Legitimate or position power_________________ Legal power

• this is potential power which is available for use at appropriate times. It is based on the entitlements and obligations of the law and of the various roles and statuses (both achieved and assigned) in our society. The entitlements and obligations are reciprocal -- the leader is obligated to meet the followers entitlements, and vica versa.

Coercive power.______________________________ Collective power

• this involves pressure on one side and resistance on the other. Fear of punishment is balanced by mutual self-protection.

Reward power________________________________ Affluence power

• this involves the expectations of rewards from one side to the other.

Expert power_________________________________ Expert power

• this involves the knowledge and skills required to accomplish work and accumulated through experience and learning. It is often the same on both sides.

Referent or identity power_________________________ Referent or identity power

• this is influence exercised over others because they wish to be identified as part of a commonality or community. It always involves reciprocal dependency or interdependency.

Of these five types of power, only one, expert power, is attainable through access to learning opportunities. The others must be acquired by other means.

^1. J.R.P. French and B. Raven, "The bases of social power" in Cartwright and Zander (eds.) Group dynamics and theory (2nd edition). (N.Y.: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1953), pp. 607 - 623.