Power and Influence
1. The following questions pertain to the Milgram studies (Highlight 4.2):
a. What bases of power were available to the experimenter, and what bases of
power were available to the subjects?
b. Do you think subjects with a low need for power would act differently from
subjects with a high need for power? What about subjects with differing
levels of the motivation to manage?
c. What situational factors contributed to the experimenter’s power?
d. What influence tactics did the experimenter use to change the behavior of
the subjects, and how were these tactics related to the experimenter’s power
base?
e. What actually was influenced? In other words, if influence is the change in
another’s attitudes, values, or behaviors as the result of an influence tactic,
then what changes occurred in the subjects as the result of the experiment-
er’s influence tactics?
f. Many people have criticized the Milgram study on ethical grounds. Assum-
ing that some socially useful information was gained from the studies, do
you believe this experiment could or should be replicated today?
2. Some definitions of leadership exclude reliance on formal authority or coer-
cion (that is, certain actions by a person in authority may work but should not
be considered leadership). What are the pros and cons of such a view?
3. Does power, as Lord Acton suggested, tend to corrupt the power holder? If so,
what are some of the ways it happens? Is it also possible subordinates are
corrupted by a superior’s power? How? Is it possible that superiors can be
corrupted by a subordinate’s power?
4. Some people say it dilutes a leader’s authority if subordinates are allowed to
give feedback to the leader concerning their perceptions of the leader’s perfor-
mance. Do you agree?
5. Is leadership just another word for influence? Can you think of some examples
of influence that you would not consider leadership?
