by Sandra Hunter

Making the shift from being in the military to civilian work comes with numerous challenges, including understanding workplace dynamics. Unlike the clear top-down structure in the military, civilian workplaces use various power strategies that can impact your career. While some leaders wield power through expertise or charm, others rely on authority alone. Team members also influence projects through collaboration. Recognizing these dynamics can help you adapt and succeed in your new role.

The Crux

Understanding workplace power strategies is key to accessing development opportunities, promotions and stronger relationships. Women, in particular, face stereotypes. They’re seen as weak if they don’t speak up, or aggressive if they’re assertive. In leadership roles lack of support can make them more isolated and vulnerable. For more information about specific strategies women can use with power dynamics, please feel free to contact me via the information at the end of this post.

2 Types of Power Play

Leaders use two forms of power: positional and personal. Colleagues can also use personal power strategies.

• Positional power: This is power someone has purely because they are in a managerial position and can be reinforced with rewards or threats.
• Personal power: A boss may use their charisma, expertise or superior knowledge to control and direct employees. Colleagues can also use this for team cooperation, to achieve project goals, to win group status, or to influence and impress their boss.

How Power Strategies Affect You

If you’re stuck under a micro-managing boss, frustration may push you towards an ill-considered promotion, a transfer, or even leaving your job. Meanwhile, colleagues who advance faster often leverage personal power – building influence, cooperation, and proving their value to leadership. Understanding these dynamics can help you take control of your career path.

The Types Of Power

1.      Power Used By Bosses

Positional: The boss may base her or his decisions “because I’m the boss.” This is also called top-down or legitimate power. The boss assumes the right to make decisions and demands and everyone else in the chain has to comply.

Reward power: a boss may offer a bonus, promotion, praise, or special job perks to induce employees to perform to a certain standard that can cause intense pressure and anxiety.

Coercive power: A manager may use threats of transfer, demotion, job loss, and exclusion from group benefits.  This is forcing behavior from employees with the threat of negative consequences or punishment. The use of intimidation can create a toxic work environment.

2.      Power Used by Bosses and Team Members

Referent power: This is often seen in charismatic leaders. People admire them and want to align with their leader’s values and character.  It’s also common among colleagues who get team members to cooperate to meet project deadlines.

Expert power: Both employees and managers may use their superior state of the art knowledge as leverage. An AI specialist will have expert power over colleagues who are less skilled or have outdated knowledge.

Informational power: An expert can share facts, or logic to persuade employees to influence management decisions. In other words, they have power because they determine how that information is released. However, once the information is shared, the power is reduced.

Referent, expert, and informational power, when used judiciously, can have positive effects on team bonding and achieving goals.

Self-power: This is the power a person gains over his or her own life’ that arises from maturity, security and self-confidence. Power comes from within the individual and not from external sources such as coercion, expertise or information. Self-belief and determination can counter-balance social power structures that impact career advancement.

What You Need to Self-Empower

You’re handling office dynamics, building good relationships, staying on your boss’s good side, managing your time well, hitting deadlines and pushing your career forward. All of this can become overwhelming.

What You Can Do

• Set boundaries to prioritize work tasks
•  Avoid contact with toxic colleagues
• Set self-care as an important and regular priority
• Seek support outside work
• Record instances of toxicity.
• Approach HR or, ultimately, look for another job.

You also need support!

Mentorship

A mentor helps you keep a clear perspective, manage conflicts and pitfalls, recognize and navigate workplace tensions and power strategies, and help you stay focused on your career track.

Sponsorships

These are essential for your career trajectory. Sponsors are usually highly placed executives or partners who can accelerate your career path in ways you cannot. Many people continue to work hard in their positions with mediocre bonuses and only occasional raises. Here’s where sponsors come in, and your mentor will help you learn how to successfully approach them.

Key Takeaways

• Understand that both bosses and co-workers use power strategies.
• Know the strategies to stay balanced and focused on your career path.
• Use simple strategies to operate in the best interests of your career and avoid stress-inducing situations.
• Seek mentorship and sponsorships to help you navigate power structures and accelerate your career trajectory.

Knowing workplace power strategies helps you assess your current job, plan your career path, and make informed decisions rather than acting out of frustration. If you want to learn more about power strategies, mentorship or sponsorship, feel free to reach out at sandra@empowerhertorise.com.

Website: empowerhertorise.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrahunter/

References

Drew, C. (2023, October 7). 5 Bases of Power (French & Raven) – Study Guide. Helpful Professor. https://helpfulprofessor.com/bases-of-power/

Marquis, B. L., & Huston, C. J. (2008). Leadership Roles and Management Functions in Nursing: Theory and Application. Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Mathews, S. (2024b, November 27). The 6 Types of Power: A Guide for Leaders. Leading Sapiens. https://www.leadingsapiens.com/types-of-power-in-leadership/

Morrison, E. (1988). Power and nonverbal behavior. In J. Muff (Ed.). Socialization, sexism, and stereotyping. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press