In management authority is formal (or legitimate) authority specified in a charter gives a project manager the authority to act in the name of the sponsoring executive or on behalf on the organization. Referent authority refers to the ability to influence others through charisma, personality, and charm. Coercive authority refers to motivating staff by punishment and is predicated on fear of losing status, positions, bonuses or jobs. Reward authority refers to positive reinforcement and the ability to award something of value. Expert authority is earned if the team respects one's skills as a project manager or subject-matter expert.
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Project Management Body of Knowledge Authority is the right or power assigned to an executive or a manager in order to achieve certain organization structure
