Power in the Workplace, Finding an Alternative to the Iron Fist

Abstract

The application of power by leaders to achieve their goals is not novel. Leaders have exercised power for thousands of years. Regrettably, the prevailing thought is that all people using power are prevaricators, disingenuous individuals willing to slander or denigrate the people in their way. The aim of this paper is to contradict this reputation by examining the use of power in all aspects of the organization, including groups, structure, and human interaction. This paper will identify techniques or skills that the leader, through the use of power, can offer positive contributions to the organization (Carlsen, Clegg, Pitsis, & Mortensen, 2020). When successfully employed power can be a mechanism to aid in communication, motivation to encourage growth and development of others, inspire problem-solving, and be a catalyst for change. To implement power in a constructive way, the leader or group manager must know their audience. The successful utilization of power requires emotional intelligence (EI) skills. Leaders need the capacity to reframe, to see the issues from another point of view and to analyze a situation. The leader must determine what leadership method will work for a given circumstance or individual. They must know what motivates the individual to achieve, be it the need for achievement, positive affirmation, or routine.