Power, Influence, Position & Authority

There are some things that we are not taught in school but somehow get to find out about in the workplace. The role of power, influence, position and authority. These are 4 things that determine the experience and extent of your trajectory in the work place. Isn’t it funny that we spend so much time in school and no one prepares us for the actual dynamics that happen in the workplace

Lets start with some definitions:

• POSITION can be defined as a place where someone or something is located. eg. your position within an organization or market or sector
• INFLUENCE is defined as the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behaviour of someone or something, or the effect itself
• AUTHORITY is the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce compliance or obedience
• POWER is the ability or capacity to do something or act in a particular way or to make others act in a particular way

If I was to ask you what was the most important of these four, which would you pick? And in what order would you select it? It is a difficult question but I think it depends on your context, values, overall sense of purpose and your beliefs about what constitutes success on a personal and professional level. I think your stage of life is also an important consideration

Position: In the younger years of one’s career, POSITION is very important. It is important to climb the organizational leader and not get left behing in terms of progressions and promotions. Position has a significant impact on the perks, remuneration, learning trajectory, skills development etc. Some jobs provide significant exposure and others do not. So at the start of your career, position is very important and is probably the more so than others because it provides content for your resume and credibility for your professional validation.

Authority: However, as you get into the middle level phase of your career, position is no longer enough if it does not come with significant authority to make decisions, give orders and enforce compliance in some shape or form. While it is possible to have a position without authority, it is impossible to have authority without a position. So having authority along with the position becomes important. This is typically at the time that one grows into leadership.

Power: With authority comes a certain level of power and this is where things become very complex because position and authority alone may not guarantee the power to do certain things. For instance, I have seen two people hold the same position or role at the same level one after the other. And one had more power than the other to make certain things happen. So this is the stuff we are not taught in schools. Every position has a certain level of authority and power attached to it on a documented level. However, the ability to exert that power depends on a lot of factors eg. the nature of the environment or eco-system you are operating in and your position in regard to the existing/prevaling/overarching power structure.

These dynamics play out in the most senior levels of leadership i.e. at C-Suite level in private and public sector organizations and especially in political leadership at the national and international level. This is why you may sometimes find someone being described as a “weak President” or “weak leader”. It means that for some reason, the person does not have the capacity or ability to Do things in the same way as those before him or her have done.

Which brings me to the point that I discovered relatively late in my working life. Power is not (always fully) transferrable. Neither is influence.

Having the authority of a role at a certain position does not guarantee you the ability to leverage fully on the power or potential influence of the role. In fact the level of influence that you are able to exert is a function of your own vision, networks, personal ambition and the space and support from others to enable you to function in a certain way. Your willingness to exert power in an ethical way or otherwise may also have a role to play in this (but I digress).

The important thing to remember is that :

POSITION is important because it formalizes AUTHORITY. It also comes with some level of POWER. But without (direct or indirect) INFLUENCE, others may prevent you from exerting the power which you are entitled to by virtue of your position 

POSITION and AUTHORITY are transferable but influence is personal and non-transferable. Influence is how about who you are, what you have, who and what you know and how people regard and respond to you.

1. – Expand your networks  – 360 degrees (within and outside your organization). Get involved in more professional and society groups. Know people, develop relationships and plan things together. Spread your relationship dragnet wide
2. – Do not make enemies of your peers – try very hard to have good relationships with the people you work with. Do not go out of your way to make enemies for yourself.
3. – Cultivate allies: If you have a difficult boss, ensure you have allies on his or her job level – Ensure you have allies all the way up and down and across the organization or institution you work for
4. – Work on your internal PR – help others with their roles – operate like a help desk. Help people solve their problems. Do not work like a island.
5. – Help others: Be kind and be the person that others come to for help – Avoid being transactional in your work relationships. Help those you know are not in the position to return the favour. (You will be surprised at how much people observe from afar the things you do and do not do).
6. – Be visible and present in the spaces and places where it is most required (do not be a wall flower. Volunteer to work in spaces that make you more visible to the required audiences. Don’t wait to be discovered on the street or in the hallway or your office desk. Put yourself out there).
7. – Take charge of your career – this sounds like a cliche but is so true. Waiting for your boss to plan your career and development is like waiting on your parents to find you a life partner (it may or may not work out!)
8. – Learn and develop – the greatest way to increase your influence in life is to learn and grow. People are attracted to shining lights. When they see you have something to offer, they want you in their spaces.
9. – Volunteer for new roles and projects – Yes – many of the best gigs or opportunities in life come from volunteering roles because people see you for who you are. It gives an opportunity for them to see what you are good at and it keeps you top of mind for consideration.
10. – Get a seat on a board if you can – This gives the best opportunity to learn about power, influence and authority and how to become that voice in the room that no one can ignore. Or the one at the table that others seek to have on their side.

• – Build one on one relationships with everyone that is a critical stakeholder
• – Manage your key relationships as much as you can
• – Make sure that everyone sees you as an asset to the organization

• Learn as much as you can about the power dynamics at the leadership level
• Understand how you fit in
• Get assurance about the level of autonomy you are likely to have
• Ensure that you are on the right side of the leadership leaning power drive
• Ensure there is a values fit with those you report to.