Why Referent Power Is The Most Important To An Organization

I think referent power is the most important to an organization. Having influence over the employees is the best thing a manager could have (Ejp5030, 2013). Could be used to motivate the employees towards realizing organizational goals. Different factors determine the power of an individual — first, the ability to influence the employees to do something or to follow you. The rank or job position within the organization determines the level of power. Power is also determined by the amount of knowledge that someone has in a particular field or the amount of experience. The reward power is the most effective form of power that I have ever experienced. For example, while working as a sales agent at my former company, the employee with the highest sales could be given. This did not only motivate us to achieve the organizational goals but also to raise our productivity level by hitting the daily sales target. This also made us feel valued by the organization. 

Discretion is the power contingency that I continuously experience in my professional career. Discretion refers to a situation where the one makes decisions without referring to any particular rule or getting permission from anyone. (Hardy, 2015) For example, the manager could receive a lot of complaints and challenges that the sales team used to face. The manager was forced to make immediate decisions without seeking permission to help in solving the daily challenges. Discretion is the most effective and efficient as it helps in keeping the organization operational and solving day-to-day problems. Some of the concerns expressed by the employees require an immediate response, and they may not be outlined with the organization rules and regulation. Therefore, the manager is compelled to make decisions based on what he or she believes is best for the company without making any consultations. 

References 

Ejp5030 (2013). Types of Power: Which is Best? Penn State, Retrieved from https://sites.psu.edu/leadership/2013/10/13/types-of-power-which-is-best/ 

Hardy, N. (2015). The contingencies of power: reformulating Foucault. Journal of Political Power, 8(3), 411-429.