Which is an example of legitimate power?

• A. A veteran detective Influences decisions due to years of experience.
• B. Officers follow a leader because they respect and admire them.
• C. An employee ignores a manager because they don't believe the manager has real authority.
• D. A supervisor offers extra time off for meeting goals.

Answer: (C)

Legitimate power comes from an official position or role within an organization, where others accept that the person has the authority to direct actions and make decisions. In the scenario with a veteran detective, influence stems from the authority attached to that role within the department. People defer to the detective not just because of personality or skill, but because the position itself carries recognized power to make and implement decisions.

The other options illustrate different sources of power: following a leader due to admiration reflects referent power; ignoring a manager because the manager isn’t seen as having real authority shows a lack of legitimate power; offering extra time off for meeting goals demonstrates reward power.