How does one achieve America’s contemporary idea of power?  

          Whenever I am in a room full of people, I find myself looking for the one in power. Whether it is the person who is controlling the conversation, the person everyone else gravitates to, or the person with the title. If you were to ask a group of people what they think it means to have power, you would get many different answers. Money, fame, knowledge, status, and physical strength are some common answers. With money, you can buy anything you want. Fame will make you well known and there are many things you can use fame to your advantage for. Knowledge will give you the leverage you need to turn the table. Around the world, status also plays a huge role in who is at the top. Someone who is physically strong can make the weak do what they want. America’s contemporary idea of power is control and influence and can be achieved by rising in the social hierarchy and networking. 

          Power is a concept that does not have an exact definition. It can take on many different forms, one of which is where you stand in the hierarchy of power in a society. This can be done through manipulation, surrounding yourself with people who like and respect you or titles that were given to you. “Power is abstract… it is an abstraction, a formula for certain observed patterns of social interaction” (Pepinsky Concept of Power). Power is how others respond to you. If there are many people who follow your orders, you have the power. If you are the one following many others’ orders, then those are the people with the power. Power is something that makes up a group. According to G. William Domhoff, “power can be thought of as an underlying trait or property of a social group or social class” (Denord ph. 28). In other words, it is a social construct that makes up social groups. In America, there will always be people who are above you and those below you and that is just what makes up our society. Even if you are in an environment where you are told that everyone is equal, there is someone in power and it is usually the person saying that everyone is equal. 

          Power has many different forms. Another form of power that plays a huge role in American society is power in welfare encounters. A form of power that was discussed in The Power of Citizens and Professionals in Welfare Encounters by Nanna Mik-Meyer is professionalism. Professionalism is a form of control over people which makes sure people behave in a way that is desirable. Mik-Meyer says “Professionalism should be regarded as a unique form of occupational control. It is a form of control that differs from (and is superior to) those stemming from the market, the bureaucracy and the particular organizations” (Mik-Meyer pg. 27). In the welfare work field, power is being able to control others and the situation. And the way to control is through professionalism. This will ensure the workers present themselves and their thoughts in a manner that shows that they have respect for the listener. In turn, there will be fewer outbursts and will ensure the workers stay in line. Enforcing a professional environment also makes sure that there is a clear idea of who is in power. 

          So, how does a person reach power? The key is to appear powerful. One way to do this would be to participate in traditional activities that important people take part in, both in the past and present. “Traditionally the way a person shows that they have power is by participating in, “hunting trips on private game reserves, golfing, worshiping at exclusive churches, and by the possession of certain objects or persons regarded as being “filled” with Power.” (Pepinsky the Quest for Power) In American culture, the way to show power would be to do activities that traditionally only the rich and people in power have done before. Things that are exclusive and not available to the majority. This is significant, especially in America, because when people think you are a man or woman in power, they are more likely to approach you and build connections. Networking can get you far in life and the more people you know, the more likely you will be able to reach higher in the hierarchy. 

           Another way to reach power is to create opportunities for yourself where you get to display your power to those above you. A key factor to look at when trying to find who is in power or if you can gain power from the current situation is to look at “(1) who benefits? (2) who governs? and (3) who wins?” (Denord ph. 30). If you are in a position where you are the one who benefits the most, controls the situation, and in the end, you are the one who has gained the most then you are the one in power. So, the way to gain power would be to create situations where you would be in this position. If you are not able to create these situations you can always try to include yourself in others’ plans. You will not be the one who benefits, governs, and wins but if you can get the other person to trust you enough to let you just govern, or give you some benefit, over time, this will increase your influence and power and eventually, you will be at the top. 

          What about after? You are in a position of power or at least more than you had before and not what. Well, the next step is to grow your power, and to do this you will need the help of others and you will affect others whether you want to or not. “Vulnerability is a characteristic easily and accurately applied to babies.” (Lazar pg. 35) A baby is a perfect example of how people in a position of power can affect those around them. A baby who is helpless and cannot provide for themselves needs their mother/caretaker to provide for them. A baby who has been well fed and gotten lots of simulations will thrive more than the baby that was ignored and not shown the way to do things. Similarly, it makes sense that in an organization, you would depend on the people around you. If you do not depend on others and let yourself, be vulnerable, you will not reach a prominent position of power. Your power will weaken and eventually die. To grow your power, you need to get help from others, and to do that you need to let yourself be vulnerable. The way you go about achieving higher power will come back to hurt or help you in the future. 

          When you do not let others help you and try to take on everything by yourself, your power will eventually disappear. According to research done about Powerful CEOs and Their Impact on Corporate Performance, the researchers found “that firm performance will be more variable as decision-making power becomes more centralized in the hands of the CEO.” (Adams pg. 28) In other words, sometimes your decision will help the firm but just as many times it will hurt the firm. One person having too much control over decisions can negatively affect group decisions being made in an organization. The person in power is not depending on others to help and the group will eventually collapse. It is always better to have the input of 5 brains compared to just one. Also, relying on others will help take off some pressure, letting you focus more on the important things that only you can do. 

          There is no exact definition for power but the two ways to reach it are to control the situation and to influence the people around in a positive manner. Professionalism is one way in which organizations control the employees and avoid troubling actions by the employees. Another way to reach a state of having power is by participating in activities that will help with networking. Networking will increase your social standing and can be used in the future to advance in the hierarchy of power. Another way is to create situations where you are the one in power or be included in someone else’s plan and try to get some benefits from their plan. Doing this will make you more powerful over time. It is important to allow venerability because this is a key factor in how to grow the power that you may already have. 

 

Work Cited 

Adams, Renée B, Almeida, Heitor, and Ferreira, Daniel. “Powerful CEOs and Their Impact on Corporate Performance.”

          The Review of financial studies 18.4 (2005): 1403–1432. Web.  

Denord, Francois, et al. “Who Rules America: Research on the Power Elite and Membership Network Analysis

          (Interview with Bill Domhoff).” Whorulesamerica.Ucsc.Edu, 2019, whorulesamerica.ucsc.edu/power/domhoff_interview_2019.html.  

Lazar, Ross A., “Part I Power and Vulnerability in Leadership and Organizations,” Psychoanalytic Essays on Power and

          Vulnerability. Brunning, Halina 1st ed. London: Routledge, 2014. Ch 1 Web. 

Mik-Meyer, Nanna, and Mark Haugaard. The Power of Citizens and Professionals in Welfare Encounters: The Influence

          of Bureaucracy, Market and Psychology. 1st ed. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2017. Web.  

Pepinsky, Tom. “The Idea of Power in American Culture*.” WordPress.Com, 8 Oct. 2019,

          tompepinsky.com/2019/10/08/the-idea-of-power-in-american-culture.