Power In The 21st Century Work Place
In the 21st century power at work is frequently defined as the ability to do what you want. Power is more than control over others. There is a focus on personal growth, relationships, doing work that “makes a difference” and creating work/life balance. ABC News features various work place issues on their segment Take Control Of Your Life (http://www.abcnews.go.com/).
Sabina Alkire of the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Institute noted in her research that personal freedom, the ability to make choices, is a root of happiness. Other researchers note that this ability to make choices may even out-rank money to determine happiness. How can you achieve this ability to do what you want at work when you must take assignments from others, follow procedures from others and accept performance evaluations from others? Where is the personal freedom? Where is your power?
Consider these personal energy sources: Listening skills, Asking questions, Negotiating, Proposing solutions to problems. If you focus on developing these skills you will:
- Feel more invigorated.
- Feel more confident and connected to the work you do.
- Improve your performance.
- Perceive greater opportunities and challenges.
You control the switch to activate your power. You provide affordable, clean energy to customize solutions for a variety of operating conditions within your work environment. Are you ready to flip that power switch?