If you have recently earned a promotion or are having difficulty finding comfort in a position of power, you are not alone. However, it is crucial for every effective leader to not only get comfortable with power but also use it confidently. For those of you that are a minority or not that used to power, you have to take advantage of your new power before someone else steals it away from you. Great leadership requires dominance, ease of decision-making, forcefulness, and independence. As gender norms are uprooted, and as we move into a world of more power, you need to get comfortable with the power you wield. The following tips will help you make the most of it.
Understand the Value of Your Power
When you are promoted to a position of power, you need to fully understand its value to get comfortable with it. Just how valuable your power is and what can you do with ethically is something you need to be asking yourself. Thinking about the power you possess and what it means for you can help you find comfort.
Know and Stand Up for Your Agenda
As a person in power, you must know and stand up for your own plan. As soon as you receive the promotion, you should be prepared to get into your position. Understand what you wish to accomplish with your power. You need to be vigilant about how you respond to others. As a manager, foreperson, etc., you want to get your word across. It is terrific to register other people’s needs and wishes. However, you must possess the strength to exercise your power even if it goes against what others might suggest.
Improve Your Communication Style
Being in power is something you do not need to apologize for. This is why you have to improve your communication style to communicate to others that you are here to get things done. There is no need to apologize for making decisions, making others unhappy, or excluding someone from a decision or conversation. Only apologize when you do something wrong. As a leader, you do not need to explain your decisions to everyone or ask for their permission. However, you can always ask for their insights and feedback.
Keep the Structure and Process in Control
To get comfortable with power, you need order, and to achieve order, you need to keep the structure and process in control. There is a time and need for collaboration and consensus. When you need to make immediate decisions, you need to understand that consensus should not get in the way. You also have to anticipate things. Make allies and know what it takes to get things done.
Do Ask for Help
It is impossible to take the world on your own. Hence, you should ask for help from time to time. Learn to make the most of your assistance. There is a limit to how much you can do.
Not everyone feels comfortable with power. The tips mentioned in this post will help them not only get comfortable but also exercise their newfound power.
