ON PERSONAL POWER

Part 2

Power, in short, is exercised rather than possessed.

Michel Foucault

Only someone with #personalpower can occupy a position with #authority and inspire others and build a team, a work group. Bold people recognize that a team's success depends on them perfectly understanding the difference between "Position Authority" and "Personal Power."

The authority of a position is based on the Organizational Hierarchy. Position authority is derived from the title, position, or position one occupies within an organizational structure. This is a “form of power” formally recognized and supported by company rules and policies. Those who possess authority are authorized and supposedly empowered to make decisions, assign tasks, and direct others based on their hierarchical position.

Those who only have the authority of the position but no personal power will create chaos, tyrannical, or toxic environments because their insecurities will work against them. #Personalpower arises from the ancient oracle's saying that everyone remembers: "Know thyself."

Personal power arises from self-recognition of individual abilities and characteristics as well as knowing and accepting our weaknesses that make us vulnerable: Being aware of our strengths and weaknesses allows us to unite with others who complement and strengthen us.

He or she who has #personalpower: knows and recognizes otherness, listens with respect and silence, explains the task and makes sure that others understand, listens to suggestions, etc.

He is nourished by the confidence we have in ourselves and in our ability to reflect, analyze, and criticize ourselves and others.

We trust ourselves when we know our strengths and weaknesses because we do not pretend to be "perfect" nor do we depend on acceptance to recognize our worth.

#personalpower facilitates our ability to influence, regardless of our formal position in the organization. This type of power is gained through respect, mutual trust, and coherence between words and actions that mobilize others. Understanding the difference between position authority and personal power is essential to developing leadership skills, which always involves working on and with ourselves.

Building strong relationships in the workplace is also highly recommended. While position authority can confer a certain level of control and direction, #personalpower is much more decisive in inspiring loyalty, commitment, and excellence in others.

This is a topic that still has a lot to talk about and we will continue to do so, but without a doubt, your point of view will greatly enrich us. GMC (c)