Chapter readings for February 22
Organiztional structure, power and the role of the nurse leader.

Chapter 13 discusses eight different types of power.
1. Reward power is the ability to grant favors or rewards for their employees to work toward.
2. Coercive power uses fear as the motivator for meeting goals set by managers.
3. Legitimated power is the power gained by a position or title
4. Expert power is gained as knowledge is gained
5. Referent power may be obtained by association with others who have power.
6. Charismatic power is a personal power
7. informational power is obtained when someone has information that other people need.
8. Self power comes with maturity, ego, security in relationships and is gained as a person gains control over his/her own life.

My thoughts about power are that it is good to be well rounded and have some of each of the diffferent types of power to draw from. I think that gaining knowledge, surrounding your self by others who have power, having information that others need, being charismatic, having control over your own life, and being able to recognize others contibutions and reward them for those contributions is what makes a good leader. Coercive power is the least effective for building good relationships with coworkers and family members. Unfortunatly coercive power is what I use too much in my home. For example do your homework or you will be grounded. It may work but nobody is really happy.

I am looking forward to working on increasing my personal power base especially in the self power area. For the past 7 years I have felt like instructors, homework, and time at school have been controlling my life not me. I plan to take my life back by spending more time with my family helping them with their homework not doing mine, and building relationships with them again. I can not wait to have time to plan menues and prepare healthy meals again. Having time for exercise again so I can feel better and think more clearly. I feel that as my self power increases I will be able to increase my confidence and build power in the other areas. One must care for themselves before they can care for others.