Mohammad Anwar 0:05
At one time or another, we've all worked somewhere with unhealthy power dynamics, you probably felt like you couldn't make your own decisions, like everything you did would be second guessed, like you were undermined at every turn. You may have even dreaded talking to your boss so much that you let his calls go to voicemail. That last example is a real one. And unfortunately, I was device in question.
Recently, I learned that for years, my team would let my calls to the office go unanswered. Rather than pick up and deal with, I have to acknowledge that I earned those voicemails, I was rude. arrogant, quite honestly, a bully. I've worked that way for years, and I can't help but wonder what those unhealthy power dynamics cost? What are we losing as a business and what was I losing in my people? When we talk about power dynamics, most of us are probably thinking about the job title or the authority you have. But power dynamics are much more complex than that. There are actually five to six types of power, all of which need to be kept in mind if you want to encourage healthy power dynamics in the workplace. Creating a healthy power dynamic requires awareness of the role that these types of power can play in the workplace. With healthy power dynamics, leaders and teams can have open discussions that push us toward positive outcomes. People feel empowered to make decisions, empowered to problem solve, empowered to bring their ideas to the table.
Healthy power dynamics benefit companies as well. highly engaged teams showed 21% greater profitability and 59% less turnover. And employees who feel their voices heard our 4.6 times more likely to feel empowered to perform their best work. Now compare that to unhealthy power dynamics, like the kind that result in your team dodging your calls. What other conversations are they avoiding? Now is the crucial time to acknowledge the role that power dynamics play in your workplace, the world is moving fast, and your whole team needs to feel empowered to quickly react and make their own decisions by limiting voices and contributions you lose out on opportunities. Period.
In this module, we'll cover steps that leaders and teams can take toward cultivating a more inclusive, empowering workplace. We'll discuss the power types in more detail. We'll talk about how to leverage your own power regardless of what your title is, and we'll explain how you can begin taking concrete steps towards empowering others. Adopting healthy power dynamics evolved my leadership style, transform the way we worked as a company and paved the way for success. It can for your organization too.
