I believe that the textbook
offers a great definition of Power, as the definition listed in the text
departs from the more traditional definition of power which correlates power as
authority based. The shift in the definition of power allows for us to view
power as being able to get things done and achieving specific goals instead of one
having authority over another.
I believe that when
power is defined in this manner, I am comfortable in saying that I have
developed sources of personal influence to gain power. I believe there are
certain circumstances which call for an individual being placed in a position
of power and it is in these instances where power is likely to come less from
someone’s formal position in the organization than from one’s ability to
perform.
A great example of this
type of power is in my current position at this point in time. My manager has
recently hired two new Senior Enrollment Counselor’s within the past three weeks.
While my manager has all of the knowledge necessary to train these new
employees and bring them up to par with all of our systems, information and
processes, he has left that task up to me to ensure that I am training them and
bring them up to speed as I am well experienced in our job description and performance.
While our new counselors may go to our boss for certain things to receive an answer
for specific outside the box questions, they tend to ask me first to see if I
have an answer for them or can be helpful to them as I am the “veteran” on the
team. This in turn has allowed me to build a relationship with each member of
the team and in turn I have grown to learn our new employees’ strengths and
weaknesses, likes and dislikes, a bit better than my manager as I have been
working with them directly. Therefore, my manager relies on me to update him on
where we are and how successful they each have been as my power stems from the
knowledge I have obtained by working with each individual.
·
Support an open, honest, and loyal
relationship.
·
Foster intimacy by being emotionally
accessible.
·
Provide unconditional, positive regard
and acceptance.
·
Endure some sacrifices if the
relationship should demand them.
·
Provide social reinforcement in the form
of sympathy or empathy.
·
Engage in the social exchanges necessary
to sustain a relationship.
I
do believe that I embody a number of the above characteristics of likeable
people depicted in the above table. I think that each of these elements that
are listed are extremely important in a professional setting as you usually
find that almost all individuals would like to believe that their teammates or
managers and leaders are open honest and loyal. I do not believe that anyone
would want someone on a team who is not trustworthy. This would not offer much
of a sustainable business relationship.
Having the ability to be emotionally
accessible is extremely important as well as it is important to know the moods
and personalities of your team, this can in turn lead to acceptance of
individuals along with positive regard and unconditional support. When someone
feels they are understood on a personal level, it can be easier to maintain a
business relationship in many circumstances.
Enduring sacrifices is an extremely important
factor in maintaining professional relationships as individuals and teammates
want to feel as though everyone is putting 100 percent of their energy into the
task and goal at hand. When one individual feels as though they are pulling the
weight, this can lead to resentment and anger in the team.
Providing sympathy and empathy to
teammates is also important as there are times when personal experiences and
life may interfere with the success of an individual at work. Teammates should
ensure that they have an understanding of each other and the experiences, both
good and bad, we may face outside of work. Understanding these circumstances
and sympathizing with others is also important to the success of a team.
Engaging in social exchanges is also
important for all team members as it would be impossible to be a part of a team
that did not want to interact with each other or other departments. Teams and
individuals must be able to interact in all scenarios and whether or not they
are positive or negative. Teams that are unable to do this will not be
successful in their end goal.
I feel as though I embody each of
these listed elements, however more importantly, I feel as though I continue to
work on enhancing these elements and challenging myself to better myself both
individually and in a team environment.
3.
Are you able to use influence both up and down your organization considering
the information in Table 5.5 (p. 293)
Make sure you
understand your boss, including:
• Your boss’s
goals and objectives.
• The pressures
on him or her.
• Your boss’s
strengths, weaknesses, blind spots.
• His or her
preferred work style.
I feel as though I understand my
boss in a variety of ways as I have had the opportunity to get to know him both
professionally and personally. I understand the goals and objectives of the
team and organization as we have weekly meetings where we discuss these things
and come to conclusions on how to be successful. I have also learned about the
pressures placed on my boss as I have observed his interaction with his manager
as well as other departments. My manager’s strengths and weaknesses have also
come to light in the time that I have been a part of the organization as I have
seen both failures and successes in attempting to deliver better results for
the team as a whole. My managers work style has been pretty apparent from day
one and has not changed much since starting my position.
Assess yourself,
including:
• Your own
strengths and weaknesses.
• Your personal
style.
• Your
predisposition toward dependence on authority figures.
I feel as though my strengths and
weaknesses have enhanced since starting this position as I have continued to
learn and grow and challenge myself in my daily activities. My personal style
of learning and teaching, and coaching has also enhanced as I have experienced
both negative and positive aspects of both the position as well as my interactions
with my teammates. My dependence on authority figures has decreased extensively
as I have progressed in this position and learned to handle more difficult
complex decisions and circumstances on my own, rather than needing assistance
from my boss.
Develop and
maintain a relationship that:
• Fits the needs
and styles of you both.
• Is
characterized by mutual expectations.
• Keeps your
boss informed.
• Is based on
dependability and honesty.
• Selectively uses your
boss’s time and resources.
I
feel as though my boss and I respect each other and have had the opportunity to
discuss the fits and needs of the department, organization, and our personal
styles in order to be successful in our positions. Our conversations are mutual
in nature and based upon honesty and trust. We depend upon each other in a
variety of ways and ensure that we are on the same page with the goals of our
department. Most importantly, I think it has been helpful that my boss and I
have begun to use each other’s time and resources selectively allowing us to each
use the excess time we hold to perform valuable functions or make informative
decisions.
Cassandra R.
