Types of Power in a Negotiation

What are the five types of power? Referent- power that comes from admiration or respect from others subject to such power Reward- power that comes from using rewards as a way to get things accomplished Legitimate- having a title that grants power, such as CEO Expert- power that comes from having supreme knowledge of the subject Coercive – using punishment as a way to get things done Consider a negotiation with which you are familiar. What parties were identified? Who had power or influence? Explain why.

I personally don’t find myself negotiating through situations on a daily basis, my work environment is very fast-paced and we usually make decisions very quickly. But I can definitely see these types of power struggles in a family situation or even a marriage. Personally I know I have used the reward and coercive powers to get my kids to do things. Being a parent also gives that legitimate power, I am MOM therefore what I say goes. Based on your experience with a negotiation, how does having one or more of the five types of power affect the dynamics of the negotiation?

I would have to say that at work our team Leader beyond having legitimate power, he also has referent and expert power. During department meetings to discuss methods to improve our efficiency we all give our feedback and go back and forth with our ideas. It is his knowledge of the company and years of experience that usually provide the most efficient approach to improving our dept. Having the respect from everyone in the department as well as other co-workers initiates the negotiation towards a productive solution.