Section 2: Understanding Power
Individual vs. Corporate
There is a difference between the “individual” and “corporate” definitions of power. A corporate definition is the ability to influence other people’s behavior (either through coercion (abuse of power) or persuasion (shared power)) The most common question we ask when we are assessing power is who controls what people need and want? Yet, depending on a person’s true understanding of power and levels of personal empowerment the responses can significantly vary.
Another reality that is related to this question, is that when power is not shared between communities regarding our corporate needs and wants, everyone suffers! Therefore, what we may perceive as the power of the “haves” over the “have-nots” is just tyranny of mankind. Everything is interconnected, this can be seen most clearly in the environmental degradation we are suffering at the hands of corporations. The case study we watched in unit 2 of this module is another great example of this. Our corporate success mandates that power must be shared.
True Power & Influence
Power in the way that we relish it and desire it most is measured by influence. True power is to influence others to actualize and release their innate, inherent, and indwelling power. Therefore, everyone, no matter what their station in life is, has access to the realization of power through influence. However, one cannot do this until we learn how to release our own power, and the first few steps to doing so is discovering our purpose, understanding our potential and then releasing our potential. Once we manage to do this for ourselves then we develop the blueprint to help others to do it for themselves.
Purpose, Power & Responsibility
Power is legitimized by purpose, and once you discover and actualize your purpose, your power becomes synced to the omnipotence of your Creator. No human being, no matter the circumstance can deny you your power because your power, is your potential, and is on the inside of you and your power has already been promised to you! One of the most important things to do, to activate your true power, is to declare personal independence from the expectations, opinions and beliefs of others. Many people perceive power as a dirty word. Yet power is only dirty or dangerous when it is in the wrong hands. True power is innocent and communal, even when there are hierarchies or positional authority because the balance of power comes from the responsibility of the leader to those they serve. This responsibility is the true definition of dominion.
According to Julie Battilana, social change and restoring power to its natural purpose and design will require three key types of leaders to incite radical change. These three leaders are agitators, innovators and orchestrators. View the framework below for more information on these three types of leaders.
