Power, situation, and leaders' effectiveness: An organizational field study

Abstract

Studied prevalence and effectiveness of 8 types of influence in noncrisis and crisis circumstances, using 125 male leaders (aged 25–60 yrs). Subordinates assessed the leadership ability of their superiors by completing an influence analysis questionnaire. Results indicate that open consultation was judged to be used more often in noncrisis than in crisis circumstances; formal power, sanction power, and expert power were more prevalent in crisis situations. In addition, each leader's managerial qualities were evaluated by his superior. It was found that more formal power was ascribed to effective leaders in crisis circumstances than in noncrisis circumstances; for their less effective colleagues, no difference appeared between situations. Predicted interaction effects with regard to sanction power and expert power were not found; open consultation, however, was resorted to more often by the most effective leaders in noncrisis than in crisis situations. (9 ref) (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)