What kind of power do you wield in the workplace?
Holding a position of authority in the workplace is a huge responsibility. As an entry-level employee at a media company, I hear about both management’s and employees’ struggles with power on a daily basis. These struggles can mean the difference between a good corporate culture and a toxic workplace. If you’re in a position of power, you need to know the type of power you wield and how it influences those who report to you.
There are three massive mistakes you can make when using your power:
1. Using power you don’t have enough of,
2. Not using power at the right time, and
3. Using the wrong type of power to achieve your desired results.
There are many ways power manifests itself in the workplace
Power can change type according to situation and the person using it. According to HR Bartender, there are seven types of power that manifest in the workplace:
1. Coercive power
Managers who have the authority to punish wield this type of power. They rule by terror as their subordinates fear the consequences not meeting expectations.
2. Network power
It’s not what you know but who you know. This connection power is based on who you know in the company and how many powerful people you rub shoulders with. This comes in handy when you need specific knowledge or a different expertise to help you with a project.
For example:
We have an important event to go to and need to create a HR Pulse brochure for it as quickly as possible. Luckily, we have a good relationship with the print designer in the company and so he is more than happy to design one for us.
3. Expertise power
This applies to people who demonstrate a specific skillset. These people don’t always have qualifications – they can also be thought leaders in their industries.
4. Informational power
This is a person who has access to important information. Being able to curate data in this world of technological noise, can make this person extremely powerful, says HR Bartender.
5. Positional power
This stems from the position a person holds. This refers to a person’s title and job description in a company.
For example: The MD of a company holds great positional power.
6. Referent power
This involves someone’s popularity in an organisation. How respected you are in a company affects the level of referent power you have. This is why many people strive to be a part of the ‘in-group’ in a company.
7. Reward power
People who can grant benefits – which may be in the form of bonuses, job assignments, shift allocation – have reward power. These people usually are the victims of brown-nosers who are trying to get a leg up in the workplace.
It’s time for a self-assessment exercise. Take a look at each power type and mark down how relevant each one is to you from a scale of one (not very relevant) to five (very relevant). If you’re scoring five for the coercive and rewards power types, it’s time for you to make a change and focus on building your referent and networking power.
Frew Murdoch is the assistant editor of HR Pulse. She is currently completing the last semester of her BA degree in Communications and English. "I stumbled across your review of our Ethics Guide published 28 June 2012 and wish to thank you for the positive and complimentary comments made – this was a lovely surprise and most rewarding. I will certainly pass this on to all co-authors of the Guide."
Christine Botha, co-author of 'Ethics in HR Management: A guide for HR professionals and line managers', had this to say:
