This Element explores ways in which you present yourself positively to others. This links to how you influence others which is crucial to your success as a manager. Your ability to influence others will depend on your sources of power and how effectively you use them. Therefore this session focuses on understanding those sources of power.

Over the next 20 minutes, we will look at your sources of power and how you might use these to influence those you work with and manage.

The terms power, authority and influence are often used in different ways. First we will define these terms so that we are clear about what we mean.

Some common characteristics of power are:

Power depends on relationships. You might try to persuade a colleague to support a policy that you are putting forward by offering something in return

Power derives from difference. If you believe a colleague has more valuable experience than you, then you are likely to be influenced by their judgement

Power is based on beliefs. You may make yourself impotent by attributing too much power to other peers or bosses.

Power is never just one sided. As a manager you are to some degree dependent on your staff and they could use this dependence to exert influence over you, perhaps by threatening not to co-operate.

Power is contextual. The captain of a lifeboat may be able to exert influence over the crew because the captain's authority is accepted unquestioningly. This is unlikely to be the case when the crew members are off-duty. The power depends on the context.

There are many different sources of power, or power bases as they are commonly called in organisations. The classification shown is developed from French and Raven.

Position and authority .The position that a person holds entitles them to do certain things: to give instructions to some people, to authorise expenditure, to organise work and so on. Position does not confer unlimited authority over people, but rather it confers the authority to see that certain tasks and functions are performed.

Control of resources . This can be an important source of power, both within and between organisations. The keys to power over resources are dependence and scarcity. If your managerial position enables you to allocate or withhold resources, you have real power. One way to reduce other people's power over you is to reduce your dependence on them for resources.

Social connections . As well as your formal position in an organisation, you occupy a place in a wider network of social relationships. Very often your capacity to influence events will depend on your ability to gather information and mobilise resources and support.

Expertise . Expertise is, for many people, the most acceptable source of power and the easiest to legitimise. However, it is effective only when it is recognised by those over whom it is exercised. Two important areas of expertise are technical or product knowledge and process knowledge.

Control of information . This is another important source of power. It is closely linked to several other power bases. Access to information is often a result of a person's position and their wider social connections. You need some degree of expertise in order to judge what information is relevant and important.

Personal characteristics . Your personal power comes from your colleagues' respect, loyalty and trust. It is the result of all your personal attributes and the impact that they have on other people. Intelligence, confidence, charm, eloquence, drive, integrity and friendliness are all qualities that may enhance your credibility and power.

You might have chosen 'control of resources' as a successful strategy to influence others. Perhaps you chose one, or several, of the others? All sources of power are valid in exerting influence, but choosing the most appropriate one(s) for a given situation is the key. You will need to take into account which sources of power are most relevant to you.

In presenting yourself to others you often need to influence. In this session we looked at your sources of power and how you might use them to influence those you work with and manage.

Power is the potential or capacity to influence another person or group.

Influence occurs when one person or group affects what another person or group does and/or thinks.

Authority is the particular power that is formally given to individuals because of the position they occupy.

There are six different sources of power: position and authority, control of resources, social connections, expertise (particularly technical and process knowledge), control of information and personal characteristics