Leading Effectively e-Newsletter - December 2008 Issue

Power Plays: How to Use Your Power Wisely

Power is one of the unspoken realities of the workplace - who has power, who doesn't, and why? "Power is not something most people talk about openly," says CCL's Vidula Bal. "But we do pay attention to the informal 'power grid' that exists beyond the organizational chart."

Leaders may find themselves comparing their sense of power to others, trying to assess their own position on the 'power grid' at work. A new study from CCL, "The Role of Power in Effective Leadership," indicates that leaders are looking for clarity on exactly how much authority their position and title affords them compared to others in the organization. But, says lead author Bal, they would be better off understanding other sources of power: the power of relationships, the power of information and the power of expertise.

"Leaders at all levels have access to power, but often that power goes unrecognized or underutilized," adds co-author Michael Campbell.

Strategies for leveraging power effectively include:

• Make relationships a priority. Invest time and energy into your existing relationships. Repair damaged relationships and the image others may have of you, as necessary. Also, identify the people with whom you need to establish or develop a relationship. Your ability to use the power of relationships will be compromised if you are not connecting with the right people.
• Don't overplay your personal agenda. While the power of relationships can be an effective method for promoting your own agenda, it also runs the risk of having you perceived by others as self-serving, not a team player, or even deceitful. Be careful to ensure that advancing your own agenda is not perceived as a misuse of power.
• Maximize your communication network. Think about the people you communicate with the most. Are they providing you with access to unique information or redundant information? Look to expand your communication network to find people who may be an untapped source of information.
• Be generous with information. If you are a central node or conduit of information, remember that keeping information to yourself has potential negative consequences. Share information broadly and with integrity. You don't want to be perceived as hoarding information for your personal gain. Of course, you don't want to make the opposite mistake and reveal confidential or personal information.
• Be the expert. You can't have power unless there are people willing to perceive you as having power. To be seen as having genuine "expert" power, you need to be forthright about your experience and expertise.
• Tailor your power to reward others. Rewarding isn't just about giving people more money. While this option sounds attractive, it is not always possible. Instead, consider recognizing and incenting your team members in other ways. Ask your team members what they would find rewarding. Time off or flexibility of hours might work for some employees; others may not even take notice. Whatever the incentive, don't make the mistake of assuming that one reward fits all.
• Reward with words. Give positive feedback and give it often. CCL's experience with leaders across industries tells us that during the course of a typical working relationship, it takes a ratio of 4:1 (four positives for every negative) for a receiver of feedback to believe that the feedback has been fair. This does not mean that you have to give a team member four positive pieces of feedback every time you have a negative message to deliver. But it does remind us how important it is to notice the good stuff. (Special note for spouses: Researcher John Gottman has discovered that a ratio of five positives to one negative is the minimum standard for married couples.)
• Punish with purpose. In today's context of complex, global organizations, many employees are frustrated by lack of accountability at all levels. When team members fail to live up to expectations, a good dose of corrective (but kind) feedback can work wonders, not only to get the job done, but also to establish more power for yourself. Be explicit about consequences for behavior or results that don't meet expectations, and follow though consistently.
• Teach others. Leveraging your full power does not require that you hoard it. If you want to empower the people you lead, you also need to teach them to use the power they have available to them.

For more information about leadership and power, download the full CCL White Paper: "The Role of Power in Effective Leadership"