Personal power is based on the characteristics of an individual rather than from the position the individual has in an organization. There are many ways managers try to develop their personal power to become more effective managers. Three main characteristics of personal power are expertise, rational persuasion and reference. A manager trying to be more effective would definitely try to develop these characteristics to be able to use their power more effectively.
Expert power is having the power, knowledge, and experience of judgment that subordinates need. A person with expert power is able to control an individual's behavior through knowledge. A subordinate is more apt to obey without question a supervisor or manager that has expert power due to the fact the subordinate is able to trust the knowledge and expertise of the manager. A subordinate would be less apt to obey a manager that does not have as much knowledge.
English: Birmingham University power house. The si...
English: Switched-mode power supply unit
Personal power plant.Expert power is an advantage to the manager, as the manager does not have to be too concerned with the employee the employee understands the assignment and trust the manager's expertise. If the subordinate knows the manager is very knowledgeable of the assignment, the employee is apt to do a better job on the assignment.
Rational persuasion is another characteristic of personal power. "Rational persuasion is the ability to control another's behavior because through the individual's efforts, the person accepts the desirability of an offered goal and a reasonable way of achieving it" (Schermerhorn, Hunt & Osborn, 2005,p.273). In order for a manager to use rational persuasion, the manager must have established trust with the employee.
Here are a few suggestions for a manager building trust with employees. A manager must always honor social contracts with employees whether the contracts or implied or explicit. This is a sure way...