Essay: 5 sources of power within organisations / CEO of Japan Airlines leadership

Power is defined as the extent that a person is able to influence others, in this case employees, so that they will respond to given orders. Within an organization, there are 5 sources of power that leaders are able to draw on.
The first source of power is Legitimate power, also known as positional power, which results when managers’ hold formal positions within the organization.  Regarding the work place, it is usually held in the job description as to who will be reporting to who on a daily basis. In order for respect to be shown, it is important that the person in charge has experience, qualifications, and expertise that their position requires. The second source of power is Reward power, which is power that results from the managers’ authority by promising or giving rewards to their employees. Some examples are bonuses, increased salaries, paid leave, promotions, etc. These rewards are used as a motivating factor to encourage employees to work smarter and harder, deeming more effective towards the organization. The third source of power is Coercive power, which is power that an employer uses in order to coerce or threaten other employees. This is used in order to enforce punishable actions and strict deadlines in the work place. Some examples are leave/salary cuts, termination, etc. In some cases, coercive power has a positive impact on the performance of employees and inhibits constant challenging on the employee. The fourth source of power is Expert power, which is a step towards gaining legitimate power. This power takes place when an employee has high knowledge in their area of expertise. A prolonged display of expert power can lead to promotions and a larger sense of job stability.  The fifth source of power is Referent power, which is a result of the overall personality of the employer themselves. These leaders are able to influence their employees by their personality, background, or their everyday attitude, which raises the approachability and respect towards that person.
What Leadership principles did you learn from the video clip of the CEO of Japan Airlines? [1 page]
Haruka Nishimatsu, CEO of Japan Airlines follows what is known as, the Referent Power. The Referent Power is defined as power that comes from subordinates’ and coworkers’ admiration, respect, and loyalty. Referent power is best achieved and used in a workplace where the turnover is low and where personal relationships can be cultivated. It was shown that the task-oriented leadership style was also expressed from Nishimatsu, which is one of the principle models of leadership. Task-oriented leaders are said to define roles and set goals for both themselves and their employees. Effective managers are aware of when and how to use the task-oriented style and are able to use this in order to define expectations and tasks. The relationship-oriented style is also used in order to motivate ordinary employees to strive to achieve extraordinary results.
Instead of acting like the ruler of a company, Nishimatsu acts like a leader and sacrifices what we would consider to be “big corporate perks” in order to build a stronger, more dedicated work force. Instead of wearing expensive clothes or driving to work, he takes the bus and wears inexpensive clothes that even other employees would be able to afford, and even though his salary is usually quite sizeable, it is still lower than what the average CEO is said to make. One year, Nishimatsu even cut his wages significantly in order to avoid having to cutting into his employees pay and avoid downsizing the overall company when profits were low.
Employees usually find it difficult to be passionate about their job if their employer is afraid to get their hands dirty with their team. And when employees see a CEO with luxury possessions such as flashy cars, or excessive housing they are more likely to become discontent and harbor animosity towards their boss. These kinds of bosses slowly destroy their company by failing to create a good atmosphere for their employees. Nishimatsu knows this, and is able to create a positive environment in the workplace for higher fulfillment for his employees and a more profitable company in the long run.