I’ve noticed lately that leader’s don’t want to own power. It’s as if it’s a dirty word that suggests abusive direction, strong arming or corruption. Perhaps this perception is derived from reading too many Shakespearian tragedies in high school or from the media’s overemphasis on fallen leaders at company’s like Enron or Tyco.
For many leaders, the P-word is something separate from themselves and from their thoughts. “I consider myself to be an average guy” a General Manager once told me after I suggested that he needed to think about how his position of power influenced the communication dynamic in a meeting that he was attending.”
“In that meeting, you’re not an average guy” I suggested. “You’re the boss of everyone in the room. You have the power to hire and fire, to promote. You have access to information and resources that no one else in the room does. When you veto an action, how likely is it for others in the room to publicly disagree?
It’s important for leaders to recognize their power if they are going to effectively move an organization forward. According to our pal Webster, (of dictionary fame), power is a force tending to produce motion. By itself, power is a neutral word—in practice it can be a positive or a negative force depending on how it is used.
As leaders, it’s important to reflect on what motion you hope to produce and how your power must be used and shared to create positive motion. It means recognizing that your words and deeds carry weight and it means listening to others’ opinions before voicing your own if you hope to foster honest communication and effective problem solving. It means publicly transferring power to others’ by re-directing questions to the appropriate leader in an organization instead of answering them yourself. It ultimately requires the discipline to empower others by restraining yourself.
So leaders, celebrate your power! Don’t shirk the P-word. Instead, think about how you can share it to create positive momentum in your own company.
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