really be if the percentage of innovators rose.
This module is important because it tells us that leadership and power is so much more than a rank structure and an order/response. I like Simon Sinek's idea that "those who lead inspire us". Leadership is all about interpersonal relationships, and taking the time to make sure people understand why they are being told to do something, and what importance it has. If you take the time to know and show that you care about those you supervise, they will be more likely to be influenced by you. I liked the statement "you only have as much influence as others think you have, regardless of your position in the organization". True leaders took the promotion to have a positive influence on those they supervise, not taking the promotion just to feel like they have power over someone.
Agreed Matt, the statement saying, "you only have as much influence as others think you have, regardless of your position in the organization". I have seen numerous times new hires come into our organization and show great respect to a certain level of command staff (as they should) only to hear them later on say what a poor leader so and so is. Leading is about inspiring and challenging being a leader is not just wearing brass on your uniform collar.
Great points. Leadership is having the ability to foster a relationship to inspire, connect, and inspire others. A title can not create that. It can give you the opportunity to cultivate such a relationship.
Matt, I agree with you. True leaders want to make a difference for the people in the organization that will in turn make the organization better. Those who are taking a promotion for all the wrong reasons hurts the organization. These individuals are self-serving and are not true leaders. They usually rule with an iron fist and demand respect from their staff. Rank, at one time, may have influenced others, but times have changed and influence is gained through trust.
Understanding that there is no one size fits all form of leadership is so important to today's leader. I have people from all age groups on my team. Knowing the bases of power and applying them correctly to the situation or individual is paramount to success.
Agreed. Knowing all of the bases of power and being able to apply them in the correct situation is key. There is definitely no more one size fits all anymore. The ability to apply the correct one or a combination of them in the right situation can be successful.
This learning lesson had several great objectives. The six learning power bases reward, coercion, legitimate power, expert power, referent power, and informational power were all great tools for any organization. At times, I believe, we need to use them at throughout our careers but we need to know how to do it correctly.
Samantha,
I totally agree timing is everything especially when dealing with numerous types of different personalities. As you said using them correctly is crucial otherwise damage can be done that may take along time to repair.
I have worked for different supervisors that use various methods to lead their people and can think of examples of each of the bases of power. I always find it interesting that some people rely so much on coercion and/or legitimate power. They use those so frequently that their people start to despise them. Yet there are others that rarely use coercion or legitimate power so when they need to use coercion or legitimate it puts the entire team on notice. I feel that is what works best, only using coercion and legitimate power when necessary. The other bases of power tend to build the best team and provide the best long term results.
I agree with your last 2 sentences. Using coercion and legitimate power may get a desired short term result, but does nothing for team building and long term relationship building with your staff.
I would agree that a lot of people really focus on coercion and/or legitimate power. I learned in this module that to be a good leader you have to be able to use all 5 bases of power and know the appropriate time to use each one. Each member on your team is going to be different in some way, and the team that I currently supervise are very different in personality, drive, and work ethic. Some are very tuned into me as a leader and want to be more like me, and others are just coming to work and going home without any lasting effects of the job on them when they aren't at work. As a leader, I need to be able to adapt and use the correct power bases depending on the situation and realize what worked yesterday, may not work tomorrow.
I appreciated learning about the 5 bases of power and how each of them translates to leadership. I agree that expert and referent are the most powerful for lasting leadership and influence. I've understood that leadership is influence. It fascinates me why some in an organization are regarded as leaders, while others that may be as smart or smarter, struggle at leading others. Also, I learn something more every time I listen to Simon Sinek speak. "People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it." Yet some leaders are so reluctant to share the why. Also, police officers need to be able to answer why when leading their organization and in leading the community. People now more than ever want to know the why, we must be able to communicate why effectively!
Any module that contains Coach Brooks' 1980 motivational speech is a winner in my book. Every time I listen to it I get goosebumps and feel like I could run through a brick wall. Leaders in an organization need to feel they earned their position and feel the need to empower others. A great leader uses the 5 bases of power in combination to help the team accomplish goals.
It feels great working for leadership that we believe in and look up to. Those that are experts in their field with the heart of a teacher and are not afraid to mentor others always tend to be sought after. One challenge in public employment is the use of legitimate power whereas people are promoted but may not necessarily be experts in any area and are not looked up to by others. Long and unpleasant is there time in power where others seek to avoid them and look for ways around them. Disrespectful leadership tends to breed low moral and discontentment whereas Positive, honest and ethical leadership creates high moral and an improved work place culture.
This module clearly defined the 5 bases of power and the potential reactions and outcomes to each. An item of note that this module made me consider is how different each officer can react to each base of power. These reactions will vary upon the level of experience, maturity, and knowledge base that the officer has. This is an example of why it is important that leaders take a vested interest in their officers to get to know what level they may be at on multiple planes. Also, I like how we opened up with herb Brooks, Minnesota native!!! Well done
Ryan, you were right on point. Organizational leaders need to have the ability to utilize all parts of the
"power base tree". There is quite the distinction between how you would deal with a team and how you would handle
an individual's particular issue. It is a learned quality that must be in your "tool box" to succeed.
One of the comments Long made in his teachings was, "You can force a person to do their job, but it is really hard to force someone to like you.” A team will be much more productive when they feel like they are part of a group. This goes along with wanting to follow a leader, rather than being forced to do a task. There are times when managers get bogged down with all the tasks they need to complete they forget how to treat their people. This is a sure fire way to break the morale within the department and would be very difficult to recover from. I would even argue, this is a time when we need to continue to focus on the "why" and making sure our team always knows the why behind everything they do.
I agree, it is so much more enjoyable working for someone that you believe in and want to work with vs. working for someone who forces you to do it their way.
Leadership is so much more than power. What resonated the most with me in this module is that we only have power if others perceive that we do. This statement alone should motivate us to learn and understand how to use the 5 bases of power (reward, coercive, expert, referent and legitimate). Power is one of many tools that a leader can use to influence others, but if it is abused or mishandled, it can also weaken our ability to regulate behavior. Successful leaders know which power base(s) to use when and know how to combine them to build credibility. It clearly goes to show that when we are entrusted with legitimate power, we also assume responsibility to use it wisely, because legitimate power alone will not get us far.
I agree that there is power in being a leader, and often times it is very easy to abuse it. We have to be able to always remember where we came from and how we achieved the things we have within our careers. I actually think there is greater power when we build members of our team up and build strong, inclusive leaders within our field.
I totally agree that leadership is so much more than power, and I would argue that good leaders do not even think of their ability to influence as power. Good leaders enjoy watching their people excel! While there is an added benefit of making the leader look good, for them it’s about motivating their people to reach their full potential.
This module reaffirmed some of the learning points from some of the other modules. Leadership is the ability to influence others to be able to solicit a desired response from someone. Going through the bases of power was interesting. I think on a day to day basis, I utilize a combination of them.
I agree Chad, I like how these modules seem to flow into the next. Yes, it seems like a leader must keep these 5 bases in his/her tool bag to use at the appropriate time with the appropriate officer.
Completely agree, I have twenty three year old's to forty five year old's that I lead. You need every base of power to be effective.
This was an interesting module on leadership and power. It provided a nice breakdown and understanding of each of the 5 power bases. As leaders, there will be opportunities to utilize each of the power bases in differing situations. The key to a successful leader is understanding which power base will be the most effective to reach your desired outcome in a given situation.
As I progress in this course, I have been reflecting on past experiences and the different bases of power I have used as a leader. The different bases of power covered in this lecture were very educational. As a newcomer supervisor, I only used referent power but experienced resistance and push back. I felt disappointed because I was expecting my team to trust me and model my behavior. I had to fight the institutional dislike from the officers who now considered me of being part of the "management" team. Staying consistent with this base of power allowed me to break thru the barriers established by some of my subordinates. Unfortunately, some of them had bad experiences which led to distrust.
As I advanced in my leadership position, I quickly realized that I had to maintain a healthy balance and wisely use the bases of power for each situation. As I did this, things became easier and I gained more influence over my people. I was unable to motivate and inspire those that initially resisted. I knew that empowering them rested in me using referent power coupled with expert and reward base power.
After this lesson, I will strive to use the bases of power more wisely to achieve long lasting results. One of the power bases that could destroy trust is coercion. Effective leaders don't have to resort to this tactic to obtain influence. Unfortunately, we all have seen or worked for leaders that thrive on using legitimate and coercion power to accomplish tasks and gain compliance. Now that I have better understanding on the bases of power, I will fairly and wisely apply them according to the situation with legitimate and coercion being the last resort.
Good points. I do agree with you on coercion. It may get immediate results, but the long term effects of utilizing this power will not be good.
I had not thought about power in the form of different applications before. It would appear to me that being able to influence and empower your subordinates and peers would require you to have Referent and Expert power over/from them. Successfully being able to identify the type of power needed to achieve the desired results and the situation to deploy the type of power are only obtainable if you have the trust of those you are affecting with your power.
Very good point. Understanding your bases of power and knowing when to use them is absolutely essential in building trust with subordinates. As Dr. Long said, power is relational and only works if others perceive that you possess it and that you will use it to fulfill their needs. It is also worth noting that trust makes it possible to maintain power even when we make an honest mistake in how we apply our bases of power.
Leadership comes down to using interpersonal influence to regulate the behavior of others. Influence can be formal or informal power. As Dr. Long indicated, power by by itself does not guarantee influence. A leader must understand the 5 power bases (Reward, Coercive, Expert, Referent and legitimate) to maximize the power needed to impact a person or situation. Each power base has its good points and each could have some negative consequences if used inappropriately. As I listened to Dr. Long talk about the considerations for using power I was reminded of the hammer analogy. A hammer is good for pounding in nails but it is useless if you need to cut a piece of wood. A leader may have to use coercive power to deal with an employee based on the situation. Just because it worked this time, that does not mean the leader can use it to address all employees. The other part of this module I found interesting was the connection between compliance, Identification and internalization and short, long and longer term strategies. I think many leaders fall into the trap of focusing on short term issues so they resort to their reward or coercive power bases because they get quick results. Towards the end of the presentation, Dr. Long discussed 5 difference principles. Of these, I feel that Principle #1 (precisely define the behavior to be regulated) is critical. If you do not know the behavior you are trying to address, you may inappropriately use another base of power and create negative consequences.
I believe in some cases if you are popular or able to share information you will receive a certain type of privilege. Having Informational Power and being apart of a click will always give you one leg up on an employee who works hard but does not possess and of the 6 Power Bases.
I sincerely enjoyed listening to Brigadier General Bernard Banks, particularly his point on garnering the key to commitment in leadership. Obtaining expert and referent power is no easy task, but I completely agree these two are the most effective to lead as efficiently as possible over a long period of time. Dr. Larry Long’s presentation, of course, touched in more detail of the bases of power, their characteristics and reactions to those bases. With power bases being situational, relational and transitory, there are certainly going to be times when leaders may have to tap into each power base to get a task completed. And going back to Simon Sinek’s “golden circle”, leaders need to be clear on their “why” they choose to lead how they lead so that others may readily follow, even when there may be times when the legitimate power base is called into action in order to achieve a mission, or save lives.
The 6 Power Bases were clearly defined, and all 6 have their place given time and circumstance. We are somewhat limited in the Reward base in public safety compared to private sector, but too often supervisors forget that the ability to give isn't limited to monetary rewards. Similarly, Coercion is sometimes necessary to get or correct behaviors seen, especially with a difficult employee when other reasoning doesn't work and "all else has failed". Legitimate is easy to see in public safety due to the para-military structure we operate under. It is interesting to see that the keys to commitment were noted as Expert and Referent, as I think a true leader also needs to have Informational in order to lead into the future. Although seen in earlier modules, it was a nice tie in here for Sinek's "People don't buy what you do they buy why you do it" Golden Circle analogy.
I agree James. And we can apply the why to law enforcement as well. Not just in leading our organization but in leading the community. We need to be able to articulate the why more effectively. Now more than ever people demand to know why we do things. We should look at it as an opportunity to educate and inspire the community to support us in what we believe is important.
Power is influence. Understanding that there are 5 bases of power will help leaders seek to attain the ones that will breed long term commitment; Expert and Referent. While Reward and Coercive work short term, they don't provide those being influenced with anything long term or sustaining. It's important to understand the power you currently have, and the power you wish to have. Power bases are transitory in that what might work today may not work tomorrow.
This module discussed the five bases of power: reward, coercive, expert, referent, and legitimate. It was helpful how the module identified each bases and the influence they have if utilized. Leaders have an extremely high amount of power, but misuse could cause individuals to be less receptive and distrust. Power does not guarantee influence. It's how you guide others with the power of a leader that causes effectiveness.
So true, just because we have power over people doesn't mean they will trust us nor follow us. I have seen far too many examples of people basically following out of fear.
when applying your power and authority it is important that you understand that using power and how people respond to your power and authority is going to be based on many factors. How people respond to your power is going to be based on their understanding of the power and how they perceive that you are applying it. In this module the 5 bases of power were discussed. I feel that as a supervisor you need to understand the principles behind each of the 5 and be able to apply them as you identify situation and individuals. People are different and respond differently to supervisors and their use of power. If as a supervisor you can identify what type of power to use in each situation I believe you can be an effective leader.
I agree that it's important to be able to identify what type of power to use in each situation. Using the wrong power base in a situation may lead to an unwanted outcome. Understanding your people and how they respond to you is important in identifying the correct type of power to use in a given situation.
I agree. Understanding your people is essential to knowing which power base is most appropriate for each situation.
Joseph, I agree with the importance of knowing your subordinates. If you know your subordinates on a personal level, it will help you identify the correct type of power to use in certain situations.
Very good point Mr. Jahner. This is when self awareness and emotional intelligence comes into play. As leaders we have to understand that when applying certain bases of power, people will respond on many factors. The reaction could be positive or it could be negative. I have to admit that there were situations I had no clue of the bases of power I was applying. It cost me some headaches because I used the wrong approach for the situation. Lesson learned. It has been a learning process for me identifying and using the most appropriate base of power for the situation. You are absolutely right. Once I was able to identify the type of power and use it appropriately I became a more effective leader. I gained more influence and my job became easier.
This module was interesting with the explanation of the different bases of power by Dr. Larry Long. Most people experience the different types of power within their career span and never really understand the specific principles for using the power. To truly become an effective leader one must learn how to use combinations of each power base. Leaders that can utilize those combinations can achieve more heightened and positive responses.
Jessica,
I definitely agree that a balance of power is going to be the most effective means of leading. You are going to have different personalities and employees are going to perceive ones power according to the 5 bases and principles. So you definitely have to have combination of all 5 and recognize which one is going to be appropriate in each situation.
I agree, looking back I have worked with or for supervisors who exhibit all of the power bases- some heavy on the Coercion and others using combinations of all. Whether or not they understood (or in some cases, cared...) isn't always known to us. But you are correct in that to be a truly effective leader we must all learn to use combinations of the bases in order to be effective. The ones that rely heavily on Coercion and Legitimate are not the type of leaders that can have a lasting, positive effect- and one that shouldn't be the legacy left behind.
I agree James. I too have worked under several different supervisors who utilize different power bases. The best leaders and supervisors keep it balanced and don't rely too heavily on one power base.
Utilizing a combination of power bases is extremely beneficial to be an effective leader. I think we also need to remember that our expert power may become more significant the longer we serve in a specific role, in addition to staff changing (i.e. retirements, resignations, personnel actions), therefore our referent power may become more natural. However, particularly in this career, there may be times when legitimate power should be exercised. I couldn’t agree more that we need to learn the effectiveness of when to use a combination of bases.
I agree with you comments. Leaders will encounter time when all different power types will need to be used. Understanding the power bases and how to best apply them to each situation leads to successful leadership.
The basic principle to use when adopting a leadership style must be made by understanding one's power to influence another is relational, and a leader only has the amount of power given by others. Influencing others can be an art in itself, and to an extent, these principles are lost on some of the younger generations as experienced in the way they tend to fail at conflict resolution. Whether it is as a young supervisor addressing a discipline issue or during interactions with the public, there seems to be a general struggle by many to exert power when required.
In this module, Dr. Long discussed the considerations for using power- situational, relational, and transitory. Reminds me of the quote by Abraham Maslow, "When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail." When leaders have limited tools (hammer), they are likely to use it to fix everything. This approach doesn't apply to leadership power. There isn't a "one size fits all." Instead, our approach should be specific to each person and situation.
Leadership and power
One thing that I acquired from this module is “what works in one circumstance may not work in another.” As a supervisor I realize firsthand that knowing you are the supervisor does not give you power. It is the way you treat your subordinates and lead them, is what gives you the power to supervise and manifest into a stronger leader.
I felt this module was interesting and made some really good points. we have all worked for good and bad leaders. If we self- reflect we may discover and admit to ourselves if we are a good or bad leader. This module gives us tools to improve ourselves as leaders.
Again we see such simple defining of our behaviors that causes you to reflect upon how you acted in situations as a supervisor or how you were treated as a subordinate. Our profession seems to be filled with a particular power set of either coercive or reward. How far have we come and how far can we go now that we recognize these? One would have to be a fool to not apply the 5 principles used to regulate behavior and begin immediately reshaping their department or at the very least, their divisions.
I learned from this module as a leader, you must be apprised of the plan, purpose and structure of your organization. Know your employees and communicate with them. Make sure that all employees are given the same guidelines and opportunities.
We should strive to use all of the power bases in order to create a balanced work environment for our employees. Everyone knows that we as supervisors have legitimate power and authority based on our appointment as supervisors. Coercive power should only be used when necessary and should be fair and consistent. If we as supervisors display expert and referent power at all times then our people will trust us and that will enhance our legitimate power.
"People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it" - Simon Sinek. Is there a greater profession in the world, where a group of disciplined servants are paid to help out their fellow men? With this in mind, do we not have nearly every tool at our disposal to recruit and retain those like-minded individuals who also desire to serve the public? Each of us entered this profession because of the noble service we render and even for some, the good examples demonstrated by those we looked up to. In this day of cynicism and sarcasm, disrespect and low-brow humor aimed at police, I believe that we do in fact have nearly every great tool at our disposal to both recruit and retain those like-minded individuals that also desire to serve their fellow men. And, I believe their are many out there waiting to jump on to this form of public service because they buy into why it is right to do it!
The instructors in this training module did a really good job describing the relationship between leadership, power and behavior. I'm sure we have seen our fair share of supervisors who were poor leaders. The ones who don't know how to handle the authority and trust that they have been given by their employers/ agencies. I believe the information provided in this training module can be used to help our agency identify certain qualities or traits our future leaders may possess.
I agree over my years of law enforcement I have seen some supervisors who were poor leaders. The ones who allows authority to go to their heads, information given will definitely help my organization with upcoming leaders and supervisors.
I also agree that power can sometimes lead to poor leadership. The individuals who want a promotion for control, power, and job title can negatively affect an organization. Power should be utilized to positively guide, coach, and direct others in a positive direction to generate positive behaviors.
I agree, it is shocking when you look at the leadership you've had or are enduring now. It is almost an unfair advantage to read these behaviors and know why or where they are coming from.
Agreed, I too have worked for some agencies and supervisors that I wonder why and how they became supervisors.
I believe informal regulation is much more beneficial than formal regulation. In my opinion, when you have informal regulation, it means that you are acting in a manner that others see as model performance. There are many supervisors that I know who only have formal regulation, given to them by their rank.
After reviewing this module and the different power bases one thing began to come to light. It seems that the majority of the time when someone is first promoted the first powers they subscribe to is the coercion and legitimate. It takes time,if every, for the the other power to present themselves to the new supervisor. New supervisors a lot of times feel as if this is the correct course of action, they are now a supervisor and everyone has to do what i say. It is not until they understand the remaining powers that they transform from a supervisor into a leader.
Danny, I agree with you. So many times do we see young people who are promoted and their only way of dealing with questions is to answer, "Because I said to do it." That, in my opinion, is the epitome of a supervisor and not a leader.
Your post is short but strong. I to have witnessed this in my career at different times. Each situation is its own but each have that thread of commonality. Now that we are in the positions that we are in, it is especially incumbent upon us to lead differently. It is up to us to show why others want to follow us because we are working for the greater good, both individually and collectively as an agency!
I first encountered this as a newly minted Second Lt. In the reserves. I was prior enlisted so I understood the importance of Sergeants and I had already worked for some poor leaders. When I went into ROTC, I was taught about legitimate power, the power to reward and the power to punish. I think most newly promoted law enforcement supervisors understand these basic concepts as well. But as a new leader, you have not yet built the Expert power (knowledge) Referent power (power bestowed by others). Sadly without experience, feedback and mentor ship, many supervisors never learn to use Expert and Referent power and are the “because I said so” leaders referenced above.
This module sets the tone for having the ability to make one self-reflect about your style of leadership. There are always situations that we can reevaluate after they happen. It makes us realize what king of leadership we implement to have followers or inspired people. Ultimately, when placed in position of "power", it is understood that becoming a role model who is a leader is more capable of inspiration as opposed to imposing will. People will respond to the way you treat them upfront.
When using the five bases of power, I have to remember that I only have as much influence as others think I have, regardless of my position in the organization. In other to influence someone, I have to know which power to use that will be effective. Every situation and person is different.
This module brought me through my twenty-four years in law enforcement. I literally have been watching the 5 bases of power transition during my career. Most supervisors I observed in my early years were mostly former military guys, drill sergeant types working off fear and demands. Over time, I have watched the exit of those types, to what is the new supervisor/commander, working through the other bases. I do believe that all bases of power are needed, the difficult part is knowing how and when to utilize each at the right time. Each employee, circumstance, and their differences should dictate how and when to use each.
I like how Dr. Long discussed the 5 power bases and how they are situational, relational and transitional; I particularly enjoyed how he illustrated how the 3 reactions to power are linked to each of the power bases.
Again, if we are inspiring people rather than using brute force, we can have better outcomes in performance and retention. When people believe what you believe, they internalize the goal and pursue it for themselves.
Correction: 6 power bases
When learning about the reactions to the power. It made me think about when there is resistance maybe the wrong power is being used situation.
When Dr. Long puts it in perspective of the 5 bases of power, my first thought is the perception of others when one of their peers is promoted. For me, I have felt like I have remained the same person, not forgetting where I came from, which was a beat cop. But a few factors come to mind when I think about what bases of power I have absorbed as I’ve been promoted and the positions I have held. I remember what it was like when one of my brothers or sisters was promoted, and the perception of their peers that existed. Whether it was jealousy if the opinion was terrible, to begin with, or happiness if they felt a genuine sense of compassion for that peer, as that peer, including myself, began to exert that power, regardless of which power, it is always important to remember to remain consistent in the approach to managing how that power was used.
This is one of the times that I think back to when we receive a new detective. We assign this person to go through the call rotation with each detective and I tell them each detective has some tool that you can take and put in your toolbox. Some tools that you come across, you want to store in the drawer marked, don't use these tools. The same goes for supervisors that I have worked for throughout the years. Some have tools that you want to use, others not so much. It is up to you to make the most of the tools provided to you.
I am the canine trainer for our department; It is interesting that the power bases also work similarly to the canine world. I was able to better understand the five bases of power by reflecting on what I do in the canine world and how it can be applied to supervise my officers. As the saying goes, "It is easier to work with animals than people," but with the right tools and knowledge, it helps us as supervisors to be effective.
This module provided a well thought out breakdown to the power that we assert on a daily basis. Understanding how and why others respond to power is important in our daily interactions. It also shows how we can regulate ourselves, in our contacts and profession. We all have known that time, maybe working the street that something worked and our response is surprise that it did. If we try the same thing again, we might fall flat on our faces. With our coworkers, we have developed relationships that assist us in the exercise of the power bases.
I agree I think that knowing the five bases of power and how to use them will effectively help us in our leadership skills as supervisors. Many times, something worked one way but did not work the same way the second time.
Throughout our careers, we have all work for a leader that left an impact on us. Some of those impacts were positive, and some were negative. This module helped define the different types of powers that those supervisors possessed over us and how each of the powers influenced production. After this address, I feel that it will be easier for me to identify the behaviors and which powers to utilize to affect a positive outcome.
You are right Dean, even today I look back on how certain supervisors handled things and say to myself, I definitely want to handle it differently. While other supervisors have the traits that you want to follow in all decision making.
I learned much from the different principles to leadership from being consistent with principle 2. I think being a consistent supervisor is very important with team know what to expect. The team should be able to predict with accuracy as how you would want something handled. If we are inconsistent, than the team will always be looking to you for direction.
I see many private organizations not using principle 5 with concern for their employees. Most have the attitude, "it is not about what you did for me yesterday, its about what you are doing today." This creates a culture of disloyalty within the organization and will cause team member to look elsewhere for security and stability.
This lecture helped me realize the different bases of power in leadership, and also help me to understand that understanding the different powerbases, is vital so i can better lead my followers.
I cannot agree with you more. It also sheds light on how or why we react to those appointed over us, in my opinion.
This module is very informative with the definitions of power. It is easy to see all the types reflected in nearly every department. This will definitely help in the future when you think about these aspects before and during dealings with subordinates.
This discussion on Power Bases made me reflect back on leaders that have come before and after me, I had assigned each of them their strongest one or two power bases. In that reflection, I have these leaders divided into 2 different categories, some I have looked up to for leadership strategies and others I have looked at for pointers of what path I didn't want to take. This lesson brought a new reasoning to that division with the information presented that when you lead based solely off of legitimate, reward, or coercive bases you can only develop short term compliance. I respected them for the rank, but never reached that internalization stage with those leaders.
I agree with your response. I've had all types of supervisors/commanders. I have observed the tyrant types and said to myself, I would never behave or lead that way. I've observed all types or supervisors in my career, which hopefully molded me into a more well rounded commander. Sometimes, seeing the ugly side only helps you appreciate the good ones and help mold you into a better supervisor.
Regulating someone else's behavior is not an easy task to do. As leaders we manage multiple people who all have different personalities and different behaviors. It is important for leaders to learn all the ways to regulate behaviors taught in this module.
After watching this module it made me realize how many of my former supervisors relied on the legitimate/coercion power to supervise. This was in the late 80's early 90's. I think many of our current supervisors do not rely solely on those types of power. Not to say they never use them. I believe in order to be a true and effective leader you will need to use most of these in combination depending on the situation.
Reverent and Expert would be the best to have, but a group will not all look at a leader in the same way. We as leaders will have to use what is necessary at the moment and work to have the reverent power from as many as possible for the long term.
Your comment about older leaders using coercion power to supervise, seemed to be the one stop shop for supervision at one time. I have worked under a few supervisors within the past 10 years that still ruled with the iron fist mentality and you will do what I say because I'm in charge and production reflected their leadership. When leaders utilize their legitimate power in collaboration with expert power, I have seen the production of the unit sky rocket.
As leaders, we have a lot of power. We have to use our power in different ways depending on what we are dealing with. As we learn how we need to use this power to achieve the desired result, makes choosing the base more desirable.
Lead with the power, that you wish to be lead by. The power to lead like a shepherd will result in less turnover and higher morale for the agency. Just because we have the power, we do not always have to use it.
I like how you said "Lead with the power that you wish to be lead by". Just like the golden rule, "treat others as you wish to be treated". Good stuff.
I agree that we all have been given "legitimate" power and with it come a certain amount of Coercion/Reward power. I believe we all strive to reach into the next 2 bases and gain referent and expert power. I do attempt with every shift to lead with more of the combination of legitimate and expert which in turn will develop a certain aspect of referent power to compliment it. I have always tried to lead as I wish to be led as you stated.
Understanding how employees respond to differing power basis and the reasons why can be beneficial to a leader that is trying to operate efficiently. Employees may react more readily to leaders that only demonstrate power for altruistic reasons rather that those who only flex their power to effect control.
The lesson I really learned from this module was that we, as leaders, really need to make people want to follow us rather than listening to us due to our rank or position in our organizations. I thought back about times when I have used pretty much all of them and some of the negative consequences, as stated by Brid. Gen. Banks were the deputies only did what I told them to do and nothing more. I do not want mindless automatons working with me; I want a team that thinks on their own and will move our organization into the future. I have tried not to repeat this mistake, but as power is situational and transitory, the things which worked then may not work now and I will need to be mindful to change my approach in every situation. As Simon Sinek said, “[I] want people to believe what I believe,” and “they don’t follow because they have to, but because they want to.”
Even though we possess different “powers,” I agree with your point that we need to make people want to follow us rather than listening to us due to our rank and or position. Being a real leader will be more authentic for influencing others rather than a formal and or authoritative “power.”
The learning in Module #5 was a lot of information about the bases of power. I've learned that Leadership and Power is truly effective when it comes to influences. Knowing the bases of power is reward, coercive, expert, referent and legitimate we have considerations when using the power.
I agree, we as leaders must successfully know how to influence our followers, to get the best from them.
I think it is important to remember that there are different power bases. As was stated in the presentation different situations call for different approaches. Each power base has a reason it exists and at some point a reason for its use. That said, each also has consequences. It is important that everyone remember respect is necessary from everyone. Leaders are only leaders if someone follows. Once you lose trust or lose the respect of the persons you need to follow you, you are no longer effective as a leader.
I find the examples and explanations sited on point.
I agree with you, after discussing each power base it was understood that all of them hold a certain perspective, and that all of them hold a certain consequence. Knowing what all of the powers perceives will make the influences that much beneficial for use.
Your point of different situations call for different approaches is very true. In emergency situations, you sometimes need to just give an order and have people follow it through. After that situation is over, you can sit down with the team and explain the reason for demanding something be done and give them the logic behind you making your decision. I have found this shows you know you used your legitimate power, but are changing strategies to hopefully show that it came with expert power. Usually people see your side, understand from where you made the decision, and will respect it.
This is a very good point, calm and nice is fine, but when you're in a rapidly deteriorating situation, employees need to follow orders rapidly and without questions.
I definitely think the coercion and legitimate power should be used sparingly. But could see where it may have to be used for some situations. Such as a deputy/officer who is just not responding to any other technique.
Our legitimate power is automatic based on our appointments as supervisors. I think the use of the other power bases especially Expert and Referent powers should be used to enhance our legitimate power.
Many organization probably use the 5th bases of Power, Legitimate Power. As discussed in this module, I agree that only using this bases of power will not grow your people to their full potential. They will do what they are asked, but as a leader you may find that this is all they will do. Conversely by using a more Expert and Referent base of power within an organization, you will inspire everyone around you.
agreed here, within a LEO agency, the hierarchy of rank and file will always exist. But, if you refer back to Capt. Abrashoff was able to keep Navy hierarchy intact as with tradition, using expert and referrent power, he morphed the ship/crew using innovative, but not out of bounds ideas to better the crew. When leaders can push and maximize their team using good power bases , it will trickle down and become infectious.
Coercive power never has and never will work if you want a successful agency. All it does is create resentment, lack of respect, fear etc. It may accomplish what the leader wants done but it will eventually catch up to him/her and they will have big problems with their subordinates. Once you lose respect of your subordinates you are done as an effective leader.
I agree that no one ever likes coercive power and it never garnishes respect or success. Coming from a military background and seeing this first hand, allowed me the insight that I never wanted to use it if I were in a leadership role. You shouldn't punish someone just because you have the power to. If you really want respect, applying referent or expert power is the way to go.
I agree that referent or expert power is the way to go when it's possible to utilize those bases; however, there may be times when, due to time considerations, we are forced to use the other bases. In this case, I think it is crucial to focus on remaining legitimate.
We all have probably worked for leaders who get stuck using only one or two power bases. Usually Legitimate and coercive. We should remember who this made is feel and what it failed to accomplish. It made us feel undervalued and it failed to have us become self motivated to go the extra mile. It brought about compliance but that was the end of it. Power bases are situational, relational and transitory. Use all in your tool bag but be wary of going coercive often.
there is no greater teacher than experience. I remember when I was a Sgt and had a "friend" who was a Lt. I walked through the squad room and said hello to him, but called him "Duggy." This was simply short for his first name. I had been calling him that for years and did so with a smile. He asked to speak to me in his office. When I entered he advised me that he did not appreciate me calling him dog excrement and that I should address him as Lieutenant . I have to this day called him Lt no matter what the circumstances, but I lost respect for him when we defined himself by his rank. I could understand in public or even in front of lower ranks or an Academy setting. But we were alone with noone else there. I have never forgotten than. I am fine if someone calls me Sgt. or Lt. even though I am a Capt. When I visit the south part of my parish where I taught DARE I am Deputy Day. I don't see that as an insult, it is a complement that they remember me. I always prefer respect over rank.
I agree with comment about preferring respect over rank. I beleive this as well. Anyone can have positional authority, that's easy to obtain. To be respected by your peers is more difficult to earn.
This module helped me to realize the five bases of power (reward, coercive, expert, referent, and legitimate). A successful leader will be able to identify and utilize each of the five bases of power at different times to lead his or her team. I supervise a small team, and after reviewing this module, I realize I can use work in the area of coercive power. It’s always nice when you can identify areas you need growth.
I have seen the detrimental effect on an individual and an organization when the leader uses coercive and reward power as their go to way of influencing. It was not pretty and created an us against them culture.
This is a tool I have used in my 19 year career thus far. It did take time for me to notice the different ways to lead my team members but after listening to Dr. Long the big picture became clearer.
This lesson was insightful and considering the various hats we wear in our profession, this “Leadership, and Power” style approach is relatively familiar with how particular individuals can be influenced to achieve objectives. I have found through my own experiences and seeing how other leaders incorporate success is through the practicality of referent and expert power. These styles appear to be more aligned with what leaders should possess to promote harmony within the ranks.
Power is the capacity of one person to influence another. I agree on expert power. I feel people respond well to this bases of power.
As leaders our every action and every word are scrutinized by our subordinates. The power bestowed upon us to issue orders or directives are great and leave lasting impressions. Law enforcement can literally use power to force a person do what they want. We teach in basic academies that this power is granted to us upon commission and that the weight it carries with it is profoundly great and easily abused. However, understanding that power is not defined in a basic academy the way it is in this module. I learned there are considerations for using our power and what works for one thing may not work for another and that effectiveness can change. I also learned that the power type you use to get your desired result may not yield what you thought it would. This power use affects our subordinates as well as the citizens we deal with on a day to day basis. Be careful.
We as leaders must influence our people. As leaders, we have each attained formal regulation by our respective employers. This formal regulation grants us the authority and responsibility (legitimate power) associated with the rank. However, we cannot truly attain influence without informal regulation. Specifically, this informal regulation is based on our employee’s perception of power (referent power) not dependent on a role as a supervisor. Their perception could also be based on how they view our knowledge (expert power) or thoughts and insights (informational power).
The power base system discussed in this module are accurate. Which one we use and how we influence has to be fluid and adaptable to the scenario.
“I am a Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPAC) evaluator and am testing the system”
Watching this module made me realize how we as leaders use the 5 bases of power with our personnel. Sometimes it had positive results while other time it had negative outcomes.
I agree. The power that we exert can help grow our organization or hurt it. It is up to us to make sure that we are influencing in a positive way.
I learned the different types of power (reward, coercion, legitimate, expert and referent) in this module. The reactions to power consist of compliance, identification and internalization. Power deals with influencing others behaviors. It seems as though leaders should not utilize coercive power at all times because it can lead to resignations. A leader must adjust his power approach because it's situational. One approach will not work every time and it can work differently on others. Reward power makes a lot of sense. Employees will figure out if the reward is worth it. As a leader, what kind of power do you use most often?
I have never considered the different types of power until now.
As I was listening to Dr. Long, I envisioned several of my own personal uses of each one. Some had drastic results that I did not foresee, just as he said they would.
I have a much better understanding now and a better grasp on why some things work, why some things don't and why some things should be avoided in using power.
Chris, I did not understand how power worked as well. I agree that some types of power should be avoided.
I feel that once we understand the different bases of power, we can better identify the satiation and style we need.
Don't know about completely avoid. It would have to be situational and depending on the person. Some people may only respond to certain powers. You have to know your people and know which person and situation to use these powers.
I thought the same thing, how many times have we use the different bases to have personnel complete their assignments.
This lesson plan concentrated on power. It talks about how power is influence and the different type of power. I found reward power to be interesting.. In my opinion this is the most used form of power in law enforcement. For example, when officers interrogate suspects they always promise a reward to get a confession. On traffic stops officer have to power of rewarding offenders with a warning..
In regard to power and the capacity to influence, we often don't realize the impact our words have, even when our intention is not to have impact.
I agree Samuel, I feel that what you are saying is likely more so the case if the person who is feeling impacted, also has a great deal of trust in us, and is giving us referent power.
I enjoyed this module, especially on the bases of power. There are “leaders” within my organization that use coercive power to achieve their goals or the agency’s goals. Because of this, the response to that power by their people is compliance. They only do what they are told out of fear of punishment. I feel leaders often need to self-reflect and see what type base of power they possess or use to achieve the results they are seeking. A leader who only uses coercive power is less respected by their people and their peers alike.
I agree. I gave an order handed down to me to my guy one time and they did the task with minimal effort and outcome.
This module gave good information regarding the use of power. I agree that it is situational and that what works in one circumstance may not work in another. The Principles also gave good information.
This week’s lecture of the five Bases of Power (Reward-Coercive-Expert-Referent- Legitimate) was very informative. Many of us use these bases accordingly to achieve success based on the situation or relationship. As leaders, we must ensure we understand which of the bases we are utilizing in a particular situation to ensure it is a win for the organization and win for the employee, whether the employee reacts under compliance, identification, or Internalization.
This module on the different levels of power was very informative. All too often people with power do not use it correctly. We see abuse of power all the time in organizations across the country. Most time people are placed in positions and given power that have clue about how to use it or they use it for their own gain.
Mecum,
I could not agree more with your post. Some individuals promote and suddenly believe they have the power to make the decision through coercion. They are not true leaders within an organization they are authoritarians, which causes resistance within little buy-in. These individuals obtain their power from the fear of their employees.
Very true Laurie!
Some leaders also forgot where they came from. Before being in the position they are in, they would complain about leaders before them; yet now they have the same power, they act in the same manner as the leaders they so despised. Leaders need to self-refect and ascertain how that past leader's actions that they disliked compare with the way they lead today.
Laurie:
You are so right, power is misused quite often. I think training people on the 6 power bases and reactions to power can be a useful tool in mentoring and developing leaders within any organization.
There are far too many times when people are given power and they end up doing far to much damage. No organization needs to be run on fear.
Power is sought to control and determine the future of agencies and organizations. I have learned in this module that you don’t have to be rank or hold some prestigious awards to retain power. But to influence behaviors, either positive or negative, you must learn to utilize the bases of power properly. Referent power seems to be the one I use most in life and at work. Influencing others to be like you is very powerful and uplifting. When you communicate with someone, and they open themselves up in trusting you as a leader, this can be relational effectiveness, and they are likely to change.
I agree, Clint.
It goes back to the previous lessons that stress the need to lead by example.
It is not a coincidence that we keep seeing that in module after module.
The bases of power, I believe that someone who is placed in a leadership role but who doesn't have the trust or respect of their troops has lost the power to lead. These type of leaders are a cancer to any department and only make their decisions on what is best for them. I worked for a supervisor years ago and he would always talk about how he did things and solved issues and he never gave the people who worked for him credit he even took another supervisors idea on how to solve a problem and presented as his own. He was disliked by staff and know as a liar.
I agree Cody, I too worked for someone that took the credit for everything that was done. Took awhile for people to catch on to him but eventually I left and he was fired. He had zero respect for anyone in our department or the workplace for that matter.
The 5 bases of power explain our influence over those we supervise. My agency, as any other I'm sure, covers each base of power in various methods. Coercive power was one of the most used for one particular leader and was known to be swift and without cause. Reward power was reserved for those in favor and could change on a moments notice. Consistency and fairness are key to anyone in a position of authority but more often power goes to their head.
You are so correct, I feel that the coercive power is used by at least one or more persons in every agency and we can all identify them. They do at times juggle between the coercive and reward power at times, but they hardly ever remain consistent. The power trip definitely goes to their head.
This module had me reflecting on which 5 bases of power I routinely fall under. It's clearly a combination of all 5, but in certain circumstances, I feel I gravitate to one more than the others. Having a better understanding now will help make sure I am using the appropriate level of power for the circumstance and not reverting to the most comfortable one for me.
Brian, in reading your post, I suspect your gravitate more to referent power.
Very good lecture. I have seen all 5 types of power all around me in my career, i would have to say that referent is the easiest to deal with, It is nice to have someone follow your orders because they trust you and know you will not lead them astray.
I agree that referent power is ideal. To have subordinates follow orders without issue because they know you have their best interest as well as the departments is rewarding. Trust can be lost easily if not taken seriously and protected.
I agree with you your job as a supervisor is much easier when your staff trust you and know that you would not lead them astray.
This section discussed the bases of power. A person who has the power is not always respected. Trust must be built with employees and power must not be used for personal gain. I have witnessed the misuse of power within my own department. The misuse of power leads to loss of respect. When new leaders take over, all of their decisions are questioned due to the mistrust from previous administrations.
I agree with you Chasity, respect and trust must be earned. In any type of relationship many times we must pay for the actions of the one who came before us. Expert power i think fits here the best.
I agree that trust and respect is earned and not automatically given by those we lead. It's important that we remember that as leaders and also realize we can lose both trust and respect much quicker than it is earned.
This module provided different kinds of powers and broke them down. The lecture definitely gave me a different insight into this subject. Principle 4 of the lecture stands out for me "don't over-regulate behavior." How often is this done? In my department, I have witnessed the miss-use of power and how it has negatively affected the rank and file.
This lectured provided me with a better understanding of how power is used and how it can easily be manipulated. Gave me a better understanding of why people do certain things at least in my organization and how they manipulate their “legitimate” power to further their personal agendas. It is important to understand the power we use, when we use it, and how we use it will have a lasting effect in our organization and its members. I have seen the misuse of power to benefit personal agendas and the rippling effect it in an organization can be crippling and demoralizing. Understanding the power and the influence we can have over people is incredible and ensuring we implement it in positive ways and give people positive experiences can truly help the influences we have within our members, organization and community.
Magda, I, too can relate to your statement. I have a better understanding of how different supervisors utilize their power for personal gain or for the betterment of the department. It explains the adverse effects as well. Officer retention may be salvaged if all supervisors could understand these concepts and utilize them for the right reasons.
I thought this module had some great points. One of the things I took from it is that it is easy to lead. Anyone can take a group or individual and tell them what to do or how to do it. However, adding in the "WHY" makes you a leader. Being a true leader is someone who is willing to go into "battle" with their shift, who can delegate appropriately and is will make a decision (right or wrong). Additionally these leaders are also willing to admit fault. I have seen multiple times situations where a shift supervisor is not willing to relinquish control of a scene even though there are others there that have more knowledge about the situation. For example, I have seen supervisors who are making decisions on major injury or fatal traffic collisions and those decisions are wrong. All the supervisor had to do was ask one of the officers on their shift who had been in traffic for years and they would have come up with a much better game plan. Unfortunately the supervisors pride got in the way, which ultimately made the work that much more extensive.
I agree with you. Just telling employees what to do because you power, does not make you a leader. A true leader must be trusted. The "why" lets all employees know the goal of the organization.
I agree with your initial statements. Incorporating Sinek's talk into this module really tied the two together.
This module was interesting and definitely provided a needed perspective regarding the bases of power and the correlating reaction. I believe I will now have an opportunity to reflect on my interaction with others in my Department and attempt to identify what power base we connect on. It will also assist me to identify those I work for to see what base or bases of power I am identifying with.
The influence and using power is and can be dangerous. Power in the wrong hands can not only hinder but hurt an organization. Coercive power has been used in my department and the outcome for most was devastating, People began forming clicks and those having legitimate power through the rank structure was shutdown by the clicks. So I understand how the use of power works in the wrong hands.
I would agree about the click comment. In the past thee in half years, it has been the worst I ever saw it in reference to clicks determining power. When a corporal in our agency is protected and can not be corrected because of his connection, then change is needed.
I agree Mike and I have been the victim of coercive power. Not only did it kill my morale, but it ultimately made me leave that agency.
Mike, I could not agree more. In discussing various types of leaders, a police leadership book discussed "The Evil Leader." In my 30 years, I am lucky to have only dealt with one. However, this #3 leader in an agency of 750 was disastrous. It was an appointed position by a Sheriff, so not much could be done. The complaints lodged were excessive and to no avail. Eventually, as a Lieutenant, I went directly to the Sheriff as a PBA representative and provided him with a copy of the book from training he sent us all to attend. I printed out the page that had nine traits of the evil leader and informed him he had a person in his ranks that was destroying his agency. He thanked me for the information and although the person kept his rank, about a month later he was placed in an administrative position where the harm was minimalized. Politics will always play into decisions but true leaders will do what is best within their scope of authority without doing something to lose that position.
In this module, I reflected back to the book, "It's Your Ship," and noted how Abrashoff utilized all of the Bases of Power as his lead the USS Benfold to being the best ship in the Navy. Abrashoff was a brilliant leader who used the bases of power effectively to obtain the goals that he wanted to achieve for his subordinates. It is very important as leaders that we use the bases of power wisely. Using the wrong base of power or just using one can have a dramatic effect on your ability to lead. As I continue through the modules in the leadership training, I continue to learn new techniques that I will adopt as I grow into becoming a better leader.
Drauzin, I agree with your comparison to Abrashoff and his ability to use all of the bases of power. I think as leaders, we need to work to make sure that we have expert and referent power. These two power bases we don't automatically have and they are the power bases that will give us the best long term results.
As the module states “Power” does not guarantee influence, but it is relational and the amount you have is the perception of your follower. By perception, it will be directly be related on the basis of power you have influenced over another. Do they see you as a way to be rewarded, punished, knowledge, role model or truly believe you have the power to control their behavior? Each person you lead may perceive you differently and we see this in every department in our organization. By knowing your people, you will recognize what area of power you have influenced on them because sometimes you may lead others that have more time vested in the organization. Given this, using the 5 principles defined will help immensely to stay consistent with the people you lead.
The concepts presented in this lecture regarding the five bases of power: reward, coercive, expert, referent, and legitimate are important for a leader to understand because these can set the foundation for how they are perceived by their followers. To achieve true legitimacy as a leader, one must operate from a place of authenticity at all times. This works to build trust and lays the foundation for the manner in which leaders accomplish objectives through the use of these bases of power. Each can be manipulated to achieve results and all can be used in ways that are respectful in order to achieve intended objectives. It is important to for leaders to recognize that subordinates are always watching and will often mimic behavior - good, bad or indifferent. Leaders must also respect these bases of power and use them appropriately - not as a means of punishment or force. Even though coercive power may have a negative connotation in the use of the word alone, this type of power can be utilized in positive ways. Leaders must adapt to the situations and individuals with whom they are attempting to influence. Leaders are not the only members who utilize bases of power - one does not have to specifically hold rank to use these bases of power to influence others.
Nancy Franklin,
As I read your post, words that stuck out in my mind that you used were; perception, authenticity, trust, manipulation, respect, adapt. Absolutely agree in your choice of words describing the use of power as related to being an effective leader. Even though each situation or individual may have differences, using this approach only sets you up for success in applying leadership and power. Your post was extremely helpful in further understanding this module.
The module spoke about power and how it is used in leadership. The different types of power were interesting to me. I see those types of power being applied in my agency all the time. The reward power is rarely used since really no one has the power to reward other than the sheriff. But the expert, coercive and referent power all are used throughout the agency.
Jason I disagree, I think the reward power can be used by any person within a department. I believe as a supervisor to show your employees rewards to have the employee buy into your system. I you buy each of my employees a birthday cake. Who knew a small thing like a cake would make such a big impact.
I like to think that we all enter a leadership role wanting our employees to react to us with Internalization, because it is the right thing to do. I have had bosses that I identified with and wanted to emulate. I have also had some that I only complied with to avoid repercussions. While sometimes inevitable, I believe that all of us would like to avoid the latter.
No doubt we would like to avoid the latter, we have the same situations here. I have had some really great leaders that shared their goals and plans and then some that just said do this or do that. That wasn't the leader I wanted to be like.
I believe we have all worked for the "do as I say not as I do" type of boss or supervisor. This mentality has to change.
I would agree with your statement Joey. We all want them to respond and obey because they believe it is the right thing to do. I do add that we must work as leaders to achieve this.
I discovered early on in my military career which type of leader I would rather associate. I had many that shaped the style I would use one day. I agree that the ones that berated a message or order would only get enough to satisfy their demand.
I agree. I have worked for a few bosses that I had a great deal of respect for and others who I thought should never be in charge of anything or anyone. I remember one of my supervisors actually telling me that he didn't have to know what to do on a specific matter, that his only job was to make sure that it got done. He didn't care who did it, or even if they did it right. When I asked him if the person who does the job does it wrong, who is at fault. His response was that it would be their fault for not doing it right. Even though he was the supervisor, he felt he had no obligation to learn how to perform this specific job.
After viewing this lecture I now have a better understanding of why I received different behaviors from different employees. I now realize that for some employees I will have to use different strategies to receive the behavior that is needed to accomplish my departments goals. This "behavior regulation" will make me a better leader and will help me advance my departments goals and objectives.
I agree with you Monte, this module opens your eyes and gives you more insight to become a better leader.
The five bases of power: Reward, Coercive, Expert, Referent, and Legitimate can all be manipulated by both the person with the power and those being influenced. As discussed during this module, they are all situational and require leaders to adjust and adapt to the circumstances and those individuals that are directly and/or indirectly involved. The foundation for using this power is trust while understanding that your actions and decisions will be perceived based on how you use your influence and power. This can be both positive and negative depending on the individuals or group(s) you are interacting with. Your positional power (rank) is very important to understand because of the added perception of your power and how that will be perceived based on our rank. The higher your rank the more sensitive you need to be with your bases of power. Understanding the relationship with those within your organization while balancing your power during any given situation can enhance or minimize your actual power within your organization. Leadership is about influence, do your best to make it a positive experience and you will build and increase your influence. Much easier said than done!
Great post Brian! It is very true that the higher your rank in an organization, but more cognizant you must be about how others will perceive you. It is important for leaders at all levels to understand that employees look to them for examples of how to behave, so it is critical to set the bar high. Understanding the five bases of power is also important to knowing how the message leaders send - whether through actions or words - will be received.
Brian, I especially like your closing comment that leadership is about influence and that it is much easier said than done to make every contact a positive experience as that will help you build your influence. As much as one might prepare for a difficult conversation with a peer or subordinate with the absolute intent of being positive, constructive and fully focused on providing the support necessary for personal and professional growth, I have found that there are some individuals that for one reason or another choose not to accept the assistance you are trying to provide. When this occurs, it seems to only leave legitimate and coercive power available for your use, which for me are the last two forms of power that I prefer to use. And that's exactly why it's much easier said than done.
Brian,
You are exactly right that the bases of power can be manipulated by both the person with the power and those being influenced by it. I have worked for a supervisor in the past who influenced his power in a very negative way. The one supervisor had an overall negative affect on the organization. The foundation for using power is trust and nothing is more important or harder to obtain. As a leader, you have to establish trust with the people you supervise. It is on you as the leader to develop the trust as the follower is not likely to take the step to initiate building trust with you.
Understanding the various bases of power is important for a leader with a team of varying levels of experience. I have led teams with officers with more experience and time on than me, and some senior personnel may not see your power base as an expert. They may feel their expertise is greater than yours, however they may perceive you as someone who can reward them, use coercion or they may respect your legitimate power. Regardless of how they perceive you, true power comes from your ability to influence others. Leaders should strive to positively influence those they lead, rather than lean on their rank or title for influence. Influence is gained from trust and trust is gained from forming professional relationships with those you lead.
Frank
Frank i really liked your post. I agree wholeheartedly with you when you say Influence is gained from trust and that trust is based from forming professional relationships with those you lead. It is so important to have those relationship with people. As leaders, Empowering people to do jobs, tasks or projects gives them the opportunity to do so much that otherwise they wouldn't be able to do. It helps build that trust and credibility amongst people and teams. It also gives you credibility as a leader.
You summed this module up perfectly Frank. Its funny how a person can be perceived one way until people get to know them. Developing those professional relationships is the key to understanding each other.
Frank I have made the same observations during my career. I have witnessed leaders excel that had considerable less time on the job, or experience, than those that they led. I believe that the reason they achieved this power was because they were recognized as an expert, despite having less experience. It is certainly possible for a leader to be viewed as an expert, and be able to positively influence others, even if they have spent much less time developing their skills.
You said a mouthful. The bases of all power to me is the trust factor your ability to lead and influence others. Regardless of rank or title.
Frank, I agree. I do not think you should lean on rank or title for influence. I believe it is gained from trust and that professional relationships are vital for those that you lead. We should always try to influence with positivity!
I too appreciate the differentiation in the types of power and their long vs short term impacts. It provides a new perspective on what source of motivation is required to implement a lasting change within an organization. Having this perspective will allow me to better direct my efforts and pull from different resources to influence those around me.
While I have long seen the important role that influence plays in successfully leading others, I did not, until I reviewed the material in this module, understand the role that power played in the leadership equation, nor did I know of the different types of power that allow a leader to influence another. After gaining a basic understanding of the five bases of power, I looked back on some of my past efforts, both those that ended successfully and those that ended with less than the desired results, and can in each case see how my use, or omittance, of one or more of the five bases of power contributed to the outcome. I look forward to applying this concept to help me produce the results I desire every time I set out in pursuit of a new initiative.
I agree with you Chris, it is vital to understand the need to read the situation and apply the appropriate method. If you have an employee who is very knowledgable in their job function, whereas you are not, you cannot rely on your expert base of power. In this circumstance, you may need to apply one of the other bases, depending on the individual employee. Some employees react better to Reward or Legitimate power depending on what type of leader they perceive you to be.
I agree, all 5 basis of power have their function if used in the appropriate situation. Any attempt at using only 1 or 2 basis, will most probably lead to failure or an inefficient work environment.
I agree that all of the different types of power have a role in the modern work force. Each different type of power needs to be used properly to motivate individuals to perform at optimal levels.
Chris, we all learn from the many leadership challenges we face on a daily basis. Recognize that being an effective leader is a result of growing daily and applying those lessons learned from subordinates, peers, and superiors. Everyone has leadership qualities, regardless of rank, being open to learning from others will make you a better leader. Remember, the John Maxwell quote, Leaders Develop Daily, Not in a Day! YOu have proven that you are a life-long learner of leadership.
I agree with you Brian. We all face challenges being leaders and it is something that I think we will continue to have to develop our skills on. Soon enough generation Z people will begin to enter the workforce and bring new challenges as well. This is a never ending area of learning that will be required in order to remain an effective leader.
Brian, I agree with your comments, especially the quote by John Maxwell about leaders developing daily and not in a day. I feel that being an effective leader is something we need to work on everyday, it's not about going to leadership training and coming back a leader. We go to trainings and learn new ideas and tools, it's when we come back to our departments and implement what we learned is when the magic happens.
Agreed. We can attend all of the leadership training that is being offered and send our personnel to the same. If the material being presented is not being reflected upon and continuously worked on, then we will become static as leaders and eventually fail our people. I whole heartedly believe that being a leader is a life-long journey with learning occurring each day that we allow it to occur.
Brian, you are so true. There is leadership qualities in everyone as long as they are willing to listen and learn. You can't make a leader overnight but you can continue to teach them life long lessons.
I too have looked back at my efforts and now understand where I failed to properly use behavior regulation. With the tools I have received I know understand that employees all have unique power bases and I will have to change how each are handled.
I believe there is enough shame to go around on this one Monte. The fact we all see it means we can address it and become the needed agents for change.
I agree we must be willing to understand the bases of power and have a willingness to transition among them to meet an employee's need or situation.
The module talked about how we only have the power others believe we have. I take that a step further and say we only have what others allow us to have. I also like to say that just because you have power over another, doesn't mean you have to use it.
Joey I agree. I see so many times people with certain powers overuse them for their own personal gain.
Definitely an eye-opener to the various five bases of power. It is interesting looking from another perspective and now understanding possibly how others react in our interactions. I do think that regardless of what we desire, you may not have the control you are hoping to have.
You are correct! The influence of a person plays a significant role when successfully leading others. When people can trust others to lead positively, they care. When others see that a person cares, they are willing to help for the organization's greater good and not just collect a paycheck. Great post!