Types of Powers in Organizations

Formal Authority - The formally authoritative person is one who is very power hungry. Their methods of achieving task are very different from those that are truly leaders.

Relevance - The power of the position of a person with a position of relevance is usually much greater than that of a position that people are unaware of the relevance of.

Centrality - This is another positional type of power. Centrality is largely based on the leaders ability to be the centerpiece of all the activity in their division, department, or network.

Autonomy - This is a type of personal power. It is based on the person's ability and freedom to make decisions regarding the organization. For most leaders, forming a faculty with a strong dense of autonomy is a great benefit.

Visibility - A leader's visibility is based on other's knowledge of their skills and abilities. Visibility can also be a hindrance to some leaders because of the tendency to try to increase their visibility at the fault of others.

Expertise - A leader's expertise is measured by how much more knowledgeable they are in comparison to the others around them. Expertise is very important for someone in a position of power. This is an asset that demands the respect coworkers.

Track Record - A leader's track record can be determined by their ability to meet deadlines and goals for their organization. This can also be based upon their ability to encourage others under their leadership to meet deadlines.

Attractiveness - This personal type of power is based upon a person's appearance to others. The appearance may be of people's perceptions of their attitude, ethics, outward appearance, or even their personality.

Friendship - This personal source of power is based on a person's relationship with others. This trait can also be very discouraging for those who place friendships at a higher priority than business related issues.

Association - Association is a personal trait that is based on the networking power and connections of an individual. This is the most important trait of many people in powerful positions.

Types of Powers in Organizations