One important aspect of leadership and management is the possession of power. Power is the ability to influence others to do something or what you want them to do (Alapo, 2018; Alveson & Blom, 2018; Smit et al., 2013). Choi and Schnurr (2016) assert that power is about the relationship between two or more parties. From this definition of power, one can deduce that power is intricately linked to leadership (Alveson & Blom, 2018). Earlier on in this chapter, leadership was also conceptualised as process of influence (Alveson & Blom, 2018; Belle, 2018; Mkhize, 2012; Mpungose & Ngwenya, 2017; Smit et al., 2013). Similarly, to leadership, power is not always tied to formal hierarchal position (Choi & Schnurr, 2016).
Nonetheless in the context of this study, I look at power as possessed by the principal which is a position in the hierarchy of school. To successful execute their job, the leader and/or manager must have different forms of power. However, Alveson and Blom (2018) caution that in the process of acknowledging the relationship between leadership/management and power we must not end up treating these as synonymous concepts. Choi and Schnurr (2016) also position power as a ‘characteristic’. If the position of Choi and Schnurr (2016) is anything to go by, then power can also be equated to an ‘identity’. Gagnon and Collinson (2014) confirm that power is inseparably linked to identity.
There are various forms or bases of power. These are: legitimate power, reward power, coercive power, referent power, and expert power (Alapo, 2018; Smit et al., 2013). Different forms of power are needed and useful in different contexts. But an effective leader should possess a combination of relatively all the power bases. It is important though for a leader to understand as to when to use each power base.
Legitimate power is that power that a leader has by virtue of their position in an organisation (Alapo, 2018; Smit et al., 2013). In the context of a school, the principals have legitimate power that is accorded to them by virtue of them being the principal. This form of power has its own limitations as it is embedded in the hierarchical positions. Once you step out of the formal position, you lose it. The teachers may comply with the principal’s orders just because he/she has authority but this does not guarantee the commitment of the teachers to the school’s goals
Reward power on the other hand is the ability of the leader/manager to grant rewards (Alapo, 2018; Smit et al., 2013). This may be useful in motivating and encouraging the employees to do a better job and thus increasing the productivity of the organisation. This is another important power base for principals in general, and even more important in a deprived context. This is because in a deprived context there is normally a short supply of either physical and/or human resources. Being able to influence teachers to do more than what they ought to do may sometimes be necessary. Alapo (2018) further asserts that the reward can either be in a form of physical or sometimes immaterial rewards.
Expert power is that form of power that one possesses by virtue of having expert knowledge of a particular subject that other members consider important and do not have (Alapo,2018; Smit et al.,2013). This may create a dependence –kind of relationship to the member of the organisation that possesses that ‘significant expertise knowledge’. As asserted in the preceding paragraphs, this form of power does not always rest on formal positions (Choi & Schnurr, 2016). In a school context, even a teacher who does not hold any specific position in the organogram of the school may possess this form of power (Smit et al., 2013). As the principal cannot be an expert in everything, he/she then needs to have a strategy of tapping to the expertise of other teachers. Smit et al. (2013) postulate that a leader who has this kind of power has a ‘special power’ over those who need it, yet do not have it. This then implies that if a leader wants to maximise his/her influence in an organisation, they must seek to always have expert knowledge. They can gain this knowledge by continually developing themselves through workshops, studying further etc.
Referent power is the ability of a leader to influence the followers to voluntarily follow a leader without feeling obliged to do so (Alapo, 2018; Smit et al., 2013). Alapo (2018) associates this power base with charismatic leaders. Smit et al. (2013) assert that in a case of referent power, the followers just like the leader because of their characteristics. The principal can also possess this kind of power.
The last power base that is not an ideal one for school principals or any other leader is the coercive power. This power base involves influencing other through fear (Smit et al., 2013). This is not ideal because it has a potential to cause the employees to lose commitment to the goals of the organisation and also develop ‘job-dissatisfaction’ (Alapo, 2018). A principal should tap to this power base as the last resort after all has failed. Alvesson and Blom (2018) caution that power should be exercised with some level of intelligence at all times. The use of
‘wrong’ power base, the failure to balance the power bases adequately and misuse of power may cause conflict in an organisation. And conflict is not an ideal phenomenon in an organisation; it should be avoided at all cost.