In order for leaders to be effective, their leadership must include a source of power. I believe that power and leadership are inseparable. One of the widely used approaches to understand sources of powers comes from the classic research done by French and Raven, who identifies five sources of powers that can be used to influence others:
Legitimate power, reward power and coercive power is power that the leader has been given based on their position or title. All three of these sources of power depend on the organization that grants them and not the person who holds them.
Expert power can be used to create commitment with followers because it is based on who a person is rather than the position he holds. This source of power does not depend solely on the organization and require no formal title. Expert source of power is acquired based on a person’s knowledge, skills or expertise. This source of power is not just reserved for the top leaders of organizations, but can be acquired by any members of the team who has developed influence among their peers, based on their demonstrated knowledge.
Reverent power operates much like that of expert power, because it also doesn’t depend on position or the organization for influence. Reverent power is developed through strong relationships between the leaders and those who follow them. Both Reverent power and Expert power is based on the strength and character of the person and not his or her position. This type of leadership power cannot be taken away, but can only be lost as a result of the leader’s conduct. Individuals often choose mentors based on those who have demonstrated Expert and Reverent power.
