Power and Politics
Power. Think about the implications
of that five letter word. We see power demonstrated in many ways through the
movies we watch. We shed tears when the power of love shines through; remember Ghost? When the power of brotherhood encompasses
the silver screen, such as with Saving
Private Ryan, a sense of pride fills our soul. The power of two strangers
coming together and living out their final six months by checking off items
from The Bucket List gives us pause
and we stop to take stock of our own lives and what we still have left to do.
These are examples of power being used for the greater common good. This type
of power, according to Whetten and Cameron (2011), “made others feel powerful”,
and those with the power used it in a way “to help peers and subordinates
accomplish exceptional tasks” (p. 283). Don’t believe me? Think back to what
happened in each of the aforementioned films and answer these questions: 1) Did
Patrick Swayze help Demi Moore solve the crime and go on with her life? 2) Did
Tom Hanks help his platoon find Private Ryan and secure the bridge? 3) Did Jack
Nicholson help Morgan Freeman realize a few dreams and understand the wonder of
his own family? The answer to each is, Yes.
As noted by Whetten and Cameron
(2011), power is defined “as the potential to influence behavior”; however, the
key is “to learn how to use it wisely” (p. 286). Just as our emotions are
filled with a sense of good when certain powers are used effectively; so, too
do our emotions become enraged when absolute power hurts people. Remember
Enron? Multiple scholars observe this type of power, referred to as a “four-letter
word”, invokes scenes of “vindictive, domineering bosses and manipulative,
cunning subordinates” (as cited in Whetten & Cameron, 2011, p. 283). Gordon
Gekko and Bud Fox, from Wall Street,
fit this image perfectly. It is this extreme and that of the real-world events
with Enron which causes many of us to resist the idea of embracing power; but,
as stated earlier, learning how to use it is the very compass needle I use as
my guide.
Currently, a local political club,
which derives its power from the state, has taken control and has exerted its
power in a manner that has orchestrated the demise of two, historical political
organizations and is continuing along a path that has been characterized by its
leader as a form of ‘party purity’. This has created a vacuum for those who
wish to organize and work together for local and state candidates because the
state party limits the use of names like Republican and Democrat. As such,
during a meeting last month, we were collectively tasked with doing our
homework in order to offer a solution. I took these words to heart and found an
answer.
Over the past seven years, I have
diligently worked within the local political party. I have provided research of
Florida Statutes to many candidates and their campaigns; and, through these
efforts, I have been able to establish a reputation as a thorough, deliberate
person who wishes to help the organization as a whole. Through these years, my
colleagues have come to know that I encourage “open, honest, and loyal relationships”,
I am available on an emotional level, both acceptance and positive regard are
found in my leadership style, I am willing to sacrifice for the good of the
team, and, most importantly, I genuinely care for my fellow political participants
and I take time to listen to their struggles (Whetten & Cameron, 2011, p. 290).
So, when I found a solution, I presented it in a way to empower the group as a
whole; not for personal gain.
Our group is currently considering
forming a local chapter of the Florida Federation of Republican Women. By doing
this, we are able to use the political name, Republican, without violating any
statutes, support candidates, host fundraising events, and, we can provide a
home to Republican men, as the organization provides an associate membership
for men. I was able to develop this solution because of the relationship I had
taken time to develop with the head of the local Young Republican Club. He
understood that once I asked for information, I would follow up. He knew, from
prior workings with me, I could be trusted to research the club, discover the
pros and cons, contact state officials for more information, and present the
information to others in a way that established this solution as a legitimate
answer (Whetten & Cameron, 2011). One of the initial tasks was to develop a
slate of board officers. As I prepared this, I purposely listed myself for the
lesser position of club secretary. Additionally, I tried to think of as many
questions as I could that others would ask so I could find an answer. By making
a contact with the first vice-president of the state club, I was able to use
that little bit of power in order to call her and let others ask her questions
in an impromptu conference call.
We are still in the infancy stage of
getting the club chartered; however, the initial meeting saw a setting aside of
personal power and ego by many and we are now coming together to use our
collective power for the good of our local party. Each of the five women
present for our first organizational meeting demonstrate Whetten and Cameron’s
(2011) characteristics of personal power: legitimacy, effort, personal
attraction, and expertise; and, each of us understand how power can be used for
the good. Fortunately, we have learned to use it wisely and thankfully within
the next month, we will have been able to combine our power to provide a home
for our fellow Republicans who want to work hard for candidates and party
building.
Admittedly, politics will rarely
provide opportunities for power to evoke tearful emotions. Usually, politics
brings out an ugly side of humanity; but, our group of women has been able to
step back and look at the big picture facing our local political clubs. They
have come together and have pledged to use their power for the good of those
who were abandoned by the local club with new leadership We have seen how that
power was used to hurt and destroy and thankfully that will be our guiding
light as we go forward. This is but one example of my willingness to develop
sources of personal influence in order to accomplish good; not gain power. I
have never been one to grab as much power as possible; rather, I prefer to
share and let some power go because I truly believe empowering others fosters
better relationships and helps the organization as a whole.
References
Whetten, D.A.,
& Cameron, K.S. (2011). Developing
Management Skills. (8th ed.). Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.
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