Introduction to Power and Influence

Power is the capacity to produce effects on others (House, 1984), or the potential to influence others (Bass, 1990).

Traditionally, power has been seen as something that a leader possesses. However, power is a function of the leader, the followers, and the situation (sound familiar?) Leaders can potentially influence the behaviors and attitudes of their followers. But followers can also affect the behavior and attitudes of the leader. Many people use the terms “power” and “influence” interchangeably. However, for this lesson we will distinguish between them.

Influence is the change in a target agent’s attitudes, values, beliefs, or behaviors as a result of influence tactics.

Influence tactics are one person’s actual behaviors designed to change another person’s attitudes, beliefs, values, or behaviors. These are the behaviors exhibited by one person to influence another. They range from emotional appeals, to the exchange of favors, to threats. People with more power will probably use a wider range of influence tactics than individuals with little power. Keep in mind that both leaders and followers can use influence tactics.

You may now be asking what the difference really is between power and influence. In a nutshell, power is the capacity to cause change and influence is the degree of actual change in attitudes, values, beliefs, or behaviors. This means that influence can be measured by the behaviors or attitudes of followers. Let’s use an example to clarify all of this. Pretend that I am your leader. I have power over you in that I have the capacity to cause change in your work patterns (since I can decide your grade). Now we could see my influence over you when you actually make corrections to your assignment (change in behavior) in order to obtain a higher grade.