1. What type of power do you exercise in your placement?
Power and Leadership
What type of power do you exercise in your placement?

2. Power over you? Who has power over you as an individual?
What type of power do these people hold over you?

3. The 5 Points of Power
Generally speaking there are 5 ways of exercising power and influence as a person of authority
They include:
Coercive Power
Reward Power
Legitimate Power
Expert Power
Referent Power

4. Coercive Power “Power that is based on fear”
In the workplace it could be the fear of losing your job for not performing
It could also be a fear of being yelled at, embarrassed, or made an example of when a mistake is made
It could simply be a fear of your boss’s personality or stature
In your placement coercive power could be students fearing you because you might make fun of them in the hallway

5. Reward Power
“Power and influence that is based on the ability to distribute rewards that others view as valuable”
In the workplace it could be a cash bonus for record levels of sales
In your placement it could be something as simple as allowing the student to play their PSP if they finish all of their work
The key to reward power is finding out what the subordinates view as valuable in their eyes

6. Legitimate Power
“The Power a person receives as a result of his or her position in the formal hierarchy of the organization”
In the Military, an individuals rank provides one with more power then that of those ranking below him or her
In the workplace this could be shift manager vs. a regular employee
In your placement this can be as simple as you being a grade 11 or 12 working with grade 9’s. (You have a higher rank)

7. Expert Power “Power/influence that is based on skills or knowledge”
In the workplace it could be a boss that has more training and certifications to complete the job then you do
In your placements it could be as simple as you having successfully completed the course you are peer mentoring in

8. Referent Power
“Power that people are given based on their possessions or personal traits”
An example might be celebrities. They have power based on their possessions and wealth.
In the workplace this could be wanting to be nice to the person who creates the work schedule for the week (this ensures you get Friday nights off!)
In your placement it could be students working well for you because they like you as in individual and care what you think of them

9. Summary There are 5 different ways to influence people and exert power
Leadership and power are inherently linked as they seem to work hand in hand however they are different:
Power can be abused while leadership cannot
Power focuses on the individual while leadership focuses on the team
Power focuses on gaining compliance while leadership focuses on getting answers and solutions

10. Activity
On a sheet of paper, individually brainstorm when you have encountered each type of power. Explain the scenario.
Working in groups, explain what you have brainstormed.
From the stories shared, the group will pick the best example(s) of power to share with the class.
Individual Summary questions:
What type(s) of power do you respond best too? Explain
What type(s) of power do you respond worst too? Explain.
What type(s) of power do you tend to exercise while in placement? Explain.