The concept of Power, or the possession of control, authority, or influence over others, whether directly or indirectly, has rarely been looked in to, as even the word has been unofficially made “taboo” in discussions and in daily life. However, without us knowing, power is an important factor in survival. Back in my MBA days, there was a course I took named “Sources and Uses of Power,” which basically introduces its students on the idea of power in business and life. Before taking the course, power has been a loosely used term for me (I think it was only associated with superheroes and other fantasy-driven story lines), and it has never registered to me as a very significant part in our lives. As I progressed through the course, however, I began to realize that power is as vital in any situation, and when one knows where the source of the power lies, he or she can dictate the situation itself to his or her favor.
There are many sources of power in a situation, but many of them are not that obvious to identify. Because of our lapse in judgement, we tend to lose sight on who really is in an advantage. We dwell too much on the noticeable that we fail to notice the other essential factors in the situation, such as the mental models and behaviors which are imperative to the situation. For example, in marketing a tween shampoo, despite the parents having the money and ultimately the last say on what to shampoo to buy for their kids, advertisements still entice the kid because it is the kid that dictates to their parents what shampoo is supposedly the "best" for them.
An enlightenment I obtained from this class is also what power is not: it is not more resources, better technology, superior military strength, high-level intellect, higher positions, or grand motives. It is this insight of many that may put the students of the course in an advantage from those that have not in various situations. In organizations, the structure would be so rigid that we tend to associate power with formal authority. But, as it turns out, this may not always be true. Power can come from the simplest of sources and even from the lowest of job positions, if one knows how to weld it. To my knowledge, the structure of the organization may not actually be the basis of power. It may be there to promote order in processes, but in the end, it will depend on who “delivers the goods.” And the organization's structure does not always dictate this. Think of it this way: in a rowboat, is it not the rowers that drive the boat forward and not the one banging the drums for the beat, despite him being the "leader" of the situation?
Power is gained when one establishes their own rules in the situation. This just proves that power in the situation is dynamic and not solely held by a single party all the time. This dynamic view of power tells us that power can always be obtained in a situation, regardless who is in the advantage; it will all depend on how one can maneuver himself in order to get that power. And there are also times when people know that they have the power; they just do not know how to use it to their own advantage. More so, because power is dynamic, one must be very conscious of the situation and his or her role in it to better understand how he or she can “play” along or differently with the common tune. Just like in relationships, at any point in time, either the guy or the girl has the power, depending on who makes the decisions for a certain dilemma.
One very powerful insight I got in the class is the way value judgement influences the way we view things. When I look back at the many discussions we had in this class, it has always been value judgement that made it hard to analyze a certain situation. Even in everyday engagements, we fail to see the bigger picture because of the many preconceived notions on the matter at hand, which has either have been built and nurtured by the thoughts of society and by our own personal morality and opinions. When analyzing power in any situation, an open mind is definitely needed to see the real story and to better understand it. In any decision we make, this is a common theme: remove biases and look with an open mind. It is only this way that the truth will be revealed and true insights gained. Just as those written in the 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene and Joost Elffers and the Art of War by Sun Tzu, insights are not lessons on rocket science; rather, they are simple and practical things we think we know but often overlook because we judge first before thinking (on the side, I highly recommend that you read these links; they are wonderful and very practical pieces).
We all know that power is very important in any situation, but we never got the time to think deeper into this statement. As we discussed different cases in different subjects in the course, I realized that many businesses that survive and become successful all knew how important power is and used it to their own advantage. These companies “changed the rules of the game.” And because they did so, they practically “owned the game,” with competitors forced to play along with them, and these companies became successful doing it.
In the end, what really matters is what we do with power. Because power is highly dynamic, it can be sourced so easily and maintained. The use of power instils in it the ability to change people and nations and make normal people heroes or enemies of the state. That is what this course made me realize: It matters not on what we know, but on how we act on what we know. Sourcing power is only part of the exercise; controlling the use of power is harder to learn and apply in the real world. And this needs a lot of wisdom and insight gained from practice and experience.
In life, knowing is winning half of the battle. This is what the class has offered me: knowing power, how to find it, how to obtain it, and eventually how to use it to my advantage. Now, I just have to apply this learning. And no, no superhuman strength, laser eyes, and flight on this one.
There are many sources of power in a situation, but many of them are not that obvious to identify. Because of our lapse in judgement, we tend to lose sight on who really is in an advantage. We dwell too much on the noticeable that we fail to notice the other essential factors in the situation, such as the mental models and behaviors which are imperative to the situation. For example, in marketing a tween shampoo, despite the parents having the money and ultimately the last say on what to shampoo to buy for their kids, advertisements still entice the kid because it is the kid that dictates to their parents what shampoo is supposedly the "best" for them.
An enlightenment I obtained from this class is also what power is not: it is not more resources, better technology, superior military strength, high-level intellect, higher positions, or grand motives. It is this insight of many that may put the students of the course in an advantage from those that have not in various situations. In organizations, the structure would be so rigid that we tend to associate power with formal authority. But, as it turns out, this may not always be true. Power can come from the simplest of sources and even from the lowest of job positions, if one knows how to weld it. To my knowledge, the structure of the organization may not actually be the basis of power. It may be there to promote order in processes, but in the end, it will depend on who “delivers the goods.” And the organization's structure does not always dictate this. Think of it this way: in a rowboat, is it not the rowers that drive the boat forward and not the one banging the drums for the beat, despite him being the "leader" of the situation?
Power is gained when one establishes their own rules in the situation. This just proves that power in the situation is dynamic and not solely held by a single party all the time. This dynamic view of power tells us that power can always be obtained in a situation, regardless who is in the advantage; it will all depend on how one can maneuver himself in order to get that power. And there are also times when people know that they have the power; they just do not know how to use it to their own advantage. More so, because power is dynamic, one must be very conscious of the situation and his or her role in it to better understand how he or she can “play” along or differently with the common tune. Just like in relationships, at any point in time, either the guy or the girl has the power, depending on who makes the decisions for a certain dilemma.
One very powerful insight I got in the class is the way value judgement influences the way we view things. When I look back at the many discussions we had in this class, it has always been value judgement that made it hard to analyze a certain situation. Even in everyday engagements, we fail to see the bigger picture because of the many preconceived notions on the matter at hand, which has either have been built and nurtured by the thoughts of society and by our own personal morality and opinions. When analyzing power in any situation, an open mind is definitely needed to see the real story and to better understand it. In any decision we make, this is a common theme: remove biases and look with an open mind. It is only this way that the truth will be revealed and true insights gained. Just as those written in the 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene and Joost Elffers and the Art of War by Sun Tzu, insights are not lessons on rocket science; rather, they are simple and practical things we think we know but often overlook because we judge first before thinking (on the side, I highly recommend that you read these links; they are wonderful and very practical pieces).
We all know that power is very important in any situation, but we never got the time to think deeper into this statement. As we discussed different cases in different subjects in the course, I realized that many businesses that survive and become successful all knew how important power is and used it to their own advantage. These companies “changed the rules of the game.” And because they did so, they practically “owned the game,” with competitors forced to play along with them, and these companies became successful doing it.
In the end, what really matters is what we do with power. Because power is highly dynamic, it can be sourced so easily and maintained. The use of power instils in it the ability to change people and nations and make normal people heroes or enemies of the state. That is what this course made me realize: It matters not on what we know, but on how we act on what we know. Sourcing power is only part of the exercise; controlling the use of power is harder to learn and apply in the real world. And this needs a lot of wisdom and insight gained from practice and experience.
In life, knowing is winning half of the battle. This is what the class has offered me: knowing power, how to find it, how to obtain it, and eventually how to use it to my advantage. Now, I just have to apply this learning. And no, no superhuman strength, laser eyes, and flight on this one.
You'd be surprised on the many things you could find when looking at your old folders. This piece was originally written as a reaction paper for the course mentioned above. To make it timely, however, I had to make some revisions. I should start posting other interesting write-ups from my past. ![mltan100.blogspot.com]( "mltan100.blogspot.com")
