Question

Case Six   Power/Influence   

You have just been hired as the project manager on a major project that is critical to the company’s success.  Eight people from different functional specialties have been assigned to your project team.  About forty percent of their time will be devoted to the project.  They take their direction from you with respect to the project but are not under your direct authority as they continue to do other work and continue to report to their current manager.  

Question:

• Describe the sources of power you can use to ensure that the project deliverables are completed on-time and to the level of quality required.

Answer 1

The responsibility to work as  project manager has been assigned to you as a result of your expertise, experience, subject matter knowledge and other skills which make you the right candidate to manage the resources and ensure that the project moves in the right direction and the tasks are accomplished with due care, precision and high quality. In this scenario, followin sources of power can be used to ensure the successful completion of project with high quality output.

(i) Legitimate power. This power comes from the hierarchial status granted by the company to you, which empowers you to influence and manage the employees during the time they are commited to the project.

(ii) Expert power. The project manager's role is an expert who has proved himself /herself in past in the same capacity, has handled a number of different projects and has high subject matter expertise- all of which make you command a position of respect and influence where your subordnates expect you to help them with all expertise and experience you bring to the role.

(iii) Referent power - Owing to aura that surrounds your personality due to subject matter skills, knowledge, interpersonal skills and your positive perception among employees, you command an influential position and each word of yours is taken seriously and people wish to have your opinion before making a project related decision.