As a leader, being in a position of authority grants you the inherent capacity to influence others. In the next installment of our Finish Strong Friday series, we will delve into another facet of power—specifically, the power of positional authority that motivates individuals to acknowledge and adhere to leaders. Discover practical techniques for leveraging this positional power from your leadership toolkit today!
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Master your context with real results leadership training!
To learn more, visit our website at www.greatsummit.com.
For tax, bookkeeping, or accounting help, contact Dr. Nate’s team at www.theincometaxcenter.com or send an email to info@theincometaxcenter.com.
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As a leader, being in a position of authority grants you the inherent capacity to influence others. In the next installment of our Finish Strong Friday series, we will delve into another facet of power—specifically, the power of positional authority that motivates individuals to acknowledge and adhere to leaders. Discover practical techniques for leveraging this positional power from your leadership toolkit today!
Key Takeaways To Listen For
Resources Mentioned In This Episode
Connect With Us
Master your context with real results leadership training!
To learn more, visit our website at www.greatsummit.com.
For tax, bookkeeping, or accounting help, contact Dr. Nate’s team at www.theincometaxcenter.com or send an email to info@theincometaxcenter.com.
Follow Dr. Nate on His Social Media
[00:00:00] Dr. Nate Salah
Just embrace them and love them and show them that there are those who have positional power that seek not to abuse it, but seek to use it to help people heal, to have empathy, to listen, to have the vision and the foresight and the communication that encourages and inspires rather than tears down and belittles. Hello, my friend, and welcome to this Friday episode of A Call to Leadership. I'm Dr. Nate Salah your host, I'm so glad you are here. Every Friday we work on one tool for your leadership tool about why is that important so that we can just focus on growing. We can focus on actually having one more opportunity to lead.
[00:00:46]
Sometimes we watch a podcast if you're watching it on social media or listen to a podcast. And there are 10, 15, 20 different points, and the human brain has difficulty remembering all those points. So if we just remember one and then put that one into action, because once we can practice that one characteristic, that one tool, that one trait, that one ability, that one principle, that one virtue. Then it becomes part of our behavior. It gets ingrained in us. We form new neuro-pathways that utilizes that particular thought, that idea. So I encourage you to take your time and just listen through this one aspect of leadership and then begin to integrate it into your day. Sometimes the best way to learn something is to what you've heard this teach it, right?
[00:01:45]
Go and tell someone about this particular aspect of leadership, how you better understand it, how you'll better be able to utilize it in your day-to-day. So today we are talking about the third installment of this multi-part series on a subject in leadership called Power. Now we know power is important in leadership, but we rarely think through the mechanics of power, the different types of power, what power can do to improve our situation as leaders and how it can be devastating. In fact, we know that leadership is in crisis. We know this. We see this every day. We see leaders who abuse power. We see leaders who use power to take advantage of others, to focus less on serving others, and more on power prestige position.
[00:02:36]
And so we have to understand that power can be used in a positive way, or it can be used in a negative way. So our first two installments in this series were on two types of power. The power to punish, which we called coercive power and the power to reward. Now, some of these power mechanisms, we pull from some research that was done way back in the 1950s by French and Raven. A couple scholars. There'll be other aspects of it, but these are specifically the social basis of power that we're talking about right now. And this third domain of power. You're very well acquainted with it. In fact, this third domain of power, Is a domain that every human being has experienced, and this power is affectionately called legitimate power.
[00:03:23]
Now, what is legitimate power? Legitimate power is also called the power of position. Now, the power of position, again, you're very familiar with it, whether it's the position of a teacher, a parent, an employer, a manager, an owner, the president, a member of Congress, right? A bus driver. These are all positions of power. Any person who has a legitimate role, if you will, in a position has a certain type of power. Now, let me back up just one point because as we talk about these social bases of power, we have to also remember this. Power is only able to create influence when the target or the subject person believes that that power has value.
[00:04:15]
Okay, so I'll give you an example within this realm of positional power, right? You may see a police officer who has the positional power of a police officer, and a positional power is based on their achievements. It's based on their abilities, based on their experience. It is different, however than expert power, and we're gonna talk about that in a subsequent episode. So you may see a police officer and you say, I respect your position and I will comply with what you expect of me. In other words, a police officer flashes their lights, right? Okay, so what do you do? Most people pull over to the side of the road. Some people don't. Some people say the value of your power does not outweigh the prospect of whatever it is that I need to run from you for Perhaps I have a warrant out for my arrest.
[00:05:09]
Perhaps I have some illicit substances in my vehicle, and if it's searched, then I may go to jail. Or may I be carrying a weapon without a license, right? Any number of reasons that the power that is conferred. With your position may not have enough value to create influence because as I'd said in a couple episodes, if you haven't listened to the first two episodes in this series, I suggest you do. They're really foundational. But I had said in those episodes, and I'll repeat it here, is that power produces influence and leadership is the capacity or the capability to leverage that influence into action. This is a quote from a colleague of mine and the university in the academic sector Dr. Justin Gandy, and I love this idea of power.
[00:06:00]
There's a lot of different ways to describe power, but I like this one for a number of reasons because we can better understand how power and influence interrelate when we talk about how power and influence interrelate or saying is this power is as if you have fuel. And leadership is the engine. And when leadership is put into action, it creates influence. It's, it's when you're putting your foot on the gas and you're releasing that power to propel you and others to a better future state. This is the idea behind it. So we have to recognize sometimes we may not have power by virtue of our position unless that positional power is recognized and valued by the target or the follower for that matter.
[00:06:51]
Right. This is essential to understand this because we've gotta assess every situation, whether or not we are in a position of influence. And if we're not in a position of influence, then we cannot hope to move anyone in a direction that we desire based on the social bases of power. Now you say, Nate, look, if I've got a gun in my hand and I pointed at someone and say, Hey. I'm a police officer, get on the ground or I'll shoot. Right? If you exercise that power and someone says, you know what? I don't really care if you shoot me or not, right? They're not gonna get on the ground. Do you understand what I'm saying? What I'm saying is, is that you have to have that power has to be valued, and that's why we have all these different types of. Bases of power because perhaps one social base of power won't be effective In this situation.
[00:07:42]
You must implement and utilize a myriad of possible power bases, and that's why it's so important to listen to the entire series to understand that all the different pieces because the power punishment may or may not work. The power of reward may or may not work. The power of legitimate power or the power of position may or may not work in certain situations. And so, As we go through these, you'll have more and more bases of power to use at your disposal. But right now, as we talk through this idea of positional power, think of someone in your organization, perhaps think of a manager and a manager who you respect very much and you are willing to go great lengths to achieve alongside of this manager.
[00:08:26]
Right. If you think about that, think about the reasons why you would hold this positional power, the power of position, this management position in high regard. Number of reasons I'm sure will come to mind. One of them may be that that manager knows how to do the work, right? Has the expertise, has the skill, has the tenure and the accomplishment to achieve those goals. That's why you believe they were put in that management position in the first place because they deserved it. Now, flip the script, right? Have you ever had an encounter or been serving under a manager who you don't believe they deserve that position? Think about that. I have, and I'm sure someone listening today has as well.
[00:09:12]
If you've been in that situation, likely it's for some of the same reasons, it's up the opposite. You believe that perhaps they did not have the accomplishments to warrant that position. Perhaps currently in that position, they are ineffective. Perhaps they are not able to achieve the goals that you hope to achieve. Perhaps there's other issues. Perhaps there's issues with social skills. Perhaps they're just a crappy manager. Perhaps they have toxic leadership, that leadership in crisis that we talked about. Perhaps they're a cancer of the organization and they need to leave or change dramatically. Right. So that positional power then has.
[00:09:49]
Some value by virtue of the position, but the value isn't necessarily because of the positional power. You don't believe that they earn that position. It's usually because of coercive or reward power. The other two power bases that we've discussed, which is one, look, it's possible if I don't follow this manager's instructions, even though this manager perhaps is what Steve Jobs would call a bozo, then I'll lose my job. I'll get demoted. I may get reprimanded, right? I may lose my hours or my shift or all these other challenges that may arise that is related to positional power because the position can issue coercive power punishment, but it's really the power of punishment that motivates you. Uh, vice versa, it could be the power of reward, right? You may comply with the manager because you desire a reward. Those are different aspects of this relationship. So you as a leader, and if you're in a leader in organization, Be sure to only put people in positions that they earned and be that they were not going to be a problem starter, that they're gonna be a problem solver.
[00:10:53]
Because what happens is, is when we put people in the positions that they don't belong in the first place, then they end up making more mistakes and hurting the organization. They end up also tarnishing our reputation as someone who has sound judgment. Now, can you put someone in a position that looked great on paper? And you believe this person will do well, and then they don't. Yes, it happens. It's happened to me. I've done this many times over, and I've learned over the years to be more objective in my decision-making, using different instruments to help me find people who are best fit for that role, as well as massive amounts of training and massive amounts of vision casting and acclimation to a culture, and so on and so forth.
[00:11:40]
And even then still continue to vet those individuals. So there are opportunities everywhere for someone to flounder in an organization whether or not they're suited for that role or not. Can someone grow into a role? Yes, absolutely. They don't have to be a perfect 10 when they first start out. In fact, I wasn't a perfect 10, and many of them people who I have the blessing and the privilege of working alongside of all my team didn't start out as a perfect 10. However, there are times when our positional power is also abused, and this is when the person in a position of leadership, whether they're a business owner, whether they're a manager, frontline employee that has subordinates, whatever it is, a team lead. It could be, no, that's an organizational level. It could be in a religious setting.
[00:12:30]
It could be a pastor, it could be an associate pastor, it could be a youth pastor in a community setting, a community organizer. It could be an older person, it could be a congressperson, it could be a senator. It could be the president of the United States. And of course we can go on and on in a family, a father, a mother, it could be an uncle, a grandparent. These are all positions and each one of these positions holds a certain level and amount of power, and that power can be abused. It's so sad to see people abuse power and take advantage of those less able to defend themselves in certain situations. And so it is so incumbent upon us to stand to stand for those who are helpless, to stand for themselves.
[00:13:19]
And you see this all the time, we have the opportunity to foster my wife and I and to help children we're in need, who are abandoned, who had just traumatic lives, and just embrace them and love them and show them that there are those who have positional power that seek not to abuse it, but seek to use it to help people heal, to have empathy, to listen, to have the vision and the foresight. And the communication that encourages and inspires rather than tears down and belittles. And I encourage you to be that person as well. There's so many of us that who need to stand in the gap and show that our positional power can stand for what's right and what's good in the world and not abuse it and not misuse it. It's so easy to misuse and abuse right. You've heard the old phrase that absolute power corrupts Absolutely. I believe that was Sir Lord Acton who said that. Right. And so is there some truth to that? Yes. Is that the case in all situations? No. But the more power we have, the more opportunity we have to use it for good or abuse it.
[00:14:37]
And unless we have a standard, and I mean a standard of integrity that is unshaken, then it's possible. That as we increase in our stature and our power, we could also abuse it. So be firm, be vigilant, be watchful. As your positional power increases, as you're put in situations where you have the opportunity to do more and help more and serve more, that you stand on the merit, on the foundation of integrity, that you stand on the foundation of doing what is upstanding and right and undivided. In your good character, in your moral virtue, cuz we need you to be because there's so many, so many who aren't. And so it's up to us to shine the beacon of light, which illuminates the better future state for the future because there's so many hurting people out there. And then you can use your positional power to delight and it's really quite amazing if you think about.
[00:15:41]
The power of position and humanity. There's a lot of psychological factors around this as well. Think about starstruck. You ever hear of the term being starstruck? Right? What does that mean? That means if you see a celebrity or somebody. Who is has fame. There's a reaction that happens sometimes, and being starstruck means you, sometimes people, they get nervous or they get a little giddy or talkative or they begin to sweat or blush, right? These are all emotional and physical, uh, reactions, if you will. Necessarily gonna happen in all situations, but sometimes it will. When you have an emotional connection to an individual or not even an individual, it can simply be the position itself, right? For example, let's go back. Let's go to an actor, right?
[00:16:26]
There's an actor who you may have seen. On screen and you see that actor at a grocery store, or perhaps it's a celebrity, maybe it's a baseball player or a different kind of a celebrity. In fact, I saw a baseball player, a guy named Ozzie Smith, who lived inOzzie Smith at a local grocery store that I went to the grocery store and he was standing in line just a couple spots away from me. Now, this was not too far along after the St. Louis Cardinals. Had won the World Series and it was kind of like, wow, hey, this is a local celebrity, of course, a national celebrity as well, and there's a sort of awe that comes along with that, right? Well, it's been said that the positional power that a person has based on that celebrity or fame is an ancient human connecting power where we are connected to different individuals who have status, if you will, right?
[00:17:19]
You think about tribal status, where there are those who have accomplished great things. And we tend to look at those and elevate those individuals, right? Perhaps in the old days, in even today, in some countries, in some areas, especially in rural areas, indigenous areas, warriors, right? Who protect and defend the. The tribe from a potential annihilation, right? This is survival are elevated, right? They're heroes, right? And these are considered, in some ways are heroes because again, that's the positional power. That's part of power of position, right? And they don't have to necessarily be celebrities. They can simply have a role and responsibility that people elevate and consider to be in high esteem.
[00:18:04]
I'll give you an example. Just recently. I was talking to one of my employees and there was a client who had an issue, and I had known this client several years back. I hadn't talked to this client for many years, but I had a client of ours for almost 20 years. And so my assistant said, Hey, I've got this issue. What do you want me to do about it? I said, you know what? Gimme the phone number. I'm gonna call this client and I want you to sit in the office cause I know exactly what's gonna happen. So I call the client and the client says, oh my goodness, what did I do? To have the honor of Nate Salah calling me to talk about my issue.
[00:18:38]
I started laughing. I said, Hey, look, you know, you're important and I just wanted to say, hey, and let you know here's what we're doing about your issue. And I'm just so glad to hear your voice and it's great to catch up for a few minutes. Right? And so the conversation went so well, and my assistant's like, you know, I don't know why that we don't get to have that same relationship with the clients is because people automatically associate the owner with a higher level of status, whether or not that's true, right? It's simply an association because of an accomplishment that you're the owner, right? What do you do when you have an issue with a, say you got some food that wasn't right. I know that happens to me, right? Your order's not right.
[00:19:18]
You get home, you're upset, right? Because what? You got the cheese sticks and you didn't get the marinara sauce, and you don't have marinara or you got the shrimp. But you didn't get the cocktail sauce. You don't have any cocktail sauce, right? Whatever it is. You got the french fries and you didn't get the ketchup right? You don't have any ketchup at home, right? Any number of issues. You didn't get the utensils and you said, I need utensils because I won't be going home, and we're going on a picnic. So you call the restaurant, and who do you ask for? The front desk person, right? You ask for the waiter? No, you don't ask for the waiter.
[00:19:51]
You don't ask for the bus person. Who do you ask for? You ask for the manager. Of course you do. Right? So the reason why you ask for the manager, because that positional power carries authority and wait, and that authority of wait has the power to what? To reward you, right? Because you've been in a bad situation with that particular business, right? Sometimes the reward is, I'm so sorry. Let's just make your food free. We'll send you a gift card. We'll zero it out. Sometimes it's also a dessert next time you come in, right? It's simply empathy, listening. What can we do to make it right? And so that is how positional power works. We elevate, we move toward it.
[00:20:34]
And so for us as leaders, it's important for us to recognize where we're strong in it, where we're weak, what pitfalls we can see from positional power, how we can abuse it, but also how we can use it to benefit others. All right my friend. Well, hey, this week is your week. I want you to spend time thinking about positional power, have conversations around it, and start identifying positional power around you. And I would even say, have some conversations around how we can improve our positional power, not to Lord over others, not to be jerks, but how to be there and help people to achieve far greater than we ever thought possible. Well, my friend, I am so thrilled that you joined me on this episode of A Call to Leadership, and before you go to the next episode, especially if you're binge-listing, take a moment.
[00:21:29]
I would love to get your honest review right here on your screen. Your feedback is so important. It helps the podcast. It encourages me and it helps me. It helps me to give you more and more and more value, so I can't wait to read your review. I can't wait to be with you on the next episode. I'm Dr. Nate Salah. This is A Call to Leadership.