Expert Power

What is Expert Power?

Expert power is influence based on someone else's belief that you have relevant knowledge or skill. It is one of the bases of social power described by French and Raven (1959).

An example of expert power

You follow a mechanic's advice because you believe they understand engines. You may not know enough to assess the diagnosis yourself, but you give weight to the mechanic's expertise. That is different from examining the reasoning and accepting the recommendation because the evidence convinces you.

Where its influence comes from

Expert power depends on attributed expertise in the relevant domain. A person can influence a decision without being right, and being an expert in one field does not make them an expert in another.

Expert power in leadership

A team may follow a leader’s technical advice because it trusts the leader’s relevant expertise. That influence can exist without a formal management title. Expert power differs from referent power, which rests on identification with a person, and legitimate power, which rests on an accepted right to direct others. The same leader can have more than one basis of power.

Why it matters

We often need advice on things we do not understand well ourselves. Expert power helps explain why we defer to particular people. When assessing that advice, ask whether the expertise fits the question and what evidence supports the recommendation. Reputation can earn attention; it cannot make a claim true.