M6a1-question 2

Utilizing Power With McClelland and Burnham (2003) in mind, what is “ power” and what is its role in motivational strategy? McClelland and Burnham regard ‘ power’’ as a greater motivator and an aspect, which drives and influences various aspects. Alternatively, they see the aspect of power as the need to effectively persuade, prevail or even the aspect of winning arguments (McCelland, 2008). According to McClelland and Burnham, every person has at least one aspect regarding the definition of power. In most cases, power plays a significant role in determining how employees in organizations behave (McClelland, 2008). In a situation where an organizational leader is in a position to identify the three needs that prevails among the organizational employees, then it would give the leaders a perfect opportunity to determine various ways in which the organizational employees can be motivated. In most cases, organizational employees tend to look upon their organizational leaders in order to depict what they best see. This means that the effective leaders should at least empower other organizational members who will be in a position to make use of the power given to them by furthering the vision of the leaders (McClelland, 2008).
2. What cautions would you offer to leaders in exercising this kind of power? Why?
Leaders who tend to be driven by the urge of power in most cases they fail to misinterpret it for egoism. This aspect is seen as a positive move because in most cases, they still have the ability of maintaining social relationships in their organizations and with their workers (Passmore, 2010). Alternatively, the aspect of ignoring power related concerns when it comes to organizational operations and activities might end up being negative for both the organizational employees and the organizational leaders. In most cases, ignorance of power related concerns especially in the organization mostly leads to tension and bad blood between organizational employees and the leaders. Advising these types of leaders on how best they can handle their power would be one of the cautions to offer to such leaders. Alternatively, engaging in leadership seminars is also important in such cases. During the seminars, the leaders would be given the best advice on how to control their organizational powers (Schemerhon, 2011).
3. What are the risks and benefits?
Very few aspects tend to be more important when it comes to human activities as compared to the aspect of power and leadership in the organization. In as much as power tends to be important generally, the main risk that comes with it is the increased or the excessive power, which a person has. The importance of power is when the leaders can bring out a success story from a weak business plan. This implies that power is essential in giving direction or the aspect of attaining organizational goals. On the other hand, excessive power will always create unnecessary tensions in the organization. Leaders are at risk of deluding themselves to believe they are performing in the greater good of other even in a case when they are not. On the negative side, power may give leaders the notion of being invisible given their level of control (Passmore, 2010).
4. What are the ethical and unethical uses of power?
Ethical and unethical use of power in any leadership style differs. The main difference is how the two types of leadership make use of their powers in an institution. In most cases, ethical use of power is whereby the leader uses his bestowed powers in exposing virtuous duty sense and empowering his targets. It is the use of power in doing and knowing what is right while in leadership. On the contrary, the unethical leaders mostly use their power to control their targets. In most cases, they tend to manipulate their juniors for their own benefits (Mendonca, 2006).
References
Griffin, R. W., &Moorehead, G. (2010). Organizational behavior: Managing people and organizations. Australia: South-Western/Cengage Learning.
McClelland, D. C., & Burnham, D. H. (2008). Power is the great motivator. Boston, Mass: Harvard Business Press.
Mendonca, M., &Kanungo, R. N. (2006). Ethical leadership. Maidenhead [u. a.: Open Univ. Press.
Passmore, J. (2010). Leadership coaching: Working with leaders to develop elite performance. London: Association for Coaching.
Schermerhorn, J. R. (2011). Organizational behavior. Hoboken, N. J: Wiley.