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> Power Part I
Power is a word that conjures up many associations: some positive and some not so positive. It can be a force for good to protect, comfort and emancipate. Conversely, it can allow evil to dominate good. A recent Harvard Business Review article (“Lesson in Power: Lyndon Johnson Revealed/A Conversation with Historian Robert A. Caro”, April 2006) talked about power and we thought we would share some of our insights with you.
Regardless of your association, power is a fundamental requirement of leadership. You simply can't lead without it. The Senior Executive must be able to acquire power and deploy it effectively. Unfortunately, there are few executives that can truly do both. If you associate power with raging ego, dominance, and subordination, you need to challenge your perceptions. If it means getting what you want at the expense of others, you need to do some soul searching.
You need skills, ambition, acumen and hard work to ascend to higher levels of leadership and power. But, isn't acquiring power a nasty business? How do you gain power without becoming a Machiavellian, political animal who steps on others on your way up? As important, what will you do when you get there?
As with most things in life, the answer lies in your values. The best business leaders acquire power to achieve noble things. They aspire to achieve something greater than themselves, and they realize that without power they simply can't make it happen. While the support of shareholders, market share, competitive position and other issues are critical, they are empty calories if the ultimate goal isn't something greater. Consider the power pharmaceutical and technology companies have to significantly improve the quality of life on this planet. While advances in these industries can generate enormous profits, the ultimate value goes way beyond financial measure. The same is true for great leadership; it must be both practical and idealistic. As Robert A. Caro pointed out, "while pragmatism is essential to the pursuit of power and the achievement of goals, so is idealism."
Armed with this potent combination of idealism and business savvy, the best executives acquire power in a very thoughtful way. Next month we will pursue the issue on how they accomplish this.
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