Overview
As part of a personal and professional development process to improve my emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and ability to lead and influence within organizations of various sizes, I am undertaking an informal research project to identify, categorize, and apply learnings around power dynamics in the workplace.
Background
I spent the first 12 years of my professional career in a global nonprofit that had a decentralized and autonomous field staff combined with a highly-centralized and top-down global HQ. I experienced many of the power dynamics of a start-up/small organization as a field employee, as well as that of an established and traditional organization once I transitioned to corporate leadership.
As someone without professional training in HR or psychology, I “felt” these dynamics but could rarely articulate them. However, as my career progressed I intuitively learned how to navigate both the dynamics associated with decentralized power and centralized power.
Early Insights & Observations
I’m looking at power through the following lenses or views:
Power as different forms of currency:
- People and organizations have various “currencies” that are traded formally, informally, or unknowingly through their interactions and behaviors.
- People and organizations make “deposits” and “withdraws” through the way they spend their time and money.
- Currencies may be different for different types of people in an organization – for example, executives may trade / traffic in an authoritative type currency whereas a middle manager may trade in relational currency (in the form of favors given and received).
Power as it relates to either a scarcity or abundant mindset
- A scarcity mindset produces a view of power as zero-sum, with hoarding, protecting, and expecting an exact trade (back to my currency proposition) for various behaviors.
- An abundant mindset produces a view of power that can be amplified, shared, generated, and is commonly associated with empowerment, collaboration, and cross-functional engagement.
Centralized and Decentralized Power
- Though decentralized power (like holacracy and agile) is in vogue right now, centralized power is also critical for understanding how to lead and transform organizations
I’m currently in the process of reaching out various subject matter experts in organizational leadership and HR to understand different POVs and resources.
If you have thoughts to contribute don’t hesitate to reach out! Easiest is to ping me on Twitter.