John Allan G.

Ongleo
Section – 2

PODCAST – The Psychology of Power and Influence

Issues raised and comments/advice provided by the discussant.

• How much power do you have in any given situation?

• How should you know when should you use it?
• When should you yield?
• What are the misconceptions about power? People think that power are something that only
other people have, something like famous people/wealthy people.
• It’s a challenge for everyone trying to get comfortable with their own authority.
• Having power but feeling powerless leads people to behave badly. They try to do things that are
designed to make themselves feel more powerful. Insecurities never go away.
• Great power comes great responsibility. Shift gear to thinking what other people need from them
and put other people’s needs first.
• Power changes people.
• People in power should feel like they can do whatever is necessary for other people to get what
they need from you. That’s what it means to act responsibly in a position of power.
• Hierarchies in power/organization. How we cooperate and avoid fighting with others, conflict. We
can just get down to business and accomplish the task at hand. Fighting over position, status and
power absorbs a huge amount of energy and resources. It can derail cooperation in groups.
• Stillness communicates dominance, power and social comfort.
• How should I be trying to show up as a person in a position of power?
• Power is defined as the capacity to get others to do what they want them to despite resistance
• Social power comes from things like having a relationship when others need you more than you
need them. This gives you leverage.
• Personal power comes from the way you behave and your impact on other people, independent
of your ability to force them to do things.
• Two types of evaluation, being authoritative or approachable.
• It is much better in motivating people to give them more control over their work, their own
decisions and how they do things. The more people feel in control of their outcomes, the more
motivating that is.
• There is no advantage career-wise to being a jerk. It’s much better behaving in a way that leads
others to trust you.

What are your reactions to at least three (3) of those?

1. Hierarchies in power/organization.
A leader or someone higher in rank/authority have the responsibility to make sure that the goals or
task at hand are completed accordingly. People in higher position in the hierarchy often and should
have the ability to lead, make decisions and think of ways for the betterment of the group and others.
Having someone to lead, organize or plan the activities for any given work will significantly improve
the performance of the group. Having a group of people work together for a common goal without a
leader might lead to chaos, exchanging ideas without a clear direction. Hierarchies can also be
associated with leadership, it is about acknowledging who is above you. It should not be viewed as
something negative, being in agreement who ranks higher and who ranks lower can avoid conflict
 within the group. Fighting over position, status and power can derail cooperation in the group and
might waste huge amount of energy, resources and time. Hierarchies in organization can also be
viewed as the table of organization, it represents the distribution of work to ensure the smooth
operation of the group. Hierarchy can also be related to trust. Those in higher positions should behave
in a way that others can feel they can trust them, that they can get the job done as needed. Likewise,
those in lower ranks should trust those above them and cooperate with their direction so that their
goals will be aligned.

2. It is much better in motivating people to give them more control over their work, their own decision
and how they do things.
Motivation is one of the main factors in the performance of an individual in any given activity/work.
It indicates how much they are committed in doing things. People are more motivated when they
have control over their work, their own decision and how they do things. It gives them the impression
that they are trusted and valued. Giving them the recognition they deserve on their work will make
them to do more. Giving someone step-by-step instructions on how to do their job without allowing
them to think on their own on how to do it will not motivate them, they might accomplish the task at
hand but they did not improve as an individual. Motivated people tends to always search for a way to
improve himself/herself, they will analyze/interpret things on their own, they will try new things to
produce better results. These changes will not only help the person but also the group.

3. There is no advantage career-wise in being a jerk.

A leader has the responsibility to set directions for the group, this also denotes that the leader should
have the knowledge and ability to perform the task. He should be someone who knows the operation
of the whole group. But all of these are only the minimum requirement for a leader, he/she should
have the ability to lead people. The leader should be able to leads other people to trust them, and the
same way should have the trust to those under him to get the work done. There is no real advantage
for a leader to behave improperly or as mentioned in the podcast a “jerk”. Acting this way will only
make those beneath you less inclined in following you and your instructions/directions. They might
even perform badly to sabotage you, things will become chaotic in tough times due to non-
cooperation of every member. Conflict with the management and the working force will only lead to
the failure of the whole organization. Having authoritative power does not always means that you are
right, it always come with greater responsibility not only for the organization but for those working
with you. The best way to use power is to empower others, showing them that you value them and
you needed them is highly motivational for them.