There’s 3 ways to use power in leadership.

Thread

Whether you like it or not, every human interaction is based on negotiation.

The person who wins the most negotiations, has the most power.

To use power, means to influence, compel or do both.

Here’s the breakdown.

To influence means to encourage someone to do what you suggest.

Explain why it should be done, and the benefits of them doing it.

The benefits then, should outweigh the reasons of not doing it.

If it does, you’ve met their asking price. If not, you’ll need to offer more.

The more leadership qualities you possess,

the less you have to raise the benefits of why someone should do what you want them to do.

If you're known for your competence, courage, vision & character,

your mere presence can end up influencing them to comply at your will.

This is why the influence element of power is developed from the inside, through leadership qualities and building a reputation around it.

A reputation is the vehicle that delivers your credibility to set conditions in your favour,

before your arrival.

Build one.

Compulsion is the callous element of power. Basically, its “do this or else”.

To compel others, you need leverage: something they value, which you have direct/indirect control over.

The sole use of compulsion is discouraged if you want to be an effective & admired leader.

It is worth noting that, the stronger your capacity to compel through leverage,

the less you need to offer benefits to get someone to comply through influence.

So if are not admired as a leader,

the more you're able to compel, the less resources you expend through influence.

This form of power is often used by those at the top of the organisational hierarchies.

They leverage money, connections, assets, lawsuits & contracts, to deliver desired objectives.

It doesn’t require competence, character or honour. But it doesn't necessarily mean its evil.

Its possible to be good & corrupt at the same time. Because you will find, in order to survive in any competitive field,

you will have to engage & employ the tools that the immoral & the expedient use.

The most effective way to utilise power, is to influence and compel at the same time.

This means you need to possess leadership qualities while also having the capacity to leverage & use what other people value, against them.

The combination is delivered in this manner:

Influence - EXPLICITLY laying out the benefits if they did as they're told.

Compulsion - IMPLICITLY laying out the consequences of them not doing as their told.

The idea is to tilt them towards what you're suggesting, by magnetising them to the benefits if they comply,

while also eliciting fear at the prospect of not complying.

An effective leader doesn't threaten. He frames it in a way that declares 'choices have consequences'.

Never use one method without the other.

When commanding others, get into the habit of explaining the benefits of them complying,

AND (implicitly) the consequences of not complying.

Resistance towards your order will drop,

which will only magnify your reputation with power.

This thread assumes the person reading it seeks to lead others to good ends.

The methods employed are obviously manipulative.

But certain manipulations are necessary to lead those who cannot see.

Effective leaders understand this.