Chapter 6: Several Types of Power

Person A (i.e. manager or company) has power over Person B (employee) because Person A has control over what Person B wants.
There are five types of power:
(1) Reward Power - formal or informal award (i.e. bonus in exchange for compliance),
(2) Coercive Power - certain behaviors will lead to punishments (i.e. relocation or demotion),
(3) Referent Power - willing to do what Person A asks in order to become like this mentor/charismatic leader
(4) Exert Power - willing to do what Person A says because respects Person A expert knowledge
(5) Legitimate Power - complies with Person A wishes because Person A holds a high-level position (i.e. division head)

This concept of power, and various types of power, is relevant because it provides insight into the many reasons why some employees comply accordingly and become the ultimate company team player. The irony is that those who comply and be somebody's "YES, whatever you want" person will actually gain power themselves as a reward. In return, they will treat someone else in the same fashion, exerting these different power. I find that in my previous work life, coworkers would complain to me about a certain manager, but in reality they are also yearning to becoming that person, to have the same expert knowledge, and to be able to exert the same kind of power.