Leadership, Position, and Power

The language of leadership is a challenge for some to understand. It reflects our personal experiences, goals, culture, and environment. What is native tongue for some is a foreign language to others. As you explore with each other this week, leadership power can be a useful tool or an intoxicating drug. Power is a continuum. Improper balance in either direction results in ineffective leadership, disengaged followers, and precious lost time.

Pierro, Raven, Amato, and Bélanger (2013) found empirical evidence that followers of a transformational leader are more willing to comply with soft power bases, and this leadership style also increases an employee’s organizational commitment. Do you share a similar philosophy?

Post an explanation of the differences among leadership, position, and power. Describe a person in a position of authority over you who used power rather than leadership to influence you. Share your thoughts about the experience and about the relationship between leadership and power. Explain what you learned from the experience. If you are a student outside the United States, provide a perspective on how leadership and power might differ in your country or region from that in the United States.

Required Readings

Clawson, J. G. (2012). Level three leadership: Getting below the surface (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

• Chapter 1, “The Leadership Point of View” (pp. 3–10)

Simmons, A. (2006). The story factor: Inspiration, influence, and persuasion through the art of storytelling (2nd ed.). Cambridge, MA: Perseus.

• Introduction (xvii–xx)
• Chapter 1, “The Six Stories You Need to Know How to Tell” (pp. 1–26)

Pierro, A., Raven, B. H., Amato. C., & Belanger, J. J. (2013). Bases of social power, leadership styles, and organizational commitment. International Journal of Psychology, 48(6), 1122-1134.