What type of leadership is dependent upon one's position within the company?

Legitimate leadership refers to the authority granted to an individual based on their position within an organization. This type of leadership is rooted in the formal power that comes from holding a specific role, such as a manager or director, and encompasses the rights and responsibilities that accompany that position. When someone is recognized as a leader due to their title or role, employees are likely to follow their directives because they understand the hierarchy and accept that the person has the formal right to lead.

In this context, legitimate leadership is crucial because it establishes order and clarity within an organization. It sets expectations for behavior and accountability, ensuring that employees understand who makes decisions and how they align with the organization's goals.

The other options relate to different forms of influence or power but do not rely specifically on a position within the company. For example, reward leadership hinges on the ability to provide benefits or incentives, coercive leadership depends on the ability to impose penalties, and expert power is based on an individual's knowledge or expertise rather than their positional authority.