To get things done, power must be employed. There are various power sources from which people get influence, thus explaining the varied types of applied force. There must be a guiding factor in an organization, and a manager ensures that the visions and goals are followed through using his mandated privileges and tactics. These objectives are realized through tactics someone uses to oversee that the subjects comply with the set procedures. Nevertheless, moderation is needed to ensure that a person in command is not abusing the power at hand and causing damage to the organization or the employees.
Manager’s sources of power
One’s capability to control others and manipulate their actions determines power (Luthans et al., 2015). The sales department manager obtained his command from a variety of foundations. These include:
- Reward power
This is the aptitude for giving an incentive; for instance, larger commissions pay when one completes the task on time. When employees attained a set target by the manager, he approved for a pay increase in that month for those who had the most impressive achievements.
- Legitimate power
This is an authority that is generated through an individual’s position or role in a given organization. The sales manager assigned projects by which employees complied because they accepted the legitimacy of his position.
- Expert power
This is achieved due to comprehension and skillfulness. Since the manager had been in the sales field for more than five years, he could tell what kind of approaches would work well during work presentations, which would be a waste of resources.
- Coercive
This is the capacity to penalize somebody or to seize something due to nonconformity. When some employees failed to put more effort into reaching the set targets for sales, the manager threatened to have them laid off.
- Referent
This results from an individual’s character. The manager was a warm yet determined man whose ambitions exceeded his age. Young employees looked up to him and hoped they could achieve as much as he has in due time.
Influence tactics used by the manager
Influence can get people to do what you wish them to do (Bauer & Erdogan, 2012). The manager employed legitimating tactics based on his position power. When he demanded a task to be completed, the employees did so. Also, he used rational persuasion when explaining why a proposed strategy would not work than employed inspirational appeals to encourage employees to look for other options. However, if an employee was not cooperative, he employed pressure to do what he wanted.
Was there good or abuse of power?
The manager used his power effectively and proportionally to achieve the organization’s set goals. He combined the different power sources at his disposal interchangeably, such as the reward power and the legitimate power, coercive power, legitimate power, or the referent power with the expert power. In applying tactics, the manager ensured the best results in individuals by encouraging better output. Also, he demanded that certain timelines be met and was tough on employees who took his instructions as a joke.
There are various power sources from which one can draw from. The manager employed approaches such as the legitimate, reward, expert, coercive, and referent types of power to run the sales department. The usage of different tactics together creates a stronger possibility for the pushed plan to be implemented. The manager used legitimating, rational persuasion, and emotional appeals to govern the organization’s day-to-day activities. The way the manager conducted himself and exerted power was moderate and commendable. At times, people can decide not to adhere to the set rules; thus, the coercive force is often of great help and mandatory.
References
Bauer, T., & Erdogan, B. (2012). Chapter 13.3: The power to influence. Organizational Behavior. Flatworld Knowledge.
Luthans, F., Luthans, K. W., & Luthans, B. C. (2015). Chapter 10: Power and Politics. Organizational behavior: An evidence-based approach. Charlotte, North Carolina: Information Age Publishing, pp. 280-287.
