During a recent conversation with a client, I realized that they were spending a lot of time focusing on the negative outcomes of success and gaining more power. In fact, as I considered the situation, I realized that this is a common occurrence. I’ve heard these concerns before from other coaching clients of mine. As I considered the issue, it occurred to me that many of us (including myself at times) spend much more time focusing on all of the possible negative outcomes of getting power than we do on the positive outcomes. We focus on the effect our promotion will have on co-workers, we consider whether or not a raise will put us into a higher tax bracket, we wonder whether we’ll be able to handle the additional responsibilities of a new job.
While I maintain that you always need to be careful with the power that you have, there can be absolutely nothing negative about gaining more…provided that you use it correctly. So, what can you do with the power you already have and any you might gain from being successful?
Help others. Use your power and influence to give deserving and eager new employees a chance to prove themselves. Nurture them and give them the tools that they need to succeed. Be their mentor.
Put a stop to problems. We tend to spend a lot of time worrying about problems and people outside of ourselves. While this can be detrimental if you let it get to you, I see nothing wrong with taking notice of what’s going on around you. See if there are problems in the office due to the emotional or stress related problems of your employees. If so, address them. Use the power you have to help make changes to ease the stress on your employees and to create a positive thriving work environment.
Institute new policies. Do you want to see change happen? Then go out there and make it happen! Don’t wait around for someone else to make waves. You’re perceptive and your intuition is keen. If you’re certain something is the right move, just make it. You have the power and authority to do so; go for it!
Now I want to hear from you. What are some of the ways that you’ve used your power to do something positive?
