Using Power Responsibly

 “Being powerful is like being a lady, if you have to tell people that are, than you are not” (Russ Forester).This is one of my favorite quotes, when I think about the powerful people that I have met in my life, this quote pretty much sums up their behavior. Many of the powerful people which I have met in the past have never forced thier power on me, you just knew to respect them by the way that they carried themselves. When I think of how I can become powerful, I try to emulate this type of behavior by creating power through my social skills.

I always felt like my father was a powerful man, he did not have a lot of money, but if he ever needed something done, people would line up just to accomplish this task for him. My father was always kind and people responded to this behavior, he was never mean to anyone and he created his power through friendship. He always used to tell me, “People will always help you in your time of need if they know that you would do the same for them”; he always knew how to develop sources of personal influence to gain power.

Sources of personal power are defined by “expertise, attraction, effort, and legitimacy” (Cameron & Whetton, 2012, pg. 288). These are characteristics which I learned from observing someone like my father; and as an adult today, I put them into practice. I use my expertise to establish that I am a knowledgeable person on the subject matter, showing others that you do know what you are talking about instills confidence in your abilities. Attraction is an important tool to use also, appearances give a great first impression; it is important that our appearance is a good representation of who we are. Effort, I learned at an early age that showing effort will win over others instantly. “A high level of personal effort is one of the most highly prized characteristics of employees because it means that they are dependable, reliable human resources” (Cameron & Whetton, 2012, pg. 289). As a kid, when I was on a team I knew I could gain power and influence if I could display how much effort I put into my performance; being a reliable person gains the trust of others. Overall my main focus is to gain legitimacy, “being a legitimate person increases acceptance, and acceptance is a key to personal influence” (Cameron & Whetton, 2012, pg. 290). When I am working on gaining power I have to be a legitimate force if I am to lead others.

            In my eyes, a powerful person not having to say that they are in charge, speaks volumes about their personality. Someone who does not have to say that they are powerful is a sign of being a confident person. People who are confident in themselves and do not have the need to throw their weight around easily become likeable leaders. Growing up my goal has always been to be a likeable leader, I have always felt that “you can catch more bees with honey than vinegar”. I have always felt that I am a likeable person and as a leader this makes others more comfortable with having an open and honest relationship with me. When people can have confidence and trust you, “this makes you much more emotionally accessible as a leader” (Cameron & Whetton, 2012, pg. 288).

            Overall having these characteristics which I have learned from people like my father, and other role models in my life, I have been able to create power with those around me and create good relationships with my superiors. With my bosses, I am able to find a style that fits both of our needs, be sympathetic to the pressures they face, and at the same time use their time and resources to my advantage. The way I see things, power can come from how many people you have in your corner, the bigger my team is the more powerful I can become. The way to keep the most amount of people on my side is by using my power in an effective way and not abusing it, also by using my power to help those around me. It is important to see that power can be passed on to an individual, but for them hold on to that power, it will take the help of those surrounding that individual.

Reference:

Whetten, D., and Cameron, K (2011). Developing Management Skills (8th Ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ. Pearson/ Prentice Hall