Compare and contrast the sources of power and provide examples of each.

Industrial Organizational Psychology 1

Effectiveness

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit VI Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

1. Define leadership. 2. Compare and contrast the sources of power and provide examples of

each. 3. Evaluate trait theory and the major research findings regarding traits and

leadership. 4. Identify behavioral models of leadership. 5. Compare and contrast contingency and situational models of leadership. 6. Discuss transformational leadership and how it impacts followers. 7. Explain Vroom-Yetton’s approach to modeling decision-making. 8. Analyze the major findings regarding gender and leadership.

Unit Lesson In previous units, we explored ways to assess employees, and we also discussed ways to motivate them. When motivating employees, often the goal is to influence them in some way, to encourage a positive response from them that is aligned with their job and the organization’s goals. Throughout the organization, there are individuals in defined, as well as undefined, roles who have the capacity to influence employees. There are leaders in formal positions of authority, as well as leaders who emerge in response to the needs of the environment. The art of leadership has been studied for thousands of years, and I/O psychologists today are studying the traits, behaviors, skills, processes, and outcomes of effective leadership in the workplace. They are conducting research and publishing in top academic journals, such as The Leadership Quarterly. They are also working within organizations as leadership coaches, assessing leadership potential in employees, creating leadership development programs, analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of leaders, and exploring ways to promote positive, ethical forms of leadership. In this unit, we will explore some of the more prominent theories of leadership that I/O psychologists recognize and apply. Leadership Defined Leadership, “involves influencing the attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and feelings of other people,” (Spector, 2012, p.326). It is a topic that is of interest across many different disciplines, and has its roots in ancient times. Today, there is a renewed interest in the topic of leadership as organizations strive to identify ways to maximize performance, inspire employees through challenging times, and to address wide scale issues of ethical misconduct within industries. There are many ways to study leadership. A good starting place is to consider the role of power in the relationship between leaders and followers.

Reading Assignment Chapter 13: Leadership and Power in Organizations

The paper must be neatly formatted, double-spaced with a one-inch margin on the top, bottom, and sides of each page. When submitting hard copy, be sure to use white paper and print out using dark ink. If it is hard to read your essay, it will also be hard to follow your argument.

Suggested Reading Xiaoyong Xufen

Yujiannong, S. (2011). Ethical leadership and leaders’ personalities. Social Behavior & Personality: An International Journal, 39(3), 361-368.

Learning Activities (Non-Graded) See information below.

PSY 4680, Industrial Organizational Psychology 2

People can derive power from a variety of sources. For example, a police officer has a certain degree of power, such as the power to punish or to initiate a punishment for people who are not abiding by the laws. Similarly, parents have power over their children, power to punish or to reward. Parents also have power over their children due to the fact that they know more than their children, such that children will turn to their parents for advice or answers when in doubt. This power enables the parent to influence their children, even after adulthood begins (Raven & French, 1958). French and Raven (1958) describe a variety of sources of power including expert power, legitimate power, reward power, coercive power, and referent power. Leadership and Power Expert power refers to a source derived from having expertise in something. For example, a person in the office may emerge as a leader in certain situations when their expertise becomes relevant to addressing an urgent problem (e.g., technological problems). Legitimate power refers to a source derived from one’s position. For example, a person who is in the position of “Store Manager” can lead others to behave in certain ways simply because of their position within the organizational hierarchy

Industrial Organizational Psychology 1