Expert Power

As the title suggests a leader has expert power when the followers believe that the leader has “expert” knowledge or skills that are relevant to the job or tasks they have to complete. Often an experienced member of the team or staff in an organization can have expert power even though they are not a supervisor or manager.

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II. Make the summary of the text as in the example and learn it by heart.

Summary
As can be seen each of the powers is created by the followers belief, if the follower does not hold the requisite belief then the leader is not able to influence them.

· Reward power needs follower to believe leader will reward them.

· Coercive power needs follower to believe leader will punish them.

· Legitimate power needs follower to believe leader has right to instruct them.

· Referent power need follower to believe leader has desirable qualities.

· Expert power need follower to believe leader is an expert.

Whether the follower’s beliefs are correct is irrelevant, the beliefs alone will determine the type of power, a leader has over the follower.

Each of the leadership powers can be used by themselves or combined so that the leader has maximum influence. The leader will therefore need to think carefully about which power to use.

The use of one power could lead to a decrease in another for example coercive power (which necessitates the use of punishment) may decrease the leaders referent power, if it causes the followers to belief that the leader has qualities that aren’t admirable.

 

III. Find antonyms of the following words: a reward, to complete, effective, proportionate, to refuse, frequent, initially, to reduce, to return, dependant, supervisor.

IV. State if the sentences are True or False:

T	F
		1) The followers have to believe that the leader will give them the reward promised once the task is not completed by them.
		2) Rewards should not be offered, to follower employees to complete duties which are a normal part of their role.
		3) The leader may use any penalty he likes and thinks is suitable for the situation.
		4) The followers have an obligation to obey all instructions of the leader without thinking over them.
		5) An experienced member of the team or staff in an organization can have expert power even though they are not a supervisor or manager.
		6) A bar of chocolate or a box of sweets is a sincere reward for everybody.
		7) Legitimacy power is created by the leader’s job title (such as captain, doctor, or area manager).