Ferruccio Lamborghini, the creator of exotic supercars, didn’t understand the meaning of ‘shared economy’ (not possible anyway, where there is no excess), but he did understand the meaning of power and influence.
During the World War II he made himself indispensable, by repairing tanks and cars that no one else could fix. After the war, he admitted that he was the first person on the island to receive the repair manuals which he memorised, and then destroyed.
When it comes to power, we find two extreme type’s of people: the so called ‘Machiavellians’ – people who are comfortable with anything that increases their power, and the so called ‘Innocent Lambs’, that avoid power at all cost and even lack to perceive it.
Most of people, however, have some comfort with power, will use it and look for opportunities to increase it, but won’t go too far.
It’s important to recognise that power in business and organisations, is key to getting things done.
Why?
Because it represent your capacity or potential, to influence outcomes.
Most of projects and processes in any organisation, are highly interdependent and you need to work through others to be successful.
That’s why you need do develop:
- Ability to perceive when power dynamics are happening.
- Comfort with influence tactics to get people on your side.
- Acceptance, that having power and ‘getting things done’, is part of managing people’s impressions of you.
Where does the potential for power come from?
There are several sources of power and not all of them are equally effective all of the time.
Understanding your sources of power is important for at least two reasons:
– Formal power doesn’t necessarily mean informal power, and
– Formal power is limited. You need informal power to excel.
Formal power is based on the position in your organisation. You might have it because you are able to exercise sanctions (coercive power), distribute rewards (reward power) or you have been given a formal authority to use and distribute company’s resources.
Resources are at the very heart of power. In order to have power you need to have access and control over resources, things that people want and need to accomplish a goal.
Increasing your personal power is possible by:
Increasing your expert power.
Expert power is often the first kind you acquire as a professional and others defer to you for your experience and the value you hold as a knowledgeable asset. Ask yourself: What skills and knowledge do you need to develop?
Increasing your referent power.
Referent power develops out of admiration of another and a desire to be like them. A person must have a desirable resource or trait.
Ask yourself: How else can I leverage traits that are unique to me, and relatively rare?
Investing in relationships.
Networking is more than just collecting followers. The key is to network more than you are comfortable, and be of value. Consider your current position and future plans. What do you need to know to move in a desired direction? How does your network look like if it includes mutually beneficial relationships?
Image: Alamy, 2017.