DQ3-2

DQ 3

-

2

1.

The difference between personal power are positional power are that personal power comes from the two sources,

referent and expert, and positional power comes from legitimate, reward, and coercive sources. Personal power

can be used by anyone at any level

or position within an organization whereas positional power comes with your

job description and hierarchy. Power is used by public administrators to manage predetermined goals and ensure

success in an organization. Personal power can be used in public admi

nistration through the values and standards

you hold yourself to which reflect to those around you and whom you serve. A person’s conduct in the workplace

holds a lot of influence upon others, so it is important to hold yourself to a code of ethics. Person

al power in

public administration is important to the citizens in building that trust between them and the local, state or

federal government in order to achieve community goals. Positional power can be used in public administration by

enforcing values and

ethical responsibility through rewards, coercion and legitimacy. For example, using rewards

to influence employees to give ethical values top priority when it is done through raises, promotions, public

recognition, and other means unless the system reinfo

rces unethical behavior, moral motivation drops. “Misplaced

rewards are all too common, as in the case of electronics retailers who reward employees for selling expensive

extended warranties on new products; such warranties are generally a bad deal for con

sumers” (Johnson, 2013).

For public administration’s sake, convincing citizens of a new policy that will not benefit them or not providing the

new park that citizens need and have proved will benefit because it does not fit, all for your self

-

serving agend

a

because you have that positional power.

Reference

Johnson, C. E. (2013).

Meeting

the

ethical

challenges

of

leadership:

Casting

light

or

shadow.

Thousand Oaks, CA:

Sage. ISBN

-

13: 9781452259185. Retrieved from

http://gcumedia.com/digital

-

resources/sage/2013/meeting

-

the

-

ethical

-

challenges

-

of

-

leadership_ebook_5e.php

2.

The differences between personal power and positional power are dependent on the individual who holds them.

Personal power is derived from leadership styles and the ways that leaders choose to lead through legitimate,

expert, referent,

coercive, and reward concepts of power (Johnson, 2013). Personal power has a direct correlation

to personal ethics and moral values. Positional powers come from concepts of legitimate and coercive structures,

however I feel that personal powers can often

influence positional power outcomes and that the two are very

closely connected. The differences are through the use of legitimate and coercive concepts of power (Johnson,

2013). Certain positions contain positional powers that are upheld through legitimat

e and coercive structures.

Meaning, if a subordinate creates a variance, then the direct supervisor above could exercise legitimate/coercive

powers in following disciplinary action.

A great example of how both, personal and positional powers are so closely

intertwined is when the late great Sen.

John McCain gave his iconic thumbs

-

down vote to repeal the Obamacare Act (Stevenson, 2018). In this example,

the republican senator that could have decided the winning vote for his political party which, in turn, wo

uld have

declared a victory. However, deep down Sen. McCain knew it wasn't

good enough for the American people. The bill

needed improvements and he wasn't

willing to sacrifice or compromise the American citizens for a win. Sen.

McCain utilized both, person

al power and positional power when he gave his no

-

vote. His personal moral code and

ethical standards influenced his position of power. Rather than give in and exercise his legitimate power of casting

the vote, he elected not to and instead utilized his ex

pert and referent powers in making his decision. Great

leadership can acknowledge the fine line between both personal and positional power.

References

Johnson, C. E. (2013).

Meeting

the

ethical

challenges

of

leadership:

Casting

light

or

shadow.

Thousand Oaks, CA:

Sage. ISBN

-

13: 9781452259185 URL

:

http://gcumedia.com/digital

-

resources/sage/2013/meeting

-

the

-

ethical

-

ch

allenges

-

of

-

leadership_ebook_5e.php

DQ 3-2

1.

The difference between personal power are positional power are that personal power comes from the two sources,

referent and expert, and positional power comes from legitimate, reward, and coercive sources. Personal power

can be used by anyone at any level or position within an organization whereas positional power comes with your

job description and hierarchy. Power is used by public administrators to manage predetermined goals and ensure

success in an organization. Personal power can be used in public administration through the values and standards

you hold yourself to which reflect to those around you and whom you serve. A person’s conduct in the workplace

holds a lot of influence upon others, so it is important to hold yourself to a code of ethics. Personal power in

public administration is important to the citizens in building that trust between them and the local, state or

federal government in order to achieve community goals. Positional power can be used in public administration by

enforcing values and ethical responsibility through rewards, coercion and legitimacy. For example, using rewards

to influence employees to give ethical values top priority when it is done through raises, promotions, public

recognition, and other means unless the system reinforces unethical behavior, moral motivation drops. “Misplaced

rewards are all too common, as in the case of electronics retailers who reward employees for selling expensive

extended warranties on new products; such warranties are generally a bad deal for consumers” (Johnson, 2013).

For public administration’s sake, convincing citizens of a new policy that will not benefit them or not providing the

new park that citizens need and have proved will benefit because it does not fit, all for your self-serving agenda

because you have that positional power.

Reference

Johnson, C. E. (2013). Meeting the ethical challenges of leadership: Casting light or shadow. Thousand Oaks, CA:

Sage. ISBN-13: 9781452259185. Retrieved from http://gcumedia.com/digital-resources/sage/2013/meeting-the-

ethical-challenges-of-leadership_ebook_5e.php

2.

The differences between personal power and positional power are dependent on the individual who holds them.

Personal power is derived from leadership styles and the ways that leaders choose to lead through legitimate,

expert, referent, coercive, and reward concepts of power (Johnson, 2013). Personal power has a direct correlation

to personal ethics and moral values. Positional powers come from concepts of legitimate and coercive structures,

however I feel that personal powers can often influence positional power outcomes and that the two are very

closely connected. The differences are through the use of legitimate and coercive concepts of power (Johnson,

2013). Certain positions contain positional powers that are upheld through legitimate and coercive structures.

Meaning, if a subordinate creates a variance, then the direct supervisor above could exercise legitimate/coercive

powers in following disciplinary action.

A great example of how both, personal and positional powers are so closely intertwined is when the late great Sen.

John McCain gave his iconic thumbs-down vote to repeal the Obamacare Act (Stevenson, 2018). In this example,

the republican senator that could have decided the winning vote for his political party which, in turn, would have

declared a victory. However, deep down Sen. McCain knew it wasn't good enough for the American people. The bill

needed improvements and he wasn't willing to sacrifice or compromise the American citizens for a win. Sen.

McCain utilized both, personal power and positional power when he gave his no-vote. His personal moral code and

ethical standards influenced his position of power. Rather than give in and exercise his legitimate power of casting

the vote, he elected not to and instead utilized his expert and referent powers in making his decision. Great

leadership can acknowledge the fine line between both personal and positional power.

References

Johnson, C. E. (2013). Meeting the ethical challenges of leadership: Casting light or shadow. Thousand Oaks, CA:

Sage. ISBN-13: 9781452259185 URL:http://gcumedia.com/digital-resources/sage/2013/meeting-the-ethical-

challenges-of-leadership_ebook_5e.php