Referent power is individual power of an individual over the Team or Followers, based on a high level of identification with, admiration of, or respect for the powerholder/ leader.
Nationalism, patriotism, celebrities, mass leaders and widely-respected people are examples of referent power in effect.
Referent power is one of the Five Bases of Social Power, as defined by Bertram Raven and his colleagues in 1959.
Definition: Referent power refers to the ability of a leader to influence a follower because of the follower's loyalty, respect, friendship, admiration, affection, or a desire to gain approval.
Referent power is gained by a leader who has strong interpersonal relationship skills.
Referent power, as an aspect of personal power, becomes particularly important as organizational leadership is increasingly about collaboration and influence rather than command and control.
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“La foi consiste à croire ce que la raison ne croit pas ... Il ne suffit pas qu’une chose soit possible pour la croire. Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe ... It is not enough that a thing be possible for it to be believed.”
—Voltaire [François Marie Arouet] (1694–1778)