Comment le pouvoir peut-il influencer notre courage ? (texte en anglais)

How can power be used to influence behavior? How many types of power exist? Which are most likely

to produce the compliance and commit- ment we seek from subordinates and peers? These kinds of questions have been studied and discussed for centuries. A scholarly analysis of recent research is offered by Gary A. Yukl, State University of New York at Albany, in his several textbooks on lead- ership. Specifically, his textbook, Leadership in Organizations, Second Edition, published in 1989, reviewed the research to date on power and how it influences behavior and leadership effective- ness. Two of his tables on the subject and selected short excerpts are included here.

Yukl considered whether effective leaders have more power or different sources of power than ineffective leaders, and whether they exercise power in different ways. His findings are particularly germane to proposal management professionals who may correlate persuasion and influence as one and the same.

How do these types of power influence behavior and what type of outcome does each produce? Yukl’s findings are summarized in Table 2. “By drawing upon a diverse litera- ture in the social sciences that includes research on power, leader behavior, motivation, communication, counseling, supervision, and conflict resolution, it is possible to devel- op some tentative guidelines for leaders,” he writes. “These guidelines vary in degree of empirical support; some are fairly well supported, while others are mostly speculative. However, for managers faced with the immediate necessity of influencing others, the guidelines provide the best advice possible… The guidelines are usually phrased in terms of leader influence attempts with subordinates… but most of the principles’ underlying guidelines apply equally well to influence attempts with peers, and many apply to influence attempts with superiors.”

Clearly, as persuaders, we have an interest in gaining com- pliance with our requests and objectives. Compliance is one of three potential outcomes. The two types of power most likely to produce compliance are reward power and legitimate or position power, such as that attendant to positions of manager or chief.

In the context of legitimate power, Yukl explains that authority is exercised by making a legitimate request, either verbally or in written form. A polite request is more effective than an arrogant demand. Compliance with the request is more likely if it is perceived to be within the leader’s scope of authority. An illegitimate request is likely to be ignored, or otherwise resisted, especially if the requested

activity is tedious, dangerous, or unpleasant. Legitimate requests should be made in a clear, concise manner, using language that the target person can easily understand.

Reward power is most commonly used by making an explicit or implicit promise to give a person something under the leader’s control for carrying out a request or per- forming a task. Compliance is most likely if the reward is something valued by the target person. Recent research also suggests that effective managers provide sincere, public recognition to subordinates in the form of awards, cere- monies and special symbols. Significant rewards accompany the recognition, but the focus is on the person’s contribu- tions and achievements, not on

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