Power Over VS Power Through: The Essence of Leaderhship & Power

Quote from Lucio Buffalmano on June 17, 2019, 4:50 pm

Power over and power through are concepts that Turner first came up with (Turner, 2005).

The concept, at the core, is very simple: are people following you because they have to, or because they want?

Power Through VS Power Over

Power Over means to have power on others by virtue of your ability to punish and reward.
In workplaces, it means that you are controlling the resources and that you're the boss.

Power through instead is the ability to mobilize others by "higher" appeals such as:

• Inspiration
• Selfless group identification
• Admiration for the leader / group

Power over without power through is based on coercion, force, and authority.

Power through is the true essence of leadership.
Leadership that resort to power over is not leadership. It's (poor) management, it's dictatorship and it's oppression.

Every time you use power over expect resentment to grow and, if people can afford it, also expect feet dragging, resistance and passive-aggression.
And of course, also expect less than stellar execution and results.

But Both Is Best!

However, this is what The Power Moves adds:

The best type of power is power through backed by power over.

Such as, you inspire and motivate, but you also have the formal authority (title) and you control the resources (salaries or other benefits).
You never resort to using threats... But you could.

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Resources:

• The basis of social power
• Explaining the nature of power: a three‐process theory
• The New Psychology of Leadership