Authority and power in leadership and its effects on people in organisations
Authority and power in leadership Many people often confuse power with authority. In any case, authority and power are intricately interrelated and are indeed a source of confusion among people who do not understand the concepts fully. Power denotes something different. Authority has been defined as the moral or legal right given to a person to give orders, make decisions and enforce obedience, by virtue of the position held in the organisation. The definition of authority differs from that of power in that it identifies legitimacy, justification, and the right to exercise power. Authority is always official in nature and so it is legitimate. When a person joins an organisation, he enters what is termed as a psychological contract, subjecting himself to the authority system of the organisation. Authority systems differ from one organisation to another. The legitimacy of authority finds its source from culture, values and political systems, and hence it varies from soci...