Positional Power is defined as:

• A. Power based on personal reputation.
• B. Power defined by the role an individual has within the organization, such as legitimate, reward, or coercive power.
• C. Power derived from expert knowledge.
• D. Power obtained through informal networks.

Answer: (B)

Positional power comes from the official role you hold in the organization. It includes the authority you gain simply because of your position, such as legitimate power (the formal right to command), reward power (the ability to grant rewards), and coercive power (the ability to impose penalties). This type of power is tied to the job title and chain of command, not to personal qualities.

In contrast, power based on personal attributes—like expertise or knowledge (expert power) or reputation and personal credibility (referent power)—comes from who you are, not where you sit in the org chart. Power obtained through informal networks or relationships is about access to information and social connections, not formal authority.

So, the best fit describes power defined by the role within the organization, encompassing legitimate, reward, and coercive aspects. This is the authority that comes with the position itself.