What would a leader be called without power -- a weak leader? or a follower? or a leader in training?

Power is a word that causes a reaction.  Good, bad, evil, strong, misused, and more!  Rarely is it neutral. Strong leaders ooze power. Leaders are frequently described as being powerful, or weak. The power wielded by leaders can heal or cause massive destruction, in direct or in subtle ways.  Regardless of the shape and size power comes in, it is an essential ingredient for leadership.  

There are 30 definitions of power.  For leaders, power is defined as the measure to control the environment and the behavior of others.  This is done through the use of direct authority, or indirectly, or by some combination of direct and indirect means.  By using direct power, such as force or position, a leader is able to get results quickly.   For example, a newly elected or appointed position has a tremendous amount of authority right away.  However if a leader only uses the direct power and force to get things done, over time this will ultimately fail.  Leaders who are also able to indirectly build power by using their unique strengths and charisma, by listening and addressing their followers, are able to build stronger results over time.  Other examples of indirect power are influencing, inspiring, and exerting strength of character in action. The leader who has and uses both direct and indirect power to get results is the strongest, will get results faster, and will be better able to sustain leadership over time.  Grassroots efforts, and some spiritual leaders, are examples of leadership that has no direct authority, yet slowly over time builds a dedicated follower-ship that can produce powerful, sustainable results.   The opposite example is a leader who has direct authority and power and does not pay attention to the needs of followers. This can produce immediate results, yet with an unsustainable leadership platform.  The graph link below highlights the relationship between direct and indirect power and results.

Direct/Indirect Power versus Results 

The leader who uses both direct and indirect power is able to create fast results, as well as long term sustainable ones.  

At a relatively young age, I climbed the corporate ladder and was in a direct power position.   I managed over 100 engineering professionals.  I vividly remember it was 100 because at the time I had to lay off 5% of the organization I had built.  This was my first experience with layoffs and it was difficult.  For the first time I saw how I was impacting peoples' lives.  By the way, I was also 7 months pregnant with my second child!   I had considered the job mostly fun until the layoffs.  There were the occasional performance issues and some serious screaming matches that I didn't like.  

I was fortunate to be in a company that believed in training.  As a new leader I was offered, and took advantage of, many different leadership programs.   Over seven years, I grew into the job.  At the time, I didn't understand the impact I had on others as a direct authority figure.  In the last two years of that position, I observed that I was being watched -- lots!  Things I would say and do got interpreted and people remembered them, and sometimes they would come back to me out of context.  I remember a defining moment when someone did something really stupid.  I asked them why they did it and they replied, because I had told them to do it.  I was shocked!   When I dug deeper for an explanation I found out that the person knew it was not the right thing to do in that circumstance, but didn't tell me.  They assumed I knew the reasons to not do that particular thing in that context, but did it anyhow.  They had done it because I had "said so" and I was the boss! 

Over the next few years I looked for more examples of that behavior and I found it!  People would do what I said because I was the boss.  I discovered a variety of reasons for why they just did what I said - they were afraid to say no; afraid to speak up; fearful for their jobs;  they trusted me; they thought I knew everything!  The reasons really surprised me.

That insight caused me to make two changes.  First I was more cautious about what I said and who I said it to.  Second, I started to examine those who influenced others yet had no direct authority.    At the time, I came to the conclusion that those who successfully influenced without authority were stronger and more effective.  It was a skill I needed to develop.    Being a young and silly manager, not understanding power and politics, I gave away large organizational chunks that I had built.  My intention was to learn how to influence without authority.  Politically, I learned the hard way that not everybody plays fair, not everyone has the same rules or goals as you or the corporation, and so I left.

My lesson was that to be an effective leader in a direct power position, you must also be able to influence in ways other than those offered by positional power.   Positional power is not a bad thing, it's just a starting point.

One effective tool that I have found for leaders is the Dimensions of Leadership Profile.  It helps them understand and improve their ability to lead.   This tool gives leaders insights into building their own, and understanding others,' influencing styles, which as a skill can eventually lead to more sustainable power and results.  The key philosophy is that leaders and followers react to each others' actions and needs.  The tool examines three points of view:  

1.       You as a leader

2.       Leadership needs of a situation

3.       Another person as a leader

After taking a self assessment, one's leadership style emerges somewhere along the spectrum of the following:

Character:  Leaders and followers respond to their conscience - "We want leaders who are credible. We must believe that their word can be trusted, that they are personally excited and enthusiastic about the direction in which they are headed." -James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner

Analysis:  Leaders and followers respond to ideas "Leaders of the future must be deep thinkers who are smart enough to see new possibilities and to conceptualize them."- Rosabeth Moss Kanter   

Accomplishment:  Leaders and followers respond to problems- "When the conditions are ambiguous and decisions are difficult, leaders must decide,choose, and act."  - Judith M. Bardwick

Interaction:  Leaders and followers respond to people- "The leader of the future will excel as cheerleader, supporter, and encourager rather than as a judge, critic, or evaluator....This results in an ultimate organization where people not only know where they are headed but are empowered to get there." - Ken Blanchard

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. -Abraham Lincoln

Between stimulus and response is our greatest power - the freedom to choose. -  Stephen Covey

When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace. -  Jimi  Hendrix

When you doubt your power, you give power to your doubt.   - Honore de Balzac

The attempt to combine wisdom and power has only rarely been successful and then only for a short while.  -Albert Einstein

The status quo is a very powerful opiate.  - Ray Anderson

Power of Encouragement from Geese

FACT :  The geese flying behind in a formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

LESSON:  We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In groups where there is encouragement, the production is much greater. The power of encouragement is the quality we want our honking to have!

The robots have too much power over us oxygen sacks, a satire: click here 

Mr. W has a powerful force and annoys others, until he finds someone who accepts his power.  A funny ad: click here  

A 19-page study on the relationship of Power and Leadership: click here

Twelve questions to determine which of these leadership types you are (North (organizer), South (nurturer), West (teacher) and East (visionary):click here

To see what superhuman powers you have quiz, 10 questions, very silly):click here

To see how much of a power freak you are, rank 10 statements:click here

Star Leadership Events

For details - see Blog Post on Events at:

http://starleadershipllc.wordpress.com/category/a-upcoming-events/

Coaching and Coaches: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly - Acton Networking Group (4/22) - contact me if you want a copy of the slide set, lots of information.

Professional Development Day at the Conference Center of Bentley University in Waltham, Mass.

On 4/30, I'm speaking on Resolving Conflict with Different Styles of Communicators. 

Corporate Education Webinars:

Three 1-hour free Webinars, one PDU awarded for each.

Working in a Matrix, 4/20 at 11am EDT

Leadership and Communication Skills for Project Managers, 6/8 at 11am EDT

Facilitation Skills for Project Managers, 7/13 at 11am EDT

Corporate Education Training Program:

Advance Communication Skills for Project Managers. Four 1-day classes (as a program series or as individual sessions),

Greater Boston Chapter of the International Institute of Business Analysts, October 13th in Waltham, MA evening -  

Coaching Spots - With all the training and speaking I do, I still make sure I leave room for a maximum of 10 coaching clients. The average coaching engagement is 6-9 months, so there is usually always a spot opening up. Contact me if you are, or you know someone who is, interested in one-on-one coaching!