How to manage power in a leadership role is crucial and one that few of us are taught anything about and yet it is something that affects our effectiveness on an on-going basis.
Life is one big lesson in the recognition, acceptance, claiming and use of our inner power. Everything we do or say in life is either empowering or disempowering for us or others. Every action we take, no matter how big or small, has some influence on our life and the life of others. Every experience we have in life leaves some mark on us either mentally, emotionally, physically or spiritually.
It is important for us to gain a better understanding of the dynamics around power so that we can move through life and manage the challenges of life in a more conscious way. If this remains an unconscious process where we are unaware of the dynamics in situations, it may mean that we will be opening ourselves up to potentially damaging and long lasting effects where we could feel like a victim of our circumstances. We then start to think negatively and this automatically starts to influence how we behave. We may begin to lose confidence in our ability to stand up and manifest what we want.
What is Power?
Power in itself is not evil or destructive. It is HOW each of us chooses to use our power that is the issue. Chamber’s dictionary describes Power as: “the ability to do anything – physical, mental, spiritual, etc, the capacity for producing an effect, strength, right to command, authority, influence, control”. Power as it is described is quite neutral and yet many of us have a strong reaction to the word.
Stevens who wrote the book “The Power Path” says: “the game of life is all about power: striving for it, achieving it, holding on to it, manipulating it, giving it away, losing it, fearing it, searching for it, learning about it and mastering it”. Robert Greene has written a book on The 48 laws of Power! This book is all about the strategies used by others, tactics to avoid and laws to live by. Stevens goes so far to say that if we are not interested in power, then we are being grossly naïve. He also says that if we are obsessed with power then deep down it shows that we are actually quite insecure.
It is natural and normal for all of us to lose our inner power, passion, motivation, focus, etc throughout life. Some of the factors that can cause this may be within us but they can also be external to us. Either way these factors may trigger an unhelpful response on our part. The theme of power will be discussed in a series of articles.
Exercise
Take time to jot down a few examples of where you have lost your inner power be it either at work or within your home circumstances. What exactly triggered your response? What made it hard for you to bounce back immediately? How did you cope during that time? How did you regain your inner confidence. If you would like to discuss this in a one to one session Contact me.