Develop the Best Kind of Power

As we said last time, in sports power is what moves the ball down the field or the player around the bases. In the workplace, power is what gets teams engaged and working to accomplish their goals. To be most effective in a leadership role, it’s important to recognize that there are different kinds of power. Each has its place and usually one is more applicable to a situation than another.

Position power is your potential to influence based on the position you hold in the organization. It could be based on the formal job title you have and your place in the organizational structure or it could result from the role you’re playing at that time, such as heading up a project team. Critical elements of this type of power include your authority based on your position, your control over resources and information, and your ability to remove obstacles that appear. Relying on this power alone is rarely an ideal approach in today’s workplace. It tends to result in compliance, rather than commitment, with people doing something because you told them to. It may be an ego rush for some leaders, but it does not last. Outside of the role, the leader has no influence over others. It’s the position, not the person, which has the power. There are occasions where there isn’t time to develop or demonstrate the other two kinds of power; in these situations, relying on your position power may be your best choice.

Expert power is your reliability as a source of guidance and instruction, based on your knowledge and experience. Experts grow their power by repeatedly demonstrating their expertise in a particular area. Degrees, licenses, and certification are an excellent foundation, but it’s the practice experience that really translates into power. You are more likely to be seen as an expert if you are confident and have a solid track record of demonstrated knowledge and skill. This is a valuable type of power to develop. It often has value across organizations and it resides with you, not your job.

The final type of power, interpersonal power, is your ability to influence based on how you interact with others. This kind of power is built through effectively communicating with others; showing understanding and trust; and displaying optimism, enthusiasm, determination, and self-confidence. People often admire and identify with people who possess high interpersonal power. Given the nature of this power type, it takes time to develop. Interpersonal power is increased when you are considerate and show concern for others’ needs and feelings and defend their interests; it is diminished by hostility, distrust, rejection, or indifference. Interpersonal power is well worth the effort to develop, as it is much more likely to foster commitment than position power is.

Combining interpersonal power with expert power is an extremely effective way to enhance your influence and effectiveness as a leader. Consider the most respected and beloved mentors, coaches, teachers and managers you have encountered, and you’ll most likely conclude that they had highly developed expert and interpersonal power.