Within the process of being a leader, earning expert power is a very effective way to gain people’s trust, and respect, which are crucial while leading a team. Expert power originates from developed skills and experience within specific areas of knowledge. Building this power will make a person seem more reliable and trusted among others, and others will want to follow their lead.
While building an expert power, a person should start by defining their competence and experience. They should bring out all of the elements which prove their knowledge and experience in certain areas in order to gain the team’s acknowledgement of their accomplishments. This way, they would show their team what areas they are skilled in and build the image of reliability. As a complimentary aspect, it is necessary to avoid trying to overestimate one’s areas of knowledge, because that might result in losing people’s trust, which is one of the most important details.
Then, once the team sees a person as a reliable leader, and there is evident proof to their knowledge and experience, it is important to maintain the level of commitment and decency. That being said, a person who wants to be a successful leader and to build an impressive expert power, should always improve their own skills (Hogan et al. 172). There is no limit to one’s experience and skills, which means that a leader should develop together with their team (MindTools). That would not only unite them more, but would contribute to the extent of a leader’s projected expert power.
Finally, despite being a leader, it is crucial to stay understanding and empathetic (Choi 27). By treating the team with respect and high expectations, the leader maintains a healthy working atmosphere and allows the workers to improve faster, which contributes to the expert power. In the end, the ability to maintain a satisfied and constantly developing team defines one’s skill set for being a reliable leader.
References
Choi, J. (2006). A motivational theory of charismatic leadership: Envisioning, empathy, and empowerment. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 13(1), 24-43.
Hogan, R., & Kaiser, R. B. (2005). What we know about leadership. Review of general psychology, 9(2), 169-180.
Mind Tools Content Team. Building Expert Power.MindTools.