Authority is defined as a person or organization having the power, right, or control to give orders to subordinates, make decisions, and assign tasks. Authority is essential for a manager because without it they have no power to give instructions and direct others. When the manager has authority this creates a chain, called a superior-subordinate chain, within an organization which is “the authority which binds and provides a basis for responsibility” (Authority and Responsibility, 2019). However, authority does not give managers a right to abuse that power, and that power is not unlimited. The need for authority in order to allow managers to do their jobs to lead an organization or a team consists of strict rules and regulations that need to be followed to act and represent an organization in specific departments or areas. Within any organization, there is a need to establish the person in charge, and if given the opportunity anyone working within the organization should be able to meet the person in charge. This not only establishes rapport but also begins the process of creating trust and respect between everyone working within the organization. 

In addition, if no one is leading or in charge of a team or an organization that creates room for a number of issues to occur. The most obvious issue to develop would be with employee productivity. According to a study done by the University of Pennsylvania, “Only about 21% of employees feel they’re managed in a motivating way, and only 34% of managers can even name the strengths of their employees"(The Common Source of Your Organizational Problems, 2017). Lastly, the study also showed that the biggest issue with productivity stemmed from the ineffectiveness of managers within their roles and their lines of communication with their employees which created misunderstanding between the employees and what they were expected of within their respective roles.

Do you agree with the discussion? Why?