So much potential power comes from holding a position of leadership.
But when you switch to a new organization — or if you lose the title that gave you this power — you lose all of the power that came with your title.
However,personal poweris a source of power that cannot be taken away from you. Together, positional power and personal power work to help you exert influence and meetorganizational goals．
Let’s explore what positional power means, how it differs from personal power, and how you can cultivate positional power to grow your influence at your organization.
What is positional power?
Positional power is the type of power you have when you have a specific rank or title in an organization. It usually comes with legitimate power, which is the formal power to act in an organization.
When you have positional power, you may also gainreward power．This kind of power gives you the permission to use rewards to persuade employees to follow your instructions. On the flip side, coercive power is the ability to punish an employee for noncompliance.
Depending on the type of positional power you hold, you may have both coercive and reward power along with your legitimate power.
However, positional power doesn’t automatically grant youexpert powerorreferent power．
Expert power instead comes from your personal experience or knowledge. And you have referent power when others respect and trust you. Someone with referent and expert power can wieldboth power and formal authority．
Examples of positional power
There are several types of positional power you can hold in an organization. But not all positions grant you the sametype of power．
For example, as an effective team leader, you may have positional, expert, and referent power, depending on your authority andskillset．但大多数团队领导人没有奖励或coercive power.
A department manager or HR manager, on the other hand, may have reward and coercive power, which grants themlegitimate power．
But even with these types of powers on their side, they won’t have expert power unless they have expert knowledge on a related topic or field. They also won’t automatically have referent power unless their team respects andtrusts them as a leader．
Other examples of positions that grant positional power include:
- Chief Operating Officer
- Vice President of Marketing
- Director of Operations
What is personal power in leadership?
Personal power is the power you have based on your skills, competencies, characteristics, and other personal attributes.
It’s not a formalform of power．But it does have the ability to inspire andmotivate others．
What is the difference between positional power and personal power?
Both positional power and personal power can allow you toexert influenceto impact other people’s behaviors.
Positional power gives you the authority to influence behaviors because of what your position allows you to do. But personal power comes from:
- Your character
- Your skills
- How people see you
With the former, it’s your title that holds the power, not you as a person. With the latter, you as a person can have influence and lead others.
Why are positional power and personal power both important?
No one can take away your personal power. It comes from within you.
If your positional power changes or is completely taken away, you’ll still have your personal power to rely on.
This doesn’t mean that positional power doesn’t have its purpose. Positional and personal power work together to build your influence, inspire others, and have your team be fully involved in achieving your organization’s goals.
While personal power can help you inspire others, positional power gives you the legitimate power you need to veto andmake decisionsand move your team forward in unison.
5 ways to increase your positional power
Want to startbuilding influence at workto increase your positional power? Here are five ways you can better yourself so that you move forward in yourcareer path, which can lead to gaining more positional power.
1. Build your network
Networking is a key aspectof increasing your positional power. Sometimes knowing the right people can open the door to future opportunities.
Always be ready for an impromptu networking opportunity. One way to do this is to have an elevator pitch ready topresent yourselfin any situation. An elevator pitch is a 30-second speech that传达你的长处．
You can use networking like an informalinformational interview, enabling you to get an insight into what other jobs are like.
2. Find a sponsor
When you find someonewilling to sponsor you, you’ll have a cheerleader who can vouch for you when opportunities for positional power open up.
That’s why a sponsor can make a huge difference in yourcareer development．
A sponsor can also help youunlock your potential and drive your performance．They know what it takes to reach the position they’re currently in.
When looking for a sponsor, consider reaching out to someone who’s different from you. 71% of corporate sponsors areof the same gender or race as their primary sponsee．But partnering with someone of a different race or gender can help you bothdiversifyyour points of view and expand your knowledge.
3. Develop your communication skills
Communication is key in the workplace, no matter your position. Butimproving your communication skillscan go a long way to helping you attain positional power.
When you know how to communicate better, you can better articulate yourpersonal goalsin an organization. This can help you make your case to your higher-ups toget a promotion．
But communication will also help you perform better in a position that holds more power. Those skills are necessary to guide your team in the right direction and keep them motivated.
4. Practice leadership skills and behaviors
Greatleadership skills and characteristicsdon’t come on their own. Some people have innate leadership abilities, but it’s more likely that you’ll need to practice and develop thosekey leadership behaviors．
Some examples include:
One way to practice these skills is tobecome a mentorto someone else in your organization. You don’t need to have positional power to change someone else’s life right away.
5. Lead with more charisma
Charisma isn’t necessary to gain positional power. However, it does move the needle in your favor when you’re able to lead with more charisma.
Charismatic leadershipis a blend of personal charm, communication skills, andpersuasivenessthat you can use toinfluenceandmotivate people．
In order to become charismatic, it’s important tocultivate self-confidence．It’s also key to practiceself-awarenessand humility. Charisma shouldn’t be confused with arrogance.
A charismatic and effective leader is mature andoptimistic, even whendealing with disappointment．They’re also passionate about the work they do and have a strongly definedpersonal vision．
Start to practice sharing your enthusiasm about your work with others. Not only will leading with charisma help open doors to gain positional power, but it will also help you develop your personal power too.
Cultivate personal and positional power, no matter your role
Positional power is an important aspect of building influence. But so is personal power. Both have a role to play in your career development.
As you look for opportunities for promotion, consider finding ways to grow your personal power along with it.
Need help developing your personal and positional power? Our coaches love to help driven individuals achieve their full potential.Request your free custom demoto get started.
