Two power scenarios

Scenario 1: The traditional organization
The manager brings a team assembled from his best people to work on a hot project. He is a charismatic leader who is well respected for his knowledge of the business and his years in the organization. He makes sure the information the team needs is available to them and that if the project is successfully completed, each member of the team will be rewarded appropriately. It is clear that if someone does not contribute and perform as expected the manager will swiftly get them out of the team, with considerable damage to their reputation. The manager works with the group consistently over the next few months to make the project succeed.

(Sources of power: referent; legitimate; reward; coercive; expertise; information)

Scenario 2: The new organization
A cross-functional team is brought together to assess whether to pursue a new business opportunity. The team leader has been selected for her knowledge and experience in marketing, but many other factors and information are required to make a good recommendation to the top management team. All team members have their regular job responsibilities, though it has been made clear that this is a good project to be in and that participation in the project is optional. While it is not clear what resources the team has available, they have been promised all the support they need. Because the work is so new and stretches the sense of competence of each member, members work with the team leader over the next few months to make the project succeed.

(Sources of power: personal/institutional authority; task; meaningfulness; competence; accountability; choice.)

POWER AND EMPOWERMENT

Traditional organizations emphasize these sources of power	New organizations emphasize these sources of power
	Organizational empowerment
Legitimate: Based on formal role or position in a system	Institutional authority: The right to be, do work, and function which is given by and accepted on behalf of a group or organization to which one belongs
Reward: Based on ability to provide something that is desired	Task: A set of activities directed towards a purpose
Referent (goodwill): Based on identification with and good feelings for	Resources: Information, money, time, people
Coercive (punishment): Based on ability to penalize or cause harm	Boundaries: Physical and/or psychological parameters or demarcations that differentiate between the inside and the outside of a system, e.g. input, task, role, space, and time
Expertise: Based on assumptions of superior judgment or knowledge	Accountability: Having responsibility for or being answerable for...
Information: Based on relevant facts or reasoning
	Personal empowerment
	Personal authority: The right to be, do work, and function, which one gives oneself
	Meaningfulness: Value of the task
	Progress: Making a difference and moving along
	Choice: Autonomy
	Competence: Mastery

Empowerment
The motivational content of an emerging paradigm that emphasizes internalized commitment to the task and control over the conditions that make one's actions possible.

Influence
The ability to get others to move in the direction you want by providing acceptable alternatives to their beliefs or behavior.

Leadership
The exercise of power and authority in the service of a goal. Power: The ability to get what you want, given what is available in the environment.

� 2000, Evangelina Holvino, Chaos Management, Ltd.