Ways of gaining power in the workplace Reflective Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

Introduction

Every person works towards becoming a leader so that one can acquire the power and influence that come along with the position. In the workplace, there is usually a lot of competition on who gets which position.

This is the reason why employees work towards impressing their superiors so that they can get an opportunity to be promoted from the level they are in to a higher rank, which comes with more duties as well as more power. Power is defined as the ability of a person to compel others to change their actions in order to conform to what the person wants (Houser, 2004).

Types of power

There are a number of ways, through which a person can gain power at the workplace. Power gained using forceful means is considered as coercive power. This includes using intimidating and threatening actions to impose a person’s will on other people. One can also gain power through their ability to be in charge of all the means of production at the workplace. This kind of power puts one in a capacity to make all decisions pertaining to the activities taking place at work (Jex, 2008).

There is also the genuine power, which one gains because they are considered experts in their area of work. Such a position means that a person has a lot of authority both at their workplace and in the eyes of the society. These are the kind of people in power, who make it possible for others to gain some amount of power through associations.

This is what is known as referent power. People with referent power attract people because they are deemed similar to those they associate with. The final type of power is what is considered as informational power. This kind is based on a person giving relevant information, in trying to influence other people, accompanied by an argument that makes sense (Raven, 2011).

Ways of gaining power in the workplace

The first step in gaining power is ensuring that I treat everyone I work with the same way I would like to be treated. Power works well when those you are trying to influence find one approachable, easy to get along with and understanding.

I respect other employees who work under my supervision, just as they respect me. In this way, I am able to influence my employees to follow a certain way of completing a specific task without having to use any type of coercion or force because we all respect and understand each other in the same way.

I have quite a lot of experience in my line of work and this is what has enabled me to acquire a high level of power. My fellow workmates recognize this fact and that is the reason they come to me for advice on how to handle an issue that may arise at the workplace. This is because they know that I will assist in coming up with a solution that is workable and effective.

I have never used the basis of my wealth as a means of acquiring power at the workplace. I consider myself a people-oriented leader because I always consider the people who work under my authority before I embark on making a decision that affects them. I believe I am this position of power that I have earned through my own hard work and determination.

References

Houser, R. M. (2004). Gaining power and control through diversity and group affiliation. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group.

Jex, T. W. (2008). Organizational psychology: a scientist-practitioner approach. New Jersey: John Willey and Sons.

Raven, P. 2011. ““. Value Based Management. Web.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2018, September 11). Ways of gaining power in the workplace. https://ivypanda.com/essays/ways-of-gaining-power-in-the-workplace/

Work Cited

"Ways of gaining power in the workplace." IvyPanda, 11 Sept. 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/ways-of-gaining-power-in-the-workplace/.

References

IvyPanda. (2018) 'Ways of gaining power in the workplace'. 11 September.

References

IvyPanda. 2018. "Ways of gaining power in the workplace." September 11, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/ways-of-gaining-power-in-the-workplace/.

1. IvyPanda. "Ways of gaining power in the workplace." September 11, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/ways-of-gaining-power-in-the-workplace/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "Ways of gaining power in the workplace." September 11, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/ways-of-gaining-power-in-the-workplace/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1