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Consider This!

Getty Images Do you want to be a positive influence in the world? First, get

your own life in order. Ground yourself in this single principle
so that your behavior is wholesome and effective. If you do
that, you will earn respect and be a powerful influence.
Your behavior influences others through a ripple effect. A ripple effect works
because everyone influences everyone else. Powerful people are powerful influences.
If your life works, you influence your family.
If your family works, your family influences the community.
If your community works, your community influences the nation.
If your nation works, your nation influences the world.
If your world works, the ripple effect spreads throughout the cosmos.
Source: John Heider, The Tao of Leadership: Leadership Strategies for a New Age (New York: Bantam
Books, 1985), p. 107. Copyright 1985 Humanic Ltd., Atlanta, GA. Used with permission.

When people successfully use position power (legitimate, reward, coercive),
the response is compliance. Compliance means that people follow the directions Compliance
Compliance
following the directions of the
of the person with power, whether or not they agree with those directions. They following the directions of the
person with power, regardless
person with power
, regardless
will obey orders and carry out instructions even though they may not like it. The
of how much agreement there is
of how much agreement there is
problem is that in many cases, followers do just enough work as is necessary to with that person’ s directions
with that person’s directions
satisfy the leader and may not contribute their full potential. In addition, if the use
of position power, especially the use of coercion, exceeds a level people consider
legitimate, people may resist the attempt to infl uence. Resistance means that em- Resistance
Resistance
the act of disobeying orders or
ployees will deliberately try to avoid carrying out instructions or they will attempt the act of disobeying orders or
deliberately avoiding carrying
deliberately avoiding carrying
to disobey orders. Thus, the effectiveness of leaders who rely solely on position out instructions
out instructions
power is limited.
The follower response most often generated by personal power (expert, refer-
ent) is commitment. Commitment means that followers adopt the leader’s viewpoint Commitment
Commitment
s viewpoint
adopting the leader’
and enthusiastically carry out instructions. Leader Anu Shukla, who currently adopting the leader’s viewpoint
and enthusiastically carrying out
heads the startup RubiconSoft, learned that she was much more effective in gain- and enthusiastically carrying out
instructions
instructions
ing the commitment of employees when she stopped relying on position power
alone to infl uence subordinates.
Exhibit 12.3 Responses to the Use of Power
Position Power Personal Power
appropriate use excessive use

Compliance Resistance Commitment

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