Introduction
French and Raven’s five main types of power are coercive, legitimate, rewarding, referential, and expert power. Coercive power means someone can use force, coercion, or threats to gain an advantage. Legitimate power implies that people adhere to the rules adopted in the group.
Rewarding power is driven by the desire to receive encouragement or favor from others. Referent power is conditioned by people for whom social relations are essential. Finally, expert power is based on knowledge and professional skills (Enslin, 2020). Applying French and Raven’s five elemental powers gives groups and organisations the advantage of better understanding and processing the dynamics of relationships between their members.
Examples of Power Types
For the first part of the paper, the following leaders can illustrate French and Raven’s examples of the five types of power.
Coercive Power
Alexander the Great is a perfect example of coercive power. During his career, he united many ancient states and turned them into one of the most powerful empires in history. He used his army to force the people to obey his rules.
Legitimacy
Martin Luther King was a great example of legitimate authority. He represented the movement of free citizens and fought for equal legal protection for all people, not just whites. He also attracted mass support for his ideas rather than forcing people to obey him.
Rewarding Power
Steve Jobs was a great example of rewarding power. He created products that made people’s lives easier and rewarded them for achievements in business and technology. He also significantly contributed to the cultural environment, allowing people to discover their ideas.
Referent Power
Nelson Mandela was a perfect example of referent power. He was a well-known economist, politician, and activist who attracted massive support for his ideas due to his fame and reputation. His examples and ideas have had a significant impact on Africa’s development and progress.
Expert Power
Elon Musk is a perfect example of expert power (Kovach, 2020). He is a well-known entrepreneur and engineer who uses his experience and knowledge to create various innovative technologies, such as Tesla and SpaceX. He uses his knowledge to make decisions and guide people.
Personal Power Type
Expert power is one of the most attractive types for me, both from the leader’s and the follower’s point of view. In my work, I am accustomed to using knowledge and experience to solve problems and attract people to my ideas. In addition, I see how other people are attracted to experts, using their knowledge and experience for maximum benefit.
Thus, expert power equips both leaders and their teams with a valuable tool to effectively achieve specific goals. Expert power can provide leaders and followers with access to a vast amount of knowledge and experience, which can be helpful when it comes to achieving goals (Parmer & Dillard, 2019). Overall, expert power is a valuable tool that greatly benefits leaders and followers.
Conclusion
French and Raven’s Five Pillars of Power is a concept that describes the five primary sources of power that are inherent in most power relationships. They include coercive power, legitimate power, rewarding power, referential power, and expert power. As a leader, I would be more attracted to expert power because it allows me to access the knowledge and skills that will help me achieve the best results and encourage the success of my followers. Thus, expert power provides valuable information and resources for the leader and the follower. Expert power provides optimal opportunities for the growth and development of the leader and followers.
References
Enslin, D. (2020). An Exploration of the Various Power Bases and their Influence on Employee Motivation. The IIE.
Kovach, M. (2020). Leader Influence: A Research Review of French & Raven’s (1959) Power Dynamics. The Journal of Values-Based Leadership, 13(2), 15.
Parmer, L., & E. Dillard Jr, J. (2019). The Way Employees are Treated Predict Power Feelings. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 40(1), 2-16.