Module 2 Expert Power

What is expert power?

Expert power is very common within teams and communities (Badura, Galvin, & Lee, 2022). It comes from somebody being an “expert” in what they do, or what they know (Wang & Noe, 2010). This doesn’t necessarily mean they need to have a PhD or be some sort of genius. It simply means that they know how to do something better than other people can.

There is a certain time when expert power is at its strongest is when someone knows how to do something that nobody else in your team or community can do (Yukl, 2010). For instance, when a person was working in the interpreting field, that person would often come across people who understood parts of interpreting techniques or decision making skills that nobody else knew anything about. This meant that these people had strong expert power, because they were the only source of expertise within that particular area (Wang & Noe, 2010).

It’s not all about interpreting though. It can be about having specific skills and knowledge in any domain. Expert power can create a power dynamic where a facilitator or mentor feels compelled to do what the expert wants, for fear of them leaving or becoming unhappy (Yukl, 2010).