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Winning Expert Power
Leading from the Front
There are many different power bases that
a leader can develop and use.
These include problematic ones such as the
power of position, the power to give rewards, the power to punish
and the power to control information. While these types of power
do have some strength, they put the person being led in an
unhealthy position of weakness, and can leave leaders using
these power bases looking autocratic and out of touch.
More than this, society has changed hugely
over the last 50 years. Citizens are individually more powerful,
and employees are more able to shift jobs. Few of us enjoy having
power exerted over us, and many will do what they can to undermine
people who use these sorts of power.
However there are three types of positive
power that effective leaders use: charismatic power, expert
power and referent power.
This article teaches you how to build
expert power.
How to Use the Tool:
Expert power is essential because as a leader,
your team looks to you for direction and guidance. Team members
need to believe in your ability to set a worthwhile direction,
give sound guidance and co-ordinate a good result.
If your team perceives you as a true expert,
they will be much more receptive when you try to exercise influence
tactics such as rational persuasion and inspirational appeal.
What's more, if members of your team see you as an expert, you
will find it much easier to guide them in such a way as to create
high motivation:
-
If team members respect your expertise, they'll know that you
can show them how to work effectively;
-
If members of your team trust your judgment, they'll trust you to guide
their good efforts in such a way that you'll make the most of their
hard work; and
-
If they
can see your expertise, team members are more likely to
believe that you have the wisdom to direct their efforts
towards a goal that is genuinely worthwhile.
Taken together, if your team sees you as
an expert, you will find it much easier to motivate team members
to perform at their best.
So how do you build expert power?
- Gain
expertise: The first step is fairly obvious (if time
consuming) – gain expertise. And, if you are already
using tools like the information gathering tool in the previous
article, the chances are that you have already progressed
well ahead in this direction.
But just being an expert isn’t enough, it is also
necessary for your team members to recognize your expertise
and see you to be a credible source of information and advice.
Gary A. Yukl, in his book “Leadership in Organizations,”
details some steps to build expert power. A summary of these
steps follows:
- Promote
an image of expertise: Since
perceived expertise in many occupations is associated with
a person’s education and experience, a leader should
– in a low key way – make sure that subordinates, peers, and superiors
are aware of his or her formal education, relevant work experience,
and significant accomplishments.
One common tactic to make this information known is to display
diplomas, licenses, awards, and other evidence of expertise
in a prominent location in one’s office – after
all, if you’ve worked hard to gain knowledge, it’s
fair that you get credit for it. Another tactic is to make
subtle references to prior education or experience (for example,
“When I was chief engineer at GE, we had a problem similar
to this one”). Beware, however, this tactic can easily
be overdone.
-
Keep informed: Expert power is exercised
through rational persuasion and demonstration of expertise.
Rational persuasion depends on a firm grasp of up-to-date
facts. It is therefore essential for a leader to keep well-informed
of developments within the team, within the organization,
and in the outside world.
- Recognize
subordinate concerns: Use of rational persuasion
should not be seen as a form of one-way communication from
the leader to subordinates. Effective leaders listen carefully
to the concerns and uncertainties of their team members, and
make sure that they address these in making a persuasive appeal.
-
Avoid threatening the self-esteem of subordinates: Expert
power is based on a knowledge differential between leader
and team members. Unfortunately, the very existence of such
a differential can cause problems if the leader is not careful
about the way he exercises expert power.
Team members can dislike unfavorable status comparisons where
the gap is very large and obvious. They are likely to be upset
by a leader who acts in a superior way, and arrogantly flaunts
his greater expertise.
In the process of presenting rational arguments, some leaders
lecture their team members in a condescending manner and convey
the impression that the other team members are “ignorant.”
Guard against this - it can make you look very arrogant.
-
Act
confidently and decisively in a crisis:
In a crisis or emergency, subordinates prefer a “take
charge” leader who appears to know how to direct the
group in coping with the problem. In this kind of situation,
subordinates tend to associate confident, firm leadership
with expert knowledge. Even if the leader is not sure of
the best way to deal with a crisis, to express doubts or
appear confused risks the loss of influence over subordinates.
- Maintain
credibility: Once established, one’s image of expertise
should be carefully protected. The leader should avoid making
careless comments about subjects on which he or she is poorly
informed, and should avoid being associated with projects
with a low likelihood of success.
This is one of the articles in Mind Tools’
“How
to Lead: Discover the Leader Within You” course. Not
only does the course explain how to use the other "good"
power bases, it teaches you how to use a range of honest influence
tactics and powerful motivational techniques. Click here
to find our more about “How to Lead".
MindTools.com
- Learn Much More in
Our Community!
The
next article moves into leadership tactics, explaining how to
pick a winning team. Learn how to do this by clicking 'Next article' below.
Spread
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Extension Resources (Not included in the
Mind Tools E-book.)
* Shows articles available
in full only to Career
Excellence Club Premium members.
Blake Mouton
Managerial Grid - Balancing task and people-oriented leadership
The Uncertainty
Factor - by Bruna Martinuzzi
Optimism
- The hidden asset, by Bruna Martinuzzi
A Leader's Mood - The dimmer switch of performance, by Bruna
Martinuzzi
Humility -
The most beautiful word in the English language, by Bruna Martinuzzi
"I Swear by
Apollo" - Being accountable to yourself in leadership
What's Empathy
Got to Do With It? by Bruna Martinuzzi
Leading
Equals - Motivating people effectively, without authority*
What's Your Reputation?
- Building a reputation consistent with career goals*
Working With Powerful
People - Manage relationships for maximum satisfaction*
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