As a matter of fact, power is not a positive or negative notion; it can be described differently according to the way it is used. The abuse of power is one of the drawbacks that power can bring along. Financial losses and decrease of the employee’s motivation and job satisfaction are negative consequences of power abuse. Power is not necessarily a tool that is used for the achievement of the preferable behavior. The experts define power as the “ability of a person or group of people to influence others” (Phillips & Gully, 2015). Influence is the actions of one person directed to change the opinion or attitude of the person or a group. There are a lot of types of influence that can be used in the firm. Assertiveness and persuasion are the most commonly used types of influence. The person should not necessarily be at the top of the company to have power. One of the best examples is the working career of Steve Jobs, as his innovative ideas influenced the opinion of co-workers (Isaacson, 2011). Even when he was fired, his opinion was relevant for the company as they realized that his creative and innovative mind is essential for the company’s development.
Every person who works in the organization aims to get a promotion and be at the top of the organization. It is worth stating that the reason for it is not always associated with the financial aspect. The vast majority of people want to get a promotion to receive power. When an employee starts working at the new workplace, he has a personal opinion and attitude towards some aspects of the job. The employee may understand what should be done for improvement and progress. However, it should be pointed out that his opinion is not so relevant for the company yet. He has little experience, responsibility, and power to take an active part in the decision-making process. With the promotion, the employee will get an opportunity to implement changes and make creative decisions to accomplish success.
References
Isaacson, W. (2011). Steve Jobs. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.
Phillips, J., & Gully, S. (2015). Organizational behavior: Tools for success (2nd ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.