This document defines and contrasts the concepts of power and leadership. It discusses that power is the ability to influence others to achieve goals, while leadership focuses on downward influence. The bases of power are described as formal power derived from one's position, as well as personal powers like coercive power through fear, reward power using incentives, legitimate power from authority, expert power from knowledge, and referent power from personality and abilities. The document also covers power tactics like legitimacy, persuasion, and pressure that are used politically within an organization to gain advantages, though political behaviors are not formally part of employees' jobs.

1. TOPIC
Politics : Power and
action

2. POWER
Power is defined as the capacity of a person,
team or organization to influence others
It is used as a means for achieving goals
It is used to gain lateral and upward
influence

3. CONTRASTING LEADERSHIP AND POWER
Goal compatibility : Power does not
require goal compatibility merely
dependence
Direction of influence : Leadership
focuses on downward influence but power
focuses on upward influence pattern

4. BASES OF POWER
Formal
Power
Coercive
power
Reward
power
Legitimate
power
Personal
Power
Expert
power
Reference
power

5. FORMAL POWER
 Based on an individual position in an
organization
 It rewards derived from the person’s ability
to force or reward others or from the formal
authority he has because of his strategic
position in the organizational hierarchy

6. COERCIVE POWER
 This is the power due to fear
 It is based on application or threat of
application of
- Physical pain
- Creating frustration by limiting the
movement

7. REWARD POWER
 It is the opposite of coercive power
 It is the degree to which a manager can
use rewards to control other people
 Rewards power can be
- Money
- Promotions
- Compliments
- Enriched jobs

8. LEGITIMATE POWER
 It is the power received due to a person’s
position in the hierarchy
 Position of authority include coercive and
reward powers
 It includes the acceptance of authority of a
position by members of organization

9. EXPERT POWER
It is ability to control another person’s
behavior through knowledge and experience
that the other person does not have, but
needs

10. REFERENT POWER
It is the power that arises from one’s
personality or physical or other abilities
which induce others to believe in and follow
that person

11. POWER TACTICS
o Legitimacy
o Rational persuasion
o Inspirational appeals
o Consultation
o Exchange
o Personal appeals
o Ingratiation
o Pressure
o Coalitions

12. POLITICS
 Politics are not a part of an individual’s
formal role in the organization
 These affect the advantages and
disadvantages within the organization

13. POLITICS POWER IN ACTION
 Political behavior is not a part of an
individual’s job requirements
 It includes many political behaviors like
refusing to give important information to
decision makers, spreading rumors etc