Reference no: EM132890191

Do you agree or disagree? Why or not? Please cite your evidence.

Organizations absolutely need to be aware of how their power is distributed and utilized. Abuse of power has a significant impact on the culture of an organization and both the engagement and productivity of employees. Sources of power include: Legitimate Power, Reward Power, Coercive Power, Expert Power, and Referent Power. Dependent on the source of power and how it is levied, the consequences may move individual contributors between a committed, compliant, or resistant reaction.1

Abuse of Legitimate Power can undermine the systematic structures that are being put in place by individuals in lower levels of the organization. I routinely see internal customers "run to the top" for approvals, rather than enduring the standard process. This circumventing of the system leads to dissatisfaction of the employees that are working to uphold the structure that is in-place. Abuse of reward power may lead to a favoritism complex within an organization and lead to unproductive employees. Additionally, an abuse of power may lead to a conflict of interest in business dealings.

Power can be used in a healthy way within organizations when utilized appropriately. Legitimate power allows for senior level leaders to remove barriers for productive work that will yield positive results. Additionally, Expert and Referent power may serve as inspirational to many employees within the organization that may go above-and-beyond the role expectation. This will lead to positive results.

One primary way that an organization can protect abuse in power is an endorsed and upheld checks-and-balances structure. Multiple level of approvers for material activities, as well as policies that are enforced at all levels of an organization. Lastly, empowering individuals to utilize an ethical hotline or outlet promotes accountability at all levels of an organization. If you see something amiss, you are expected to report the issue.