In a recent survey by consulting firm Accenture, almost half of working professionals said they are dissatisfied with their jobs.......

In a recent survey by consulting firm Accenture, almost half of working professionals said they are dissatisfied with their jobs


Power Up for Success: How to Increase Your Professional Voltage

Posting Date: September 01, 2011

By: Terry R. Bacon, Ph.D.

Power at work is like the power in a battery—the more voltage it contains, the more impact it has.

In a recent survey by consulting firm Accenture, almost half of working professionals said they are dissatisfied with their jobs. Only 30%, however, said they plan to switch employers. The other 70% say they want to power up—increase their voltage—to pursue better opportunities in house.

If you’re one of them, I’ve got good news for you. According to my research—a study of power and influence among leaders worldwide—there are 11 sources of power available to you at work. Some stem from your position in the company and others from your personal attributes and abilities.

Following are five of those power sources, along with tips on how to plug into them, that will help you amp up your professional voltage—regardless of where your name is on the org chart.

1. Knowledge power

This power represents what you know and what you can do. It embodies your talents, skills, and abilities, as well as your wisdom and accomplishments. Leaders rated high in knowledge power are three times more influential than their lower-rated counterparts.

How to plug in to your knowledge power: develop an area of distinctive knowledge, skills, or capabilities; apply your knowledge to achieve demonstrable results or advance your organization; write about what you know in articles, on blogs, and through social media; coach or mentor others; make the most of opportunities, internal and external, for training and education; commit to continuous learning.

2. Expressiveness power

Your expressiveness power is your eloquence—your ability to communicate powerfully and persuasively when speaking and writing. In its most dynamic form, the power of eloquence can increase a leader’s influence more than any other power source.

How to plug in to your expressiveness power: learn to love language (or to communicate as if you do); take a class on public speaking; build up your writing skills; ask trusted colleagues to critique your presentations; know your POV on hot company topics and, prior to meetings, practice stating it simply and succinctly; study the speaking greats, past and present, and scrutinize their style and skills.

3. Attraction power

This power reflects your ability to draw people to you, to cause them to like you and prefer you to others. The attraction may be physical, but it can also be based on warmth, wisdom, personality, shared experiences, or common values. Universally, attraction power is one of the most potent power sources, and high ratings here can more than triple a leader’s influence and effectiveness.

How to plug in to your attraction power: take pride in your appearance; go out of your way to be open, friendly, kind, caring, and considerate; talk less and listen more; smile and show a sense of humor; learn to tell a good story; let go of your masks and be yourself.

4. Character power

Your character power is based on others’ perceptions of your honesty, integrity, fairness, courage, and humility. Regardless of who you are or how highly regarded you might be in every other respect, the power of character matters. For leaders, it’s also a vital lesson that the rules apply to everyone.

How to plug in to your character power: walk your talk; be honest, humble, and evenhanded; if your character is justly called into question, acknowledge what went wrong, accept responsibility, and act to make things right; if your character is unfairly called into question, work to understand why and correct any misperceptions; consider the consequences of your choices, decisions, and actions.

5. Network power

Your network power is derived from the depth and breadth of your connections with others. A rapidly evolving power source (a result of the social media boom) it comes not only from who you know but also the accessibility and power sources of those individuals. Leaders rated high in network power are twice as inspirational and three times as influential as their lower-rated counterparts.

How to plug in to your network power: develop a reliable expertise in an important area; collect and circulate information; be accessible, responsive, and helpful; do favors for people (no strings attached); involve and connect people through activities, projects, and events; build connections outside of your organization and physical location.

Finally, your will power is well worth a mention. A meta-source of power, it comes from within and depends entirely on your courage to act. Walt Whitman called will power “personal force”—the will to do something when others merely dream or talk about it. No one else gives, or takes away, the power of will. That power source is entirely up to…you.

About the Author(s)

Terry R. Bacon, Ph.D. , is a scholar in residence at the Korn/Ferry Institute and the author of numerous books on leadership, management, and personal development. His new book is The Elements of Power: Lessons on Leadership and Influence (AMACOM, 2011). For more information, visit: www.theelementsofpower.com or www.terryrbacon.com. Contact him at terry@terryrbacon.com