ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the types of power that enable administrators to motivate or influence others to accomplish the goals of the unit or institution. The social powers are anchored in three contexts: Formal Authority and/or control of resources, Personality, and Knowledge. Power is employed in interdependent systems and it is used with the intent of having the employees comply with the request or commit to the action or goals. The chapter provides a box describing the motivation for using the power and the potential reaction from subordinates. There are three potential reactions to the use of power – compliance, commitment, or resistance. Coming from an individual’s ability to provide an incentive or other type of reward, reward power is utilized to influence another’s behavior to accomplish the desired behavior or result in return for the promised incentive. Power related to one’s personality can be associated with two of the social powers identified in literature – referent power and persuasive power.
