Do Ask, Do Tell - More Power in Your Little Finger

From WorldWIT - Women. Insights. Technology - from Liz Ryan

"One of the best parts of my job is getting to interview fascinating women every week (sometimes, I interview men, too) for our WorldWIT Radio program. Many of our guests are in lofty positions and have tons of influence, as well as accolades in all sorts of areas. Very often, WorldWIT members listen to these radio interviews, and write to me to say 'How does one achieve all that? Do you have suggestions for gaining influence, rising in the world, and becoming powerful?' The answer is yes - I do. In fact, finding one's personal power is one of my favorite topics.

But the first thing I would note about power is that there isn't just one kind. I believe that there are two very different sorts of power that a person can focus on developing.

The first type is pretty easy to identify. You'll have lots of power if you have a senior-level job, a big title, a large staff and loads of budgetary dollars to control. Likewise, awards, advanced degrees and high-level business relationships are strongly identified with power. We're all familiar with people whose resumes glitter with these gems. What more could one want, really, than a long list of honors next to your name?

The trouble with these hallmarks of power is that they are externally focused. All of these things - titles, awards, degrees, staffs, etc. - are conferred by other people. In fact, the titles and honors, just like trophies on the shelf, are evidence of how much other people esteem you. In my experience, there is a strong correlation between a person's desire - or even need - to be respected and to feel significant, and his or her zeal to amass trophies during a career. And then there is another problem - what has been bestowed upon you can as easily be taken away. an enormous organization of subordinates - these can disappear in an instant. That's one of the reasons why this type of externally-conferred power - what I call "Big P" power - is so stressful to maintain. In the quest to continue becoming more significant and more powerful, if you're focused on the Big P trappings of power, you're never done!"

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