Coercive Power : Coercive Power is the ability of a leader to force an employee to follow
An order by threatening the employee with punishment (work overtime, getting fired, etc.)
if the employee does not comply with the order
Reward Power : is the opposite of coercive power – it is the ability of a
leader to give a benefit to a person who does something good. This may be done through
giving bonuses, raises, a promotion, extra time off from work, etc. For example, the
supervisor who provides employees comp time when they meet an objective she sets for a
project.
Legitimate Power : comes from having a position of power in an
organization, such as being the boss or a key member of a leadership team. This power
comes when employees in the organization recognize the authority of the individual. For
example, the CEO who determines the overall direction of the company and the resource
needs of the company.
Referent Power : comes from being a role model and others seeing you
as someone they want to emulate. You become a mentor of sorts, and others will consider
what you might do in a similar situation before acting. When you lead with patience,
build relationships based on trust, and lead by example, you can influence others toward a
shared vision with ease. But this dynamic generally can’t co-exist with coercive and
legitimate power in place.
Expert Power : a highly specialized skill set, a deep knowledge base, or years of
experience leading to excellence give rise to expert power. With expert power, you are
perceived as more proficient and, as such, are given more decision-making opportunities.
This type of power is perhaps the most attainable as it is not constrained by current status
and is most susceptible to perception. The scope of this power is limited to the extent of
the expertise, though