Question at position 11 A well-respected and charismatic vice president is planning to uses her first months in office to redistribute responsibilities among the managers who report to her, aiming to optimize operations. As part of her vice president position, she has several formal tools at her disposal including how closely aligned her tasks are with the main priorities of the organization, how central her department is in the workflow of the company, the complete discretion she has over the resources in her department, and her visibility as head of the department. Thus, she has several powerful tools at her disposal. Which would likely be most effective and important over time to making sure her managers follow her influence?Centrality – being the head of a department that is key to the workflow of the organizationAutonomy – using her discretion over the resources in her department to change processesRecognition – leveraging the high visibility of her department head positionReferent – leveraging the positive views that everyone in the organization has of herRelevance – being the head of a department highly aligned with priorities of the organizationClear my selection

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BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Question restatement: A well-respected and charismatic vice president plans to redistribute responsibilities among managers to optimize operations. She has formal tools at her disposal—alignment with organizational priorities, centrality in workflow, discretion over department resources, and visibility as head of the department. Which tool would likely be most effective over time to ensure her managers follow her influence?

Option 1: Centrality – being the head of a department that is key to the workflow of the organization. This choice highlights structural importance within the process. While centrality can give leverage because the department sits at a critical point in operations, it may not guarantee ongoing influence over managers’ behavior unless reinforced by other social or personal means. It’s about position in the network, but not necessarily about enduring personal influence on subordinates.

Option 2: Autonomy – using her discretion over the resources in her department to change processes. Granting resource discretion is a form of control over how work gets done. However, autonomy alone does not ensure that managers will align with her preferences over time; it could foster resistance if changes are abrupt or poorly coordinated, and it relies on resource power rather than relational influence.

Option 3: Recognition – leveraging the high visibility of her department head position. High visibility offers status benefits and can motivate compliance through social acknowledgment, but recognition without deeper relational trust or legitimate power may fade, especially if short-term visibility does not align with day-to-day expectations or fairness concerns.

Option 4: Referent – leveraging the positive views that everyone in the organization has of her. Referent power stems from admiration, respect, and personal identification. When others want to emulate or please someone they respect, influence tends to be more enduring. This tends to produce voluntary alignment with less coercion, particularly over time, as trust and admiration consolidate.

Option 5: Relevance – being the head of a department highly aligned with priorities of the organization. Alignment with strategic priorities enhances legitimacy of decisions and can guide followership, but if the underlying personal relationships or credibility are weak, managers may comply in the short term yet resist changes that conflict with their own interests or with evolving priorities.

Why Option 4 (Referent) is the strongest rationale: Referent power arises from the leader’s character, charisma, and the positive regard of others. Since the vice president already enjoys respect and admiration, leveraging referent power strengthens voluntary compliance and genuine followership over time. People are more willing to align their actions with someone they trust and look up to, reducing resistance and increasing long-term adherence to organizational goals. This social influence is resilient to fluctuations in formal authority and can sustain behavior change beyond immediate rewards or coercive pressures.

Why the other options are weaker in this context:
- Centrality focuses on position within the workflow but does not inherently cultivate voluntary motivation or long-term alignment; it may still be effective but is more dependent on structural factors than personal influence.
- Autonomy provides leverage via control of resources, yet without relational influence, managers may perceive it as technocratic or arbitrary, risking pushback or minimal compliance.
- Recognition offers status and visibility, which can motivate in the short term, but visibility alone may wane or become ineffectual if not backed by trust and consistent behavior.
- Relevance improves legitimacy by tying actions to priorities, yet it does not guarantee willingness to follow or identify with the leader personally; it may be overridden if personal credibility is lacking or if priorities shift.

In summary, Referent power stands out as the most durable and influential mechanism for shaping managers’ followership over time because it leverages admiration and trust, fostering voluntary alignment with the vice president’s direction.

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