Power and Success

Successful people command power in one way or the other. Power is the ability to get things done - your way. You get things done by giving direct orders to others, sometimes by making a suggestion or even asking for a favour. The end results (if you have power) will always be such that people act in a manner that you derive a benefit from their actions. Success is about getting what you want or desire. If you manage to get 75% of the things you want, to me you are successful.

There are various forms of power. Many authors and scholars have written books and produced papers about different manifestations of power. Those that are mentioned often by many authors are coercive, reward, legitimate, referent and expert power. Those that appeal to me are the "good ones" namely reward, referent and expert power. In my opinion successful people possesses at least two of these "good" forms of power.

For example reward power will have something to do with paying salaries, giving due recognition and praises to others and perhaps loving others unconditionally. Referent power on the other hand will have something to do with charisma, ability to magnetise and attract people. When you have referent power, you will always manage to pull crowds and turn heads. Sometimes products or services will be designed around you. Many politians, artist, business people and celebrities have referent power.

People who possesses expert power are those who have deeper knowledge or insights about a specific subject than average man and woman. Those with expert power are respected for their knowledge. They sometimes become legends.

Coercive power on the hand has something to do with forcing or coercing others to do as you want irrespective of their feelings or convictions. When you rule by fear and submission, you are a coercive leader. Typical examples will be dictators and gang leaders.

Legitimate power is the power that comes with a rank. For example police officers, military personnel, state president, husband or wife all have certain rights and privileges based on the power bestowed on them. You can say that legitimate power is a legislated power.

One can have power in many ways. You have power over your employees because you pay their salaries. Being a successful business owner or rising to the top office in an organisation is very fulfilling to others. In this way they get the respect and recognition they deserve. The bigger the organisation or the company they own, the more the power they command.

If you are an expert in a specific field, it is because you know the best way to handle matters. Your are in the best position to use your expert status to command respect and power. You have the power set your own market price and choose who you associate with. Many people who are successful in their careers are leveraging on their unique knowledge of what they do for a living.

If you have credit cards, you can go into a store, hotel or restaurant in any city and order whatever you wish. This kind power, if utilised effectively can enhance you success immensely. Imagine dinning in the best restaurants along side the rich and powerful. (Notwithstanding, be careful when using your credit card because credit cards are known to be debt traps).

Then you are successful and powerful in politics, people will give you their votes, hoping that you will work and succeed in getting the government to serve them in their area.

There is also power that is derived from being talented, charming and capable; of being up-to-date and knowledgeable. With this power people will know that when they let you handle things for them or listen to your advice, they will come out ahead. There are many people that are paid top dollars to talk and motivate others. Many former CEO's and other great personalities are paid more money per hour by companies to motivate staff than what many of us get per month. How is that for power and success?

In fact if you want a dose of knowledge and insightful wisdom from some of the sharpest brains in "getting things done" you have to get yourself a 460 page e-book called The Top 101 Experts That Help Us Improve Our Lives. This is a remarkable book that is bound to change your approach to life forever.

Coming back to our topic, well we have one more thing to say; this concerns the aspect of power that have something to do with competition.

If the entire world was fair and equal, there would be no need for the upper hand. But of course the world is not like that. This implies that in a competitive situation you cannot merely settle for the generosity of your competition. You must keep your eyes wide open and indeed all your faculties in their most acute and sharpest alert mode. Be open for any clue or tips that will tip the scale in your favour. When the scale has tipped to your side, take what is duly yours, nothing more - nothing less. Get what you deserve and get it fairly. If you go all out to destroy your competition or your enemies, you create another bigger enemy - yourself.

There has been lot of prestige attached to destroying competition but history tells that those that follow this silly advice end up attracting more competition. This had to do with the Law of Attraction and signals from your subconscious mind. The truth is the world respect those that are fair and firm. Always take what you deserve and leave the rest; you will be successful and you will command respect and power even from your arch-enemy.