Angie Week 12 Referent Power
In our society, why is it that so many people look up to celebrities? Even in our workplaces, what is it that makes us lean on our organizational leaders and managers? One thing that all these people have in common is the referent power they hold upon the subjects.
Referent power is defined as the influence a person has over others due to the admiration and respect they receive from them. Referent power is a personal power, and is determined by the followers rather than the person themself. It is built up over time through the trust earned by the subjects.
Referent power is an important aspect of strong leadership. When people look up someone, they admire their personal traits and qualities. Many will try to refer to their leaders when making decisions, and imitate their way of doing things. This is what bestows the influence leaders have on their followers.
Referent power can also be used to advertise or publicize certain objects or events. For example, many clothing or cosmetic brands will pay celebrities to model for their products. As celebrities have a substantial amount of referent power over the general public, they are able to reach out to more people. The advertised product will then be marketed to a wider audience, who upon seeing that the celebrity is using the product, will also likely purchase it, thus increasing sales and business.
However, what makes referent power difficult to have? In many cases, leaders and celebrities are seen as role models by their followers. Because of this, they shoulder a certain amount of responsibility to live up to the expectations of the people looking up to them. In a way, they have to fulfill their roles, which can prove to be burdening to some people.
https://expertprogrammanagement.com/2017/06/the-5-types-of-power/
I learned a lot from this post, probably because I had no idea referent power existed before now. I have often wondered how the concept of celebrities came into being, and what characteristics made mankind as a whole look at one person for the first time and decide, “Let’s idolize them!” Your post indicates that power is more of a balance between the admired possessing certain appealing traits and the admirers responding positively to these characteristics.
ReplyDeleteHi Angie, I think that without referent power, we'd basically be running around like chickens with our heads cut off. In order to ensure maximum productivity and success, a leader must be present to guide his group members. You also bring up a good point when you say that there is a risk that comes with referent power; many look up to their "leader" and it places a pressure on the leader to live up to the expectations placed on them.
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ReplyDeleteI find this concept of referent power very interesting. I feel like anyone, not just famous people, can have it as well. There are students at our school who have a ton of power because they are highly respected. These kinds of people tend to have tons of friends, and everyone has a high regard for them. They are able to lead large groups of people, coordinate events, and a lot more. They are also a perfect representation of some of the people in our ASB.
Hi Angie, I learned a lot from your post about referent power. This is a very important type of power as it can influence both yourself as well as others. Like the example of celebrities you mentioned, many of them use their referent power to appeal to the public in commercials and advertisements. This type of power is also shown by people in leadership positions and can be very influential on others.
ReplyDeleteHi Angie, I'd have to agree that referent power is a great example of a common power we see exercised in society today, whether it be the influence of celebrities, sports icons, or someone we simply look up to. Like most other powers, I think that referent power has the capacity to be used for good causes and abused for more nefarious purposes. People who have referent power at their fingertips should definitely consider how and why they are using their influence before taking action.
ReplyDeleteHi Angie, I think that referent power is critical to people who need support from others. Referent power is most important to people like the president or a King or Queen. We also see that people with referent power have the most influence on society and how people think. We can see this with people like social media influencers and go further back in history, even Hitler.
ReplyDeleteHey Angie, I feel like this power is often found especially in influencers that particularly haven't been cancelled yet. We all have something to do with this power that influencer have with the admiration and influence we give these people.
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