What Is Legitimate Power? 5 Examples of Legitimate Power

Legitimate power is a formal authority that a person has over subordinates within an organization. A person with legitimate authority receives recognition because of their job title or assigned position. For example, if you lead a team, your team members will comply with your requests because they accept the legitimacy of the formal power assigned to you as the leader.

The term “legitimate power” comes from psychologists John French and Bertram Raven, who theorized that there are six types of power used among people, governments, and institutions. According to French and Raven, the bases of social power are:

1. 1. Coercive power: This type of power gets you to comply with something you don’t want to do through the use of force or punishment. Coercion is a type of authoritarian power, for example, when your boss threatens to fire you if you don’t complete a project on time. Learn more about coercive power.
2. 2. Expert power: Expert power is when a person is an expert with special knowledge, experience, or skills. Doctors wield expert power when they give you medical advice that you then follow.
3. 3. Informational power: Informational power is when an entity or person wields power as a resource of information, which they can use to manipulate the opinions or knowledge of others. Social media companies have a great deal of informational power.
4. 4. Legitimate power: Legitimate power comes from an appointed or elected leadership role.
5. 5. Referent power: Referent power comes from individual group members respecting their community’s beliefs and organizational behavior. An example of referent power is when you follow the moral teachings of a charismatic religious leader.
6. 6. Reward power: Reward power motivates a desired behavior by offering or denying a reward. An example of reward power is when a parent promises a child ice cream if they finish their homework.

There are different forms of legitimate power, not all of which exist in the workplace. Some examples of legitimate power are:

1. 1. Coaches: A coach’s job title allows them to tell players when and how they should play. They also have charismatic power as a source of motivation for the team. Learn the difference between coaching vs. mentoring.
2. 2. Managers: A manager in a work environment has legitimate leadership power to instruct team members on how to approach projects and workflow. Learn about different management styles.
3. 3. Parents: A parent has legitimate power over their children and legally controls almost every aspect of their lives. They also have personal power, as children rely on parents to meet their basic needs and supply love and affection.
4. 4. Royalty: A king or queen of a country holds a position of legitimate power over their subjects through title alone.
5. 5. Teachers: A teacher has the decision-making power to control what and how a student learns and provides incentives in the form of good grades and advancement.

There are several advantages of legitimate power:

1. 1. Creates a hierarchy: A hierarchy establishes clear lines of authority in an organization. Everyone involved understands their responsibilities and knows who to see if they have a problem. Learn more about hierarchy culture.
2. 2. Grants influence: When you occupy a position of power, you can influence others and guide your team toward goals you believe will benefit everyone.
3. 3. Improves workflow: Legitimate power allows you to delegate and manage tasks quickly and efficiently without sharing power or decision-making duties with others.

Though there are positive aspects of legitimate power, it can also have unintended negative effects. The disadvantages of legitimate power are:

1. 1. Abuse of power: Overuse of legitimate power without any checks can lead to dissatisfaction and distrust from those you oversee.
2. 2. Does not guarantee loyalty or respect: Many people naturally distrust authority, so even if you’re a good leader, you may not receive respect from your subordinates.
3. 3. Titles don’t mean effective leadership: If an unqualified person takes on a leadership role before they are ready, they can easily hamper group progress with unwise decisions.

• Connect with your team. Avoid being a dictatorial leader in your organization. Bond with your subordinates by being approachable and open to input. Learn how to ask for feedback.
• Utilize different types of power. Legitimate power on its own is not enough to be a successful leader. Integrate other tools such as reward power and referent power to encourage a desire to succeed in your team.
• Understand your role. Know your position in the organization. Understand who reports to you and why. Be open to learning new skills in the process, and use your power for good.

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