What is authority? How to gain personal authority

Forming factors

German sociologist Max Weber named three sources (prerequisites) for the formation of public recognition and respect:

1. Traditions and habits. The longer a person leads, the more others become accustomed to it.
2. High official status. If a person has the status of a leader, director, then it is easier for us to recognize him as a leader. Weber called this rational validity.
3. Affective legitimacy. Leadership qualities and charisma are what create informal leaders. These people are confident in themselves, think soberly and clearly, know how to lead, speak beautifully, can unite people and lead them.

Based on these criteria, three types of authority can be distinguished: more formal, less formal and personal. In the first case, we are talking about respect for the position, in the second – for status, in the third – for the individual.

Authority as a tool of power

Power is one of the most attractive social phenomena for humans. Power over your body, your desires, power over nature and, of course, other people. It allows a person to feel his own power and superiority over others.

One of the most effective instruments of power is authority, which ensures almost unconditional obedience to its bearer. This is due to a positive assessment of a person with authority and the conviction of the correctness of the decisions he makes. Such a person wants to trust and obey.

True, depending on the nature of power, the formation of authority occurs in different ways. There are formal and informal aspects of power and, accordingly, the authority of a leader and manager.

Leader's authority

This type of influence is based on a person's personal qualities. A leader has a set of characteristics that attract people to him and provide him with high social status and, accordingly, authority. The following personal qualities are necessary to gain authority:

• self-confidence, conviction of one’s rightness and one’s strength;
• high level of energy, desire for activities aimed at achieving significant goals;
• possession of charisma - a bright personality associated with giftedness, special abilities, primarily in the intellectual and social spheres;
• good organizational and communication skills, developed rhetoric and persuasive skills;
• acceptance of one’s high status, the need for social recognition and even the admiration of others.

Without these qualities and abilities, it is impossible to become a real authoritative leader, a person for whom people recognize the right to power, that is, the right to make and manage decisions.

The authority of the leader

A manager, unlike a leader, receives power, so to speak, in a ready-made form. His right to influence people is based on formal laws, regulations, resolutions, etc. In fact, a leader can influence people without having authority; for this he has tools of coercion and encouragement. For example, he can demote or promote a person, give a bonus, or transfer him to a less prestigious job.

The manager has management powers delegated to him by the highest authority. Therefore, managers often have no authority at all. And if authority does exist, then it is not based on personal qualities. This is primarily the authority of status. People are accustomed to believing that those who have formal power have reached the position of leader, are obviously smarter, more professional than ordinary members of the group, and, therefore, have the right to make decisions and lead. Having lost his position, such a leader quickly loses his authority.

Even the terms “leader” and “manager” reflect the very essence of the difference between types of influence. A leader is a manipulator; he controls people, while remaining aloof from the immediate process of activity. He is, as it were, behind the scenes, giving orders, shifting the entire burden of implementing decisions onto the shoulders of his subordinates. And the leader leads the group, he goes ahead, taking upon himself the first blow, the greatest responsibility, and the entire burden of joint activity.

There is, of course, a situation when a manager simultaneously has informal authority, that is, he is also a leader. This is the best, most effective option for the successful activities of the group. In addition, it is a condition for a positive psychological climate and helps resolve internal conflicts. But unfortunately, this situation does not always occur. After all, already having the influence of status, a leader often does not want to make efforts to gain personal authority as well.

How to raise your authority

If a person has earned recognition and trust, then he does not need to constantly prove his strength and confirm his importance. However, this does not mean that he can relax. Now we need to focus our energy on maintaining trust. You cannot abuse it, abandon those qualities and values ​​for which people recognized the individual as a leader. Otherwise, a person will lose trust, he will have to think about how to increase his authority.

Is it possible to regain trust? Yes, but it's very difficult. How to increase your authority? Be patient and calm. Pay attention to compromise as a method of resolving disagreements and improving relationships with people, and start building a good reputation. Identify the single root cause of loss of respect. Think about what you should do to fix this.

Types of Authority

It is prestigious to be an authoritative member of the community, and many strive to achieve this high status. And there are individuals who, due to their character traits, are literally obsessed with the desire for power. The ways to gain influence over people can be different, and depending on them, different types of authority are distinguished.

True and false (imaginary) authority

True authority is a consequence of a person’s constructive activity and the respect that other members of society have for him. Forming this type of authority requires not only considerable effort and time, but also the personal qualities mentioned above.

It often happens that the desire for power, the desire to control people and benefit from it, rests on the lack of authority. Not everyone is willing to sacrifice their time and interests in order to earn respect. If such people are also deprived of moral principles, then they go to gain authority in roundabout ways: they use manipulation, intrigue, hypocrisy, spreading rumors and inciting interpersonal conflicts.

The famous psychologist E. Berne described such actions as social games. Often, with the help of such dishonest methods, a person manages, if not to earn respect, then at least to gain influence over people. This is false or imaginary authority, which, in fact, is not authority, but only a temporary advantage of a person who has managed to fraudulently climb the ladder of status.

Such recognition is unstable; authority not supported by respect and constructive deeds can crumble like a house of cards from one wrong action, another lie or careless word. False authority can lead a person to the status of a “gray eminence”, but he will never become a real leader

Rational and irrational authority

This classification was introduced by one of the leaders of psychoanalysis, E. Fromm.

Rational authority is based on the arguments of reason, on a rational assessment of the qualities, abilities and experience of an individual. The main role in the formation of this type of authority is played by the level of competence - the higher it is, the more stable a person’s influence in a certain area, the more authoritative his opinion and the more trust in him.

So, if we invite a specialist to set up our computer, then we are primarily interested in his competence and professional experience. We trust a high-level specialist, and for us he is an authority in this field. But only in this area. We won't expect advice from him on how to raise children or how to marinate meat for barbecue.

Consequently, rational authority is not universal in nature and has to do not so much with personal qualities as with professional ones. Another feature of rational authority is its tolerance for criticism. Moreover, this type of influence requires constant confirmation of the level of competence and proof of professionalism in practice.

Irrational authority is the influence of power and status. It does not require reflection and does not tolerate criticism. Thus, people often believe that those who are higher in status than them are obviously smarter, more experienced, and more authoritative. Therefore, the boss, the representative of the government, by virtue of his status and rights, is an authority. This is irrational authority, and any attempt to seriously analyze and evaluate the actions of an authoritarian person can lead to disappointment in it.

But many people do not want to think about, analyze the actions of the authorities, since it is more convenient and easier for them to irrationally trust them, to shift the solution of their problems and responsibility for these decisions onto the shoulders of authoritarian individuals.

Authority attracts.

Our professional authority, our authority as a leader, and our parental authority are especially dear to us.

What contributes to your personal authority? Social status is important. People pay attention to what position you occupy in life, whether you have the right to dominate others. Authority grows along with the strength of your character, your self-discipline and demands (primarily on yourself).

True strength always commands respect. Rich life and professional experience is always important. The authority of an experienced master is always higher than the experience of a beginner, especially since his broad outlook and deep knowledge contribute to this. Knowledge is power! Many people use a variety of tricks to create authority, learn to advertise for themselves and make an appropriate impression. In addition to all the previous points, chips enhance authority, without them, out of nowhere - they create only inflated and temporary authority.

Author: N.I. Kozlov

Classification of the phenomenon from the point of view of psychology

The definition given to the phenomenon by the famous psychologist Erich Fromm presupposes the existence of rational and irrational authority. The first represents trust in the competence of another person, which he must actually confirm. The second type is based only on high social status, and trust is replaced by fear. The motto “The boss is always right, and if he’s wrong, then see point 1” clearly demonstrates the approach to management in the case of irrational authority.

We recommend: Enneagram: Personality Types

Many works have been devoted to the study of authority; there are quite a few sound theories that explain the mechanism of action of the phenomenon. However, until now experts have not agreed on how to correctly classify this phenomenon. From a psychological point of view, the most important types of authority are:

• Internal authority. Implies the existence of internal conviction in the correctness of decisions made, competence as a specialist. The phenomenon is characteristic of strong-willed people who often occupy a high position in society.
• Emotional authority implies inner maturity and calmness. People with this phenomenon are characterized by the ability to get along with others and build relationships with people according to the “master-follower” type. Very rarely, internal authority and emotional authority can be combined; people with such a unique phenomenon become charismatic leaders.
• Professional authority – characterizes the competence of a specialist.
• Public – the authority of the people, the state.
• Individual – characterizes an individual personality.

Psychologists pay special attention to false authority, which can take a wide variety of forms. The pseudo-authority of suppression is most interesting; manifesting itself in extreme forms, it can give rise to authoritarian thinking and a sense of impunity in the leader

Distance and detachment from others, which impart an aura of mystery and importance, can also create a sense of authority

Leadership styles

Jack Wood: It is important for a leader to be able to control his emotions. You need to be able not to demonstrate self-doubt and anxiety, but to show calmness and confidence. Quiet leadership is often more effective than loud leadership, but it all depends on the situation. Loud leadership sometimes helps to move forward.

Alexey Ulanovsky: This is a matter of expanding the leader’s arsenal: in a crisis you can be a noisy leader, but it is very important to also be able to ask questions and listen to answers, and show empathy. We can be flexible and switch between different leadership styles.

Authority - what is it?

What is the meaning of the word authority? The term is derived from the Latin word autoritas, which means “power, influence.” What is authority? Let's give two definitions:

• this is the high status of an individual or group;
• This is the generally recognized informal influence of an individual, group, or organization on society.

The formation of public respect occurs in the process of socio-psychological interaction, based on society’s recognition of the achievements, merits, experience, and knowledge of an individual (organization, group). An authoritative person can be a person, a group, an object, an idea, a value system, a social institution, an organization, or a concept. What does authority mean? To recognize someone's authority means to recognize the superiority of the subject, his moral, spiritual strength, competence, dignity.

What is the definition of authority in psychology? Authority is an instrument of power in psychology, a means of maintaining discipline. An authoritative person is listened to and obeyed, they obey him unquestioningly (unquestioned authority). Sometimes it reaches the point of absurdity, submission becomes blind, turns into worship. This is how a cult of personality, a sect, is born.

Who is an authoritative person

Who is an authoritative person? This is the one whose opinions and actions influence people. Some people believe that an authority figure is someone whom others fear. Being afraid means being respected. Guided by this attitude, parents beat and punish their children, and the boss deprives his subordinates of bonuses and salaries, and the government introduces harsh laws that limit freedom and individual rights. Is it correct? No, this is wrong, this is a false authority.

True respect is based on democracy, trust, respect. An authoritative person becomes an example, a role model, a transmitter of ideas and values, norms of behavior that society shares with him. An authoritative person guides others without coercion, motivates, stimulates, and interests. If a society submits to someone or something due to blackmail, bribery, pressure and coercion, but at the same time constantly experiences internal protest and a craving for sabotage, then this cannot be called authority. Only the one who is obeyed voluntarily is a truly authoritative person.

Examples

In production and in business relations, public recognition does not always coincide with official social status. For example, the director of an enterprise or the class leader may not be an authority. At the same time, any ordinary employee can earn universal recognition. And in the classroom, any student can become an authority for a certain category of children.

You can name authoritative publications, channels, organizations, stores, enterprises. For example, Channel One in Russia is considered an authoritative media outlet, but not everyone agrees with this. This is the specificity of authority. It practically never happens that absolutely all people perceive one subject as their leader. This is a subjective concept.

An example of the use of trust and subjectivity of the phenomenon: advertising with celebrities (politicians, musicians, actors). “I trust this bank” or “I recommend this to you,” says an authoritative representative of the society. And the audience thinks: “Yeah, since he’s even investing his money there, then I’ll invest it too.” And those who have already invested and lost their money think: “Again, you are ready to advertise anything for money, but you yourself will never contact this company.” For the second category, this subject is no longer a significant person. And there is a third category, who are initially indifferent to this or all other media personalities.

Burden of Heroism

Heroism is inherent in each of us, but not that reckless cinematic heroism, which is with a bare heel on a saber, and the other - that with an open heart and a sober mind in the heat of complete uncertainty. It’s easy to be a hero, committing recklessness approved by society, but try to follow the call of your soul contrary to the expectations of your loved ones and even at the risk of losing their love and understanding. This is where real heroism lies!

It’s difficult, but deep down, every person is drawn to exactly this - to the free expression of one’s own personality, contrary to all foundations, prohibitions and well-known paths. We are all invariably drawn to places where on unknown paths there are traces of unseen animals.

It’s not for nothing that we all like books and films about heroic adventures. Each of us has a drive to reach the full potential of our personality, and it finds expression in our admiration for the heroism of others. A hero is someone who dares.

And we all want to follow his example.

The hero bets on himself, and not on whether society will accept him. He does not need the love of others and therefore can afford to have an independent opinion that is inconvenient for others. He can afford to be strong because he is not afraid of losing the cozy company of the weak. Such heroism costs him dearly, but the song of his own soul is more important to him.

Take, for example, independence of judgment. Valuable quality? Definitely! But what does it entail? What is the price of independent judgment? To express an independent opinion about life or any particular area of ​​it is the risk of losing agreement with all those who cannot afford independent judgment. Having your own opinion is the first step to loneliness.

Determination? Leadership ability? Force? The most valuable qualities that, ultimately, always find recognition in society. But before this very “final score” is summed up, they all lead the individual through the abyss of loneliness and the cemetery of dead heroes into a space of complete uncertainty.

It's impossible to be a hero while remaining like everyone else... and this brings us to a rather wild question. Every personality is unique by definition, then why are there so many equally faceless people around? What price do we pay for our social well-being and the psychological comfort that life in a society of averagely similar people brings with it?

Living in a society on a well-trodden track is a guaranteed way to live long and tolerantly. The life of a hero is a way to live as long as necessary, but happily.

Which path do you choose? This is not about the long term or one heroic act of a lifetime, but about all those small choices that happen every minute in our lives. What do you choose over and over again: the risk of being yourself or calm peace in general facelessness? Whose life do you choose to live - yours or someone else's? Whose commandments do you follow—your own or someone else’s? Whose rules are you playing by? Which of the beaten paths are you following?

Everyone wants to be independent, strong and decisive. Moreover, heroism is not just a desire, it is an innate need of every person. A hero is not a rare chosen one of fate. We are all heroes, we are all chosen. Each of us has all the necessary abilities, attributes and enough strength to walk the path of a heroic strong personality. And only we choose who we want to be in this life. The only question is whether we are ready to pay the price that freedom will require.

What it is

Social psychology has its own explanation of the term authority, what it is and how to obtain such status. In everyday understanding, this word means a person or organization that has a great influence on society. Unlike tyranny, recognition is obtained through non-violent means. It is given for intellectual achievements or moral qualities.

Definition in psychology

In social psychology, the term authority is explained a little differently; this concept affects the social sphere. It means a special form of influence on a group of people.

The main method of management is belief. People voluntarily recognize the power of an authority and agree to follow him. Not every individual knows how to use authority. Such influence is formed due to special personal qualities and abilities to organize general activities.

The concept of personal authority

This term refers to special personal development that reaches a high level. Such a person commands respect from many people. Often this type of power is based on charisma, i.e. unconscious attraction.

A person with personal authority has special energy, passion, and the ability to speak emotionally and inspiringly. He has good looks, good rhetorical skills, and is confident.

Personal authority is a synthesis of innate and acquired qualities. Every leader who wants to become successful should acquire a similar form of influence.

Instrument of power

Many people strive to take a leadership position, but it is not easy to do. It is possible to obtain the position of chief by force, but this will not give complete satisfaction from having power.

Authority in society means a lot and provides great opportunities.

The peculiarity of authority is that people themselves choose whom to follow and whom to believe. They do not need to be forced or forced. An individual with this form of influence knows how to persuade, and there is no doubt about the correctness of his decisions.

In social psychology, it is believed that authority is based on trust, respect, and democracy. This is what is useful for recognizing yourself as a leader. All other methods will not give long-term results.

In pedagogy, authority is also important, since the obedience of students depends on it. Modern children will not respect a teacher just because of the age difference. Therefore, an adult will have to find ways to win the favor of schoolchildren.

The leader and his powers

Alexey Ulanovsky: Authority is translated into Russian as powers, an authoritative person, a figure.
Ronald Heifetz defines authority as the conferred power to perform some service or service. Several key elements are emphasized here: authority is something given that can be taken back, just as it was given. Authority is the same thing as, for example, gravity: it is useless to deny. As soon as we find ourselves in a group, inequality arises: some differences, distribution of resources - money, time, the right to speak first. There is always competition for who speaks the most. Authority gives definition and understanding of one’s place in the group. As soon as we take authority away from the group or someone begins to doubt authority, the number of fights and conflicts increases sharply. This is how revolutions arise.

When exploring the topic of authority, we study the behavior of animals in a group. How do you know who has more authority in the pack? A very simple sign: this is the individual that everyone focuses on. We see a similar phenomenon in children. Already in a group of four-year-olds, authority is distributed unevenly: someone initiates games, acts as a mediator of conflicts, and speaks on behalf of the entire group. And the rest are inclined to obey, imitate and - what is important - give gifts.

How do you recognize a formal leader - a manager who is officially authorized to fulfill his role? There are four signs:

1. Veto the admission of a candidate.
2. Give instructions to subordinates.
3. Reward subordinates
4. Initiate the removal of subordinates from their positions.

If even one of these components is missing, the manager is not fully authorized by his supervisor. But that is not all. In addition to the formal one, there is personal empowerment. It is important to understand that personal authority is not limited to personality traits, but is part of larger complex dynamics in the group and in group processes.

The authority of the leader

Listed in Fig. 1 elements form the authority of the leader. It has a significant impact on the development and implementation of SD. In management psychology, there are several types of authority: the authority of distance, the authority of kindness, the authority of compensation, the authority of reasoning, the authority of pedantry, the authority of conceit and the authority of suppression (Fig. 2). Each variety includes additional elements that, in the opinion of the manager, should increase his influence on the staff. Let's briefly look at these varieties.

Rice. 2 Types of authority

The authority of distance is formed by creating artificial barriers in contacts and the transfer of information between the leader and the executors of his decisions. The effect of the manager's unavailability stimulates the subordinate to take proactive decisions.

The authority of kindness is formed as a result of an exaggerated display of sensitivity, pity and kindness towards subordinates. The role of a comforter unites subordinates in carrying out the decisions of the leader. However, the deadlines for completing work may be delayed for any valid reason.

Compensation authority is created by using strong incentives (compensations) to complete a task. In this case, the subordinate is not interested in the result, but in compensation. For very boring and heavy work, this variety brings good results. The mechanism of compensation authority is reminiscent of the work of a trainer with animals in a circus. For certain movements, animals receive tasty pieces of food.

The authority of advocacy is formed due to the manager’s broad approach to the subject of SD. The variety of ideas creates in the subordinate an opinion about the high qualifications of the manager and stimulates better performance of the assigned task. However, very lengthy discussions by the manager can significantly reduce the interest of subordinates in completing the task.

The authority of pedantry is created by detailed preliminary study by the manager of all elements of the task and issuing them to subordinates. Strict regulation of tasks increases the likelihood of obtaining the specified quality of products in the allotted time. The professionalism of the manager plays a decisive role. However, the role of the performer is reduced to simple routine work without creative elements. Extremes of regulation are always poorly perceived by subordinates, which leads to staff turnover and formalism.

The authority of swagger is formed by artificially inflating the authority of the leader in the eyes of subordinates. “Inflated” authority can be created by superiors, colleagues of the manager, or the manager himself. This type, to a certain extent, helps the leader to effectively influence subordinates both himself and through other people. Let us remember how in Tsarist Russia the caps of landowners, gendarmes and other powerful people were sent to pacify the rioters. However, this can lead to a high ego of the manager and a gradual loss of desire for professional development. The authority of suppression is organized as a result of the predominance of the priorities of power over the priorities of the company’s main personnel, clients and counterparties. This type helps the manager quickly implement decisions both horizontally and vertically. A typical example of the use of the authority of suppression is the US military pressure over a number of years on Iraq and in the fall of 1999 on Yugoslavia. The effectiveness of a given authority is determined by the set of goals pursued. However, the unprofessional creation of such authority can lead to weak threats and punishments, as well as revolts among staff.

Mechanisms of authority and power

Authority is a type of power. Authority is a highly valued quality that subordinates attribute to a leader and that determines their obedience without persuasion or threat of punishment. It is based on consent and means respect for the leading person or institution, trust in them. The implementation (or non-compliance) of the manager’s orders depends not only on his authority and resources, but also on counteracting factors that must be taken into account in leadership work. In business organizations, the main properties of power include its following manifestations:

• social character. Power is not a personal, personal property or attribute of any person, but exists only in relations between people, i.e. as a social relation;
• asymmetry. Representing the relationship and interaction of various people, power is characterized by unevenness, asymmetry of influence, its direction from the leader to the subordinate;
• purposefulness, or target determination of power. Power in an organization is built on the basis of certain goals, primarily the goals of the organization, as well as the manager and employees;
• the potential nature of the influence of power resources (means). This means that submission is usually achieved without the use of means of influence, but either by threat (in the case of punishment) or by expectation (in the case of reward) of their use;
• the faith of performers in the ability of the leader (the holder of power) to influence themselves, their needs and interests. Without such faith, a person or a governing body, even if they have effective means of influence, will not achieve stable obedience;
• the possibility of resistance and even insubordination. Power is never absolute, since a person has freedom of choice and can disobey. In an organization, the power of government is generally significantly limited;
• causal, causal nature of power. The power of one person is the cause of the behavior of another person, which, in turn, is a consequence of the power influence of the first;
• partial, limited power determination of behavior, especially behavior in an organization. Power in an enterprise never covers all the causes of behavior. It does not apply to privacy and freedom. If desired, an employee can resign and leave the field in which there is a government that does not suit him.

The strength of power in an organization can be expressed by the following formula (sometimes called the “power formula”):

b = f (x, y, z),

where in is power; f—functional dependence; x - number of reasons; y is their direction; z is the strength of each cause.

The implementation (or non-compliance) of the manager’s orders depends not only on his authority and resources, but also on the presence and strength of opposing factors that must be taken into account in leadership work.

The “formula of power” can be somewhat simplistically illustrated by the following example. The manager requires the employee, contrary to the law, to systematically work overtime. In this case, the subordination of the employee and the power of the manager - B depend (this reflects f) on the following reasons:

• X1 - habit of obeying orders;
• X2 - fear of sanctions from the manager, reluctance to spoil relations with him;
• XZ - the desire to earn extra money and buy, say, a long-desired car;
• X4 - the wife’s growing dissatisfaction with her husband’s late returns from work;
• X5 - severe fatigue and headaches.

Direction - Y of the first three (X1-3) of these five reasons is positive for the authorities, the last two are negative. Moreover, power - B depends on the force of action of each of the causes - Z and the sum of these forces. If the habit of obeying, the desire to maintain a good relationship with the leader and buy a long-awaited item is stronger than the fear of domestic quarrels and deteriorating health, then the leader’s power will remain; if not, then there will be no subordination.

Authority and its types

The power of a leader is directly related to his authority. Authority is a highly valued quality that subordinates attribute to a leader and that determines their obedience without persuasion or threat of punishment. It is based on consent and means respect for the leading person or institution, trust in them.

Authority can be true when the leader actually possesses the qualities that his subordinates endow him with, and false, formed on misconceptions about the leader’s personality. Depending on the underlying qualities, authority can be scientific (the quality of scholarship), business (competence, skills, experience), moral (highly valued moral qualities), status (respect for the position), etc.

In relation to business organizations, authority is divided into:

1. official or formal, based on organizational norms and structures, respect for governing bodies and positions, recognition of the right of their representatives to command, the conviction of the need to maintain order and obey leadership;
2. business, which presupposes the high professional competence of the manager (or any other employee), his ability to solve organizational problems better than others and achieve success;
3. personal (personal), formed on the basis of highly valued individual qualities that are not directly related to job responsibilities. These are, for example, qualities such as decency, intelligence, sociability and pleasantness in communication, caring for people, extensive knowledge, modest lifestyle, musical and other abilities, etc.

The leading place among these types of managerial authority is occupied by business authority. It is he who is directly related to the effective implementation of the goals of the organization and its employees.

Authority is a type of power. Its main feature is that the motivation of subordination is based not so much on faith in the leader’s possession of significant external resources or means, but on faith in the leader himself and his personal significance for subordinates.

Bases and types of power

Depending on the resources used, power is divided into two types: positional and personal power. Positional power is based on business authority, control over various, including monetary, resources used for reward and punishment, as well as information and working conditions. Personal power is based on the competence, friendship, loyalty, and charisma of the leader. The following types (bases) of power in an organization can be distinguished:

1. Reward. It can come in various forms: salaries, bonuses, promotions, awards with status symbols (hero of labor, honorary master of the company, etc.), praise, expressions of gratitude from management, providing opportunities for study, improving working conditions, etc. .d. The motive for subordination in this case is to satisfy the diverse needs and interests of employees. Interest encourages subordinates to voluntarily carry out orders, making control and the use of negative sanctions unnecessary. It promotes the development in people of other types of positive motivation for obedience - obedience based on conviction, authority and identification. Remuneration is the leading basis of power in an organization, since it is associated with the main goal of work activity: obtaining funds to satisfy the most important human needs. The corresponding type of power, namely power through reward, is most effective if the reward is perceived as deserved and fair.

2. Punishment: salary reduction, deprivation of bonuses, demotion, transfer to another place of work with worse working conditions, reprimand, censure, criticism, dismissal, etc. Power through punishment is based on fear of sanctions. Punishment usually acts as a potential threat or possibility of its application. The strength of power based on fear is directly proportional to the severity of the punishment and inversely proportional to the likelihood of avoiding it in case of disobedience. Such power tends to weaken due to the natural desire of people to get rid of this unpleasant emotional state. Work motivated by punishment provides only minimal labor productivity and results sufficient only to avoid sanctions. Punishment is effective when it is perceived as fair and is based on the authority of generally accepted norms and values. In management practice, it is better to use punishment in combination with reward, showing the opposite consequences of good and bad work. This contrast enhances the attractiveness of effective work and the unattractiveness of poor work, and also increases the clarity of understanding of desirable and undesirable behavior.

3. Business authority of the manager. Power based on business authority, i.e. Expert power means that the leader, according to employees, has the competence, knowledge, experience and ability necessary to solve certain problems in the absence of such abilities in other group members. The use of expert power in modern conditions is one of the leading factors of effective leadership. This does not deny the paramount importance of power through remuneration, which acts as the foundation of the entire system of leadership-subordination relations in the organization. It is on this foundation that expert power is built. Sometimes it can exist in a latent, hidden form, when the manager obeys his advisers in everything, which can also be close relatives, for example, the wife of the owner of the company.

4. Information. Expert power is often identified with information power (power through information), based on control over knowledge, information and the means of their dissemination. Of course, these two types of power are closely interrelated, especially at the personal level, since the bearer of expert power is distinguished, first of all, by greater awareness necessary to solve certain problems. However, expert power presupposes superiority not only in knowledge and information, but also in skills and the ability to use them. Information power can have not only a personal, but also a positional character, i.e. may be associated both with the individual possession of certain information and with control over the means of obtaining and transmitting it, over information flows in general due to positions occupied. In the case of information power, the basis of subordination is not only business authority, but also the beliefs and value orientations of employees, formed on the basis of the information they receive, as well as their own decisions, determined by the volume and nature of the knowledge they have. Information power can serve not only the dissemination of objective information, but also manipulation, i.e. controlling the consciousness and behavior of people contrary to their interests, and often their will, through the use of special methods of deception.

5. Legitimation. Power through legitimation is in many ways akin to expert power. It is based on official authority, recognition of the norms and values ​​of a given organization, as well as the right of managers to order and the obligation of employees lower in the official hierarchy to obey. Power through legitimation presupposes that employees assimilate the norms and requirements of the organizational order, understanding the need to distribute statuses and roles for the success of collective activities. Command and subordination are directly linked here to positions held. The legitimacy of organizational power is transferred to its representatives. Power through legitimation is not always firmly institutionalized. The manager can delegate her employees to perform certain tasks.

6. Persuasion. Power through belief overlaps with power through legitimation, as well as informational power. However, in general, this type of power has broader bases. Submission by conviction is associated with the motivational influence of fairly deep layers of consciousness: mentality, value orientations and attitudes. The conviction to obey a leader does not necessarily flow from his legitimacy. It can be the result of explanatory and educational work or awareness of organizational and (or) social benefits, and can stem from religious, moral and (or) patriotic beliefs. Power through persuasion is more often used in extreme situations, when employees are required to exert a lot of effort, sometimes beyond the bounds of the law.

7. Identification. Power through employee identification with a leader, group, or organization often grows out of power based on interests, conviction, and authority. Identification is primarily an emotional connection between the subject and the object of power. It manifests itself in the formation of a sense of unity in them, in the desire of employees to please the manager, take an example from him, and copy behavior. In this case, maximum power is achieved, the leader is perceived by subordinates as their representative and protector, and his orders are perceived as a common matter that is important for everyone. Subjective identification of performers with the leader can be explained by several reasons:

• the real duality of the position of people in relation to power, as is the case in democratic organizations, where individuals act as both the subject of power (they choose and control the leadership) and its object (they carry out its decisions). In this case, both agents of power coincide, although not completely;
• the commonality of interests and values ​​of the leader and the performer and the emergence in the latter of a feeling of unity with the former and (or) with the entire organization;
• the charisma of the leader, his unusually high, in the opinion of subordinates, personal qualities;
• educational (including manipulative) influence and the influence of culture characteristic of the organization and focused on the formation of its members’ loyalty to the organization and corporate identity, a sense of the collective “we”. The culture of an organization as a factor of collective identification is widely used in the practice of Japanese management, which considers loyalty to the organization and the assimilation of its symbols and values ​​as one of the most important conditions for success.

8. Habit of submission. Many types of power rely on power through habit (power through legitimacy, power through identification, etc.). Habit was one of the leading motives for organizational subordination in traditional societies, where the leader was likened to the head of the family, and subordinates were like children who obeyed him unquestioningly. Most of all, power through habit is manifested in stable teams with a long work history of the manager and employees. Here, the orders of the manager, often even beyond the scope of his rights and competencies, can be carried out for a long time out of habit, without any reasoning or doubt. Habit is a reliable factor in the stability of power until it comes into conflict with new demands. Power, based only on the habit of obedience, is quickly destroyed as soon as people notice that “the king is naked,” i.e. that power has outlived its usefulness and the leader is unworthy of obedience. In modern society, the sphere of power through habit is gradually shrinking.

9. Organizational ecology. Some authors, for example M. Irle, identify environmental power, or power through changing the work environment, as a special type. The basis of this power is the interests of the people. Its essence lies in the conscious formation by the manager of the working conditions and organization of the employee’s workplace in order to eliminate undesirable forms of his behavior, as well as influence him in general. Environmental power manifests itself in the form of control over the work situation and, through this, influence on the consciousness and behavior of employees. It has an indirect nature of impact, mediated by working conditions. To a certain extent, it can be interpreted both as power through reward in the form of improving working conditions and enriching its content, and as power through punishment, i.e. deterioration of conditions and impoverishment of labor content. However, in contrast to these types of power, which presuppose employees' knowledge of positive or negative sanctions for corresponding types of behavior, environmental power can also manifest itself in the form of preventive actions of the manager that are not expected by employees in order to influence them accordingly. For example, a manager can significantly increase the degree of loyalty of an employee and achieve obedience on his part by creating better working and rest conditions for him than others.

The considered bases and types of power are closely interrelated, and some even partially coincide. Their knowledge helps the manager to choose the best ones for a particular situation and accurately outline options for their use.

How to gain authority

How to gain authority in a team:

• identify an informal leader, try to make a positive impression on him and other people;
• be tactful, demonstrate professionalism and the best human qualities;
• show interest in other people, demonstrate your dignity through deeds;
• Communicate as much as possible in an informal setting.

Don't try to play and please, be yourself. This is the only way you can not only earn authority, but also maintain it. By pretending, sooner or later you will get tired and want to be yourself, but it is not a fact that others will be happy about it. It may deprive you of recognition.

To earn personal authority, you need to work on the elements on which it depends:

• social position and status (you must be an example of a successful life);
• a strong character;
• self-demandingness and exactingness;
• self-discipline;
• self-confidence;
• rich professional and life experience (erudition, developed horizons, large stock of knowledge and skills);
• uniqueness and individuality.

An authoritative person must have the following qualities:

• sincerity,
• honesty,
• communication skills
• openness,
• positive,
• naturalness,
• responsiveness,
• hard work.

How to gain authority among people (more details):

1. Assess the usefulness of your personal and professional qualities to other people. Conduct a written reflection. Assess how well you have developed the qualities necessary to win recognition.
2. Determine what you are missing. Make a plan to develop these qualities. Think about what tools you have, what resources you lack, and where you can get them.
3. Learn to communicate with people, develop communication skills. This is necessary both for self-presentation, manifestation of one’s qualities, and for building relationships.
4. Become a valuable member of society. Think about what socially significant business or activity you can do. Remember that you must be guided by the interests of the group and put your desires into the background. The more people need you, the higher your importance.

Learn to respect and appreciate other people, listen to them, and be forgiving. Do not shift your duties and responsibilities onto someone else's shoulders. Be active and cheerful, then you will definitely achieve authority in your circles.

How to gain authority?

Let’s make a reservation right away that we will consider ways to gain genuine authority based on real personal qualities and actual achievements. Conquering it is not so difficult, but it requires a responsible and disciplined approach. At the same time, in different areas of life the methods can differ quite significantly. We will talk about how to earn authority with your superiors, in your team and in your family.

How to earn authority from your superiors?

Managers always respect competent and responsible employees who demonstrate the following behavioral characteristics:

• take responsibility for their work and their responsibilities;
• show that they care about the company’s success;
• demonstrate a high level of competence;
• develop, increase the level of their professionalism;
• are able to competently justify their proposals;
• have self-esteem.

It is these qualities of behavior that allow you to gain the authority of your superiors and achieve recognition of your value and importance for the company. At the same time, attempts to please your superiors solely through your helpfulness usually lead to the opposite result.

How to earn authority in a team?

Authority among employees is no less important for building a successful career than authority among superiors. At the same time, winning it can be even more difficult, in addition, it often depends on random factors. Optimal tactics involve the following behavioral features:

• be friendly to everyone without exception, but at the same time avoid flattery and ingratiation;
• avoid any gossip, demonstrate indifference to it;
• never express grievances against your superiors;
• adhere to strict professional and life principles;
• be independent, have your own opinion, which should look as objective and thoughtful as possible;
• Don’t meddle in someone else’s personal life and don’t talk about your own.

Many people strive to gain popularity in the team by actively discussing with their superiors and colleagues. However, this approach does not achieve respect. At the same time, a person who stays away from gossip and discussion of his personal life, as a rule, commands respect, because no one is afraid that he will wash his bones in the smoking room.

How to earn authority in the family?

Every person wants to be treated with respect in his family. But in practice, achieving this can be difficult, since most of us “relax” in front of our loved ones, because why be shy if “everyone is our own here.” To gain authority from your loved ones, you should be more disciplined about your behavior and develop a number of habits:

• be responsible for each of your actions, be able to admit when you are wrong and apologize if circumstances require it;
• show others and understand yourself that you are doing everything for family well-being and for the happiness of loved ones;
• be patient and be able to forgive, not remember old grievances and not grumble for a long time because of other people’s mistakes;
• do not be shy to demonstrate care for the person who really needs it, but do not indulge the whims.

Many people think that they can gain respect in their family by showing their strength and importance, but this is a wrong approach. Moral pressure never improves relationships. But the ability to behave with dignity in front of loved ones, treating your family with respect and responsibility, always contributes to the formation of sustainable authority.

Will combined with flexibility

Gennady Samoilenko, founder of Online Personal:

Any leader needs four qualities to successfully manage a team and business processes: willpower, charisma, communication skills and intuition.

Will is what helps to cope with current affairs if there is a lack of motivation. Willpower is needed both for career success and for authority in a team. A weak-willed leader will never be authoritative.

At the same time, it is important to combine will with flexibility and spontaneity. You can be strong-willed, but flexible when making decisions, tolerant, loyal with subordinates and boss

There are people who are flexible, but not strong-willed. This is when you accept the points of view and views of other people, but at the same time you cannot do anything yourself. Will is always a sign of adulthood.

Flexibility can be learned. It is enough to find the equipment and launch the trigger mechanism.

Authority and respect in the team

It is difficult to understand why you need authority and where to start gaining it. The rest is a matter of technique. Authority in the team determines the level of respect that your colleagues have for you. Achieving this status gives a lot of advantages to its owner. The most important thing is a feeling of self-satisfaction, and the opportunity to find like-minded people and followers. For a manager, authority is the only chance to make the team a single group of people striving for the prosperity of their own company and working with enthusiasm for the benefit of the common cause.

However, for someone who has just joined a new team, winning the respect of colleagues is a top priority. Future work and relationships with employees depend on this. To avoid getting into trouble on your first day at work, try to talk less about yourself and listen more.

For some time you will remain a stranger with whom no one will share secrets or be frank. Look closely, listen, and ask unobtrusive questions to understand the rules by which this community of people lives and communicates. Try not to be too annoying with questions or expressions of your own opinion, so as not to seem intrusive and tactless. Remember the first, patronymic and last names of each team member so as not to offend a person with impolite treatment. Do not enter into conflicts with anyone, neither with leaders nor with outcasts. Remain neutral until you clearly decide which group you will join.

Choose your own approach to each team member. Try not to show a sense of humor, because there are people who do not understand humor and will be offended by your innocent joke. Do not share your own observations with anyone around you. While you don’t know people, it may happen that you entrusted your secret to the first gossip. Ask for advice and seek help on issues directly related to your work life. Participate in events and parties held in the office, company or factory. Don't tell everything about yourself in great detail, but don't be secretive or unsociable.

Don't refuse to help anyone, but don't let yourself be used. It is necessary to clearly set the boundaries of what is permitted, beyond which no one will go. Don’t refuse in a harsh manner; explain your reluctance to help with your next whim by saying that you have too many responsibilities and don’t have free time for it. Success in a new team depends on how passionate you are about the idea of ​​a common cause that people have been doing here for a long time. New ideas and original solutions will make even the most ossified skeptics recognize you as an interesting personality. Your authority directly depends on how respectful you are to your employees.

You have achieved what you want - authority in the team. Now do not engage in soul-searching and search for the origins and reasons for the new status. Take advantage of your position, but do not forget that losing authority is much easier than gaining it. Nothing should change in your behavior and attitude towards others. Self-improvement and determination will remain the companions of a person who enjoys the respect of others for life.