The Difference Between Power Wielders and Leaders By George MacGregor Burns

"The two essentials of power are motive and resource."

Weber on power, power "is he probability that one actor witha social relationship will be in a position to carry out his own will despite reistance, regardless of the basis on which this probability rests."

P equals the power holder and R equals the power recipient. Probability determines the actions of the power recipient. So, Burns asks, what controls the degree of probability?

He explores the role of purpose and determines that a psychological approach is easier to understand. He assumes that power is a relationship that involves intention, and purpose, of both the P and the R. Since he is difficult to paraphrase, I will simply quote:

I view the power process as one in which power holders, possessing certain motives and goals, have the capacity to secure changes in the behavior of respondent, human or animal, and in the environment, by utilizing the resources in their power base, including factors of skill, relative to the targets of their power-wielding and necessary to secure such changes.

• Leaders are formed by group systems of political, organizational, and social interaction.
• hegemony (the group) is the ball and chain of leadership, while pointing out new ways, a leader must take into account how a group will generally interpret things
• thereby a leader can become defined by the group
  
• must have a solution
  
• must have an agenda
• must up the ante
• Type I situations
• Offer straight forward, viable and achievable solutions
• Type II situations
• Solutions depending upon the agency of the the individuals (they must assess the trade-offs)
• Type III situations (e.g. cancer)
  
• unclear problem
• no technical fixes available
• must face and make adjustments to harsh realities that go beyond the conceptual problem

The Realm of Public Policy

Adjusting people's attitudes

• Technical Solutions
  
• usually only help narrowly defined situations which is a problem in itself
• Problem-solving process
• Framing
• Task of helping constituents reach their desired outcomes
1. make constituent aware of the fact that leaders can't fix things for them
2. hold steady as constituents begin to face the problem
3. find concrete problems to address
4. manage the process of devising solutions

Conventional Wisdom as a Paradigm of Authority

"Because the expectations associated with authority impose sharp limits on hebavior, having authority constrains leadership."

authority = doing what is expected (does not=) leadership, though the two may overlap