Comments on: 7 Types of Power in the Workplace

By: hr bartender

hr bartender — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:17:14 +0000

@HRManagement – So true. Thanks for the comment.

@GeekCoach – Thanks for the comment and sharing the book link. I’ll have to check it out.

@Marguerite – Well said. Proper use of power can be very valuable to organizations. Thanks for joining the conversation.

By: Marguerite Granat

Marguerite Granat — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:50:26 +0000

Sharlyn, the point that speaks to me most is the fact that power in itself is not bad. Power is something that can be used in different ways. When a person has an unbelievable amount of power and abuses it, then you have a problem. When the person is able to wield the power in order to achieve great feats that benefit a cause larger than themselves, then you have a positive outcome from the use of that same power.
Excellent and thought provoking!
Marguerite

By: geekcoach

geekcoach — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:34:45 +0000

Thanks for the post! Understanding power in organizations is an important skill for any employee. Power and politics exist in any size group. I recently posted about power dynamics and organizational savvy. Brandon and Seldman have a book called Survival of the Savvy that does a great job covering these topics.
http://geeksgonepro.com/2010/02/24/reading-power-dynamics-part-1/

By: human resource management

human resource management — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:42:47 +0000

Power appropriately applied without coercion are respect and trust earned.

By: hr bartender

hr bartender — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:37:08 +0000

Thanks for joining the convo Wally. I’ve seen the example you describe. Almost like a match-maker. A person who connects people. That’s why having an understanding of what people in your network do…even if you might not personally use their services is important.

By: Crappy Swag and Other Happenings — hr bartender

Crappy Swag and Other Happenings — hr bartender — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:20:24 +0000

[...] Many thanks to Dan McCarthy at Great Leadership blog for hosting this month. My post on the “7 Types of Power in the Workplace” made the list. I’m scheduled to host next month’s Carnival, so get those posts about [...]

By: Wally Bock

Wally Bock — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:14:58 +0000

Good summary post, Sharlyn. I’d like to add another kind of power that I’ve noticed doing social network analysis of organizations. It may already be there, somewhere between “expert power” and “information power,” but I think it should be explicit.

I’ve found people with great influence in their organization because of their relationships. I don’t mean “Listen, Officer, my brother knows the Mayor.” These people know how to find the people who will help you solve your problem.

One engineer, Phil, was a strong node in the network. He was knowledgeable and competent, but not enough to warrant that position. He was there because when you had a problem you called Phil. You said, “I’m doing this project and I need some help.” Phil would point you to two or three people who had experience or resources or friends who could help you.

I’ve been calling that relationship power and I bundle it with other knowledge that people carry in their heads, but use at work.