We had a little break, but we are back with a new podcast!

We now have ‘Work Unplugged’ with a catchy new jingle, and the same bite size insights and food for thought from our very own Amrit Sandhar! It’s important to us to keep things short, sweet, and manageable to ever evolve! It is part of our DNA! So, in true &Evolve style, our ‘Engaging People, Powering Companies’ podcast has been retired after over 100 episodes, and we welcome you to ‘Work Unplugged’!

Our process is Amrit records a podcast, and then I (Amy), will follow up with a blog that takes up his points, adding to them, putting my own musings down about the subject, in the written word – an absolute passion of mine! Always a team effort! Let’s get to it, seeing how much evolution we can muster in relation to working with purpose, leading with impact, and engaging people in a way that actually works!

The chosen first podcast topic is ‘Power and Influence’. Power dynamics in the corporate world are a complex and often misunderstood aspect of organisational life. From CEOs and board members to everyday employees, the use and misuse of power can significantly impact decision-making, workplace culture, and overall company performance. Power is of course essential for effective leadership and getting things done, but the ‘how’ it is used is important.

According to Jeffrey Pfeffer, in his book ‘Managing with Power’, power in organisations manifests itself in two forms: positional power and personal power.  Positional power is in relation to someone's role or title and is what we are all used to when we talk about power. Personal power on the other hand, comes from an individual's qualities, skills, how they are perceived by others, and the relationships they have. 

Positional Power is often associated with the phrase "Don't you know who I am?". It's the authority that comes with a specific title or role. For example, CEOs often have significant positional power, as they are responsible for managing the company's executive team and pursuing goals to drive the company forward. And we’d be forgiven for thinking that what they say goes. Board members also wield considerable positional power, as they set company goals and oversee the CEO's performance. They have a seat at the table as it were!

Personal power is independent of titles and is based on an individual's ability to shape and influence others through their network, judgment, and charisma. It's often characterised by expertise in a particular field, strong interpersonal relationships, and the ability to command attention when speaking. I am sure if you put your mind to it, you’d be able to think of someone that doesn’t hold a title but that you would class as having personal power - good and bad!

For me, I can think of people that could potentially derail the day, in a busy department, depending on their mood, despite their position being on the floor speaking with customers, rather than senior within the Organisation. They had expertise (employment contracts, employment law, company policy’s and were Union reps). They had strong interpersonal relationships (usually with those that were unhappy and disgruntled about something), and boy did they command attention when they spoke! I made it my mission to use my own personal power to bring balance to these situations, winning people over with fairness, consistency and reliability!

I can also think of people, that because of how awesome, wise, interesting, and trusted they are, hold mega amounts of power and influence, for all the right reasons!

The dynamics between different power holders can significantly impact an organisation's culture and performance. Gallup’s ‘State of the Global Workplace Report’ has shown that toxic power dynamics can lead to poor performance, high turnover, and low engagement. As Amrit said, we don’t need to read this, as we will have felt it. People know when someone is using their position of power to bag a parking space, when we claim parking is on a first come, first serve basis. People talk. And they are not stupid.

This is a light example of abusing power, and we all know of course, that there are examples that run much deeper through an organisation’s fabric. Examples of the self-serving tendencies, and immediate gratification of (some of) those that hold this positional power.

Ideally, we want to see our leaders using their power and influence in ways that align with the mission, vision, and values of an organisation. In ways that serve the greater good, that is empathetic and collaborative, and not used to drive personal agendas, that serve the few and that are maybe not as future focussed, but instead short term and potentially selfish.

Leaders really do have a responsibility to create an environment where all employees feel safe to contribute and speak up, helping limit these toxic power dynamics, in what we would call a psychologically safe environment. This environment encourages open communication, values diverse perspectives, the owning up to mistakes, and recognising others' contributions and achievements.

However, if power dynamics are self-serving, this can lead to mistrust and disengagement, and then there is little to no chance people will speak up and challenge the status quo. A lot of the time these toxic dynamics come from ego, and politics at the top, where people and resources are used to win a battle, instead of boosting the long-term success of the organisation.

Please CEOs, if you aren’t already, align your use of power and influence with the organisational goals and Values, and with your own very personal values. Because this alignment is crucial for fostering servant leadership, ensuring decisions serve the greater good of the organisation, and maintaining long-term focus rather than short-term gains.

And when people give the days of their lives to their work, the responsibility to make sure they are not wasted should really matter to our CEO’s. However, research has shown that being in a position of power can affect an individual's ability to empathise and seek feedback, leading to detachment from being able to read others' emotions, and a reduced likelihood of seeking feedback. Then this unchecked power could become misaligned with organisational goals, and just frankly, damaging.

So, the more power a role holds, the more detached this person might be from what is actually needed. Scary times. And oh, aren’t we seeing that in the world right now?! So, what can be done about it? Perhaps this is where our own personal power comes in. By being aware of our own power, and then using it responsibly, we can contribute to a more collaborative, trusting, and effective workplace and world!

And if you feel like you have little personal power, yet you are genuinely concerned with how the power dynamics above are at play, perhaps you can work on building up your own power. It can take time, and may require becoming wiser and more skilful, but really it is just about being a good person, adding value to the wider team and organisation, and building strong relationships. I really think the world needs you!

Click here to listen to the podcast. 

References:

https://www.execcapital.co.uk/ceo-vs-owner-who-holds-the-real-power-an-in-depth-explanation/

https://www.gallup.com/workplace/349484/state-of-the-global-workplace.aspx