Power and Influence
Power occupies a critical part of any manager's experience and the ways in which we use and give up power invade our personal and professional lives, knowingly or unknowingly. The use of power intensifies as one explores questions of trust, position in the organization, and access to resources. In this session, we will examine the issue of power: how to achieve it, use it, and cultivate it. Each executive comes to the topic of power with different assumptions and skill-sets. In small groups, we will look at types of power, ways of using them, and how to prepare for the responsibility and opportunity they engender. In addition, we will explore the concept of influence-achieving optimal results through influencing managers and others over whom one has minimal or even no direct authority. Participants learn about different influencing styles, including how to decide which style to use given the type of person he or she is dealing with and strategies for how to customize communication to achieve a desired effect.