There are 5 types of power as defined by Bertram Raven and his colleagues back in 1959. I’m assuming you want some power. You probably want it over yourself and others. As a parent, boss or friend, most of us want some power so that we can wield it in some way to help ourselves and others in our lives. The 5 types are Coercive, Legitimate, Reward, Expert and Referent. Quite simply they are:
Legitimate Power = Also called “Positional power,” because the individual has the power that comes from a position within an organization. This is an important type of power but one that is bestowed on someone rather than something they possess within them.
Coercive Power = is used in the application of negative influences
Reward Power = refers to the degree to which the individual can give others a reward of some kind
Expert Power = is derived from the skills or expertise of the person
Referent Power = is the ability of an individual to attract others and build loyalty
What is the power of the future? The world is changing. Technology is forcing us to change and adapt in ways that have never been seen before. Who or how are we being in our present moment to be more powerful (or influential) in the future? What is that going to look like?
Of these types of power, three come from manipulative behavior (coercive or rewarding) or role playing behavior (Legitimate). These types are more useful in the short term and much less useful in the long-term. This is true even more now than even a decade ago, much less a century ago. Although there is still much of this kind of power being wielded, there is more opportunity than ever to take control of your own power and pursue your own ideas without being under the thumb of any one or any establishment. Some may argue with this point but I would enjoy that discussion. Over time it is clear to me that we have the choice of being more independent of each other even though there seems to be broader impact on the whole, both good and bad.
I will argue here that Expert and Referent power are much more formidable for our future. Expert power is gained through our efforts over time and Referent power is gained by our actions in the moment. Both are important but I suggest that Referent is more highly correlated with success because you can only truly have influence over independent people when they decide to follow your leadership.
What are you doing to increase your Referent Power?