Why are bad habits hard to break, and what can I do about it?
Habits form in the basal ganglia and can resist effort - discover substitution strategies that replace old routines with productive ones at work....
Brain Circuits
How to get more power at work
You wonât be able to understand how power operates in your unique context on your first day in the company, but itâs highly achievable after about six months of closely observing the environment.
Your first task is to do a power audit:
Listen and watch to understand the bases of power that are most valued in this system:
- Who are the âmovers and shakersâ in this environment?
- Who is listening to whom?
- What is unique about them? (Are they articulate? Have they been at the company a long time? Do they have a lot of contacts?)
Â
Your next step is to assess your power bases:
Look at yourself as objectively as possible and assess how many of these power bases you currently have. For example, if allies and networks are highly valued, ask:
- How strong are my alliances within the organization, and how can I gain more allies?
- How central a player am I in the valued network and how can I build my network?
You also need to know how to sustain your valued power bases.
Â
For young managers:
The two bases of power that are most valuable are expertise and allies.
- If you have a rare and valued expertise, you can be the youngest in the room and people will listen to you and be open to your influence.
- Allies are people who trust your abilities and intentions and are willing to vouch for you. Having influential backers in the work environment can be a great route to getting power quickly, at a young age or at an early stage in your career.
Â
For more experienced leaders:
The two most critical power bases are reputation and network centrality.
- Reputation. What are people saying about you? Who are the individuals who can best help you cultivate a positive reputation?
- Network centrality. This relates to your place in the system. It is enhanced by making yourself an indispensable and central node in the network so that more people need to go through you to get things done (or to get access to others who can help them get things done).
Â
Key learning
A key aspect to understand about power is that it is completely dependent on context. So, if those power bases that youâve worked so hard to develop are no longer so valuable, think about developing new ones.
Authors
Related
AI and the CSO:Â 7Â ways to drive competitive advantage
The role of the chief sustainability officer (CSO) has moved from the margins to the center of corporate strategy. Here are seven ways to harness AI to embed sustainability and drive growth....
Is your C-suite AI-literate?
Unlock senior leadersâ competitive edge: how AI elevates decision-making, coaching, and talent management - while mitigating cognitive offloading and bias....
How to maximize your unique strengths in five simple steps
Could your confidence use a boost? Identifying your âsuperpowersâ will help you develop a personal brand and flourish as a leader. Hereâs how to do it....