Positional Power

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School

Grand Canyon University *

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Course

560

Subject

Arts Humanities

Date

Feb 20, 2024

Type

docx

Pages

5

Uploaded by chriscjmat

1 Positional Power for Change Christine Martinez College of Humanities and Social Sciences: Grand Canyon University Admin-560: Influence and Power in Public Administration Professor Michael Spurlock August 2, 2023
2 Positional Power for Change Implementing organizational transformation is a multifaceted and time-intensive undertaking requiring substantial commitment. Leadership roles play a crucial role in facilitating and driving organizational change. Aligning positional authority with personal values is vital for effectively disseminating these values throughout the organization. Persons in power must proactively take the initiative to drive the change, emphasizing the positive attributes that emphasize moral and ethical decision-making. According to Das (2019), subordinates are more likely to perceive changes as significant when introduced by individuals who own positions of authority and mirror their personal values. The essay will examine the use of power to facilitate change while maintaining ethical values. Using Positional Powers to Facilitate Change Leadership is the capacity of an individual to exert influence, inspire, and empower others to make valuable contributions toward the effectiveness and achievements of an organization. Great leaders should possess the attribute of humanity, as it is considered a hallmark of their leadership. According to Torsu and Quacoe (2020), Christ's act of washing the feet of others, as an example for us to follow, symbolizes the concept of servant leadership. Position leaders derive their power and influence from their elevated status in comparison to their followers. As a result, they can influence individuals and alter the values or culture within an organization. There are five subsets of powers that serve as the foundations of positional power: referent, expert, legitimate, rewards, and coercive. However, it is of utmost importance for leaders to prioritize virtue in their leadership and set a good example (Torsu & Quacoe, 2020).
3 The Subset or Powers Referent Power can be utilized in positional powers when followers feel a sense of identification and admiration toward the individual initiating change or leading them. If leaders possess the admirable qualities of honesty and integrity found in referent power, they can effectively leverage their strong people skills to influence others to their advantage. Building strong relationships between leaders and employees is crucial in helping employees accept and perceive change as beneficial (Vevere, 2014). Expert power, derived from the leader's perceived level of competence, can be applied to knowledge acquisition by a leader positively correlates with an increased likelihood of others actively seeking their expertise, hence facilitating a smoother process of followership. Nevertheless, one does not limit the cultivation of expertise or knowledge position; however, it is often the case that one's position might indicate or represent their level of expertise or knowledge. Therefore, it is imperative that positional leaders lead by example when utilizing expert power (Vevere, 2014). Legitimate power is linked with having status or formal authority and often fosters a climate of respect. This power can use organizational resources to achieve the change needed; therefore, it can be used to force change and guide people to behave in a certain way. Reward power results from rewarding or bribing followers; leaders can use such power to influence employees because they control the distribution of the rewards. However, this power can negatively impact an employee's ability to attain the reward if the desired outcomes are not achieved. Lastly, Coercive power is based on having the authority to penalize or punish others. Leaders can use this power when employees are not behaving acceptably and, therefore, effect change through the administration of negative sanctions (Vevere, 2014).
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