Reflection - Topic 4 Power, Politics, Networking and Negotiation

Topic 4- Power, Politics, Networking & Negotiation 

Power, politics, networking and negotiating are four of the main influencing strategies used by leaders, either for the benefit of the team or for the benefit of their own.

Here's what I've learnt...

POWER is the capacity to direct the behaviours of others. It allows the leader to change the course of direction, and subsequently the outcome of an event. The 2 main sources of power discussed in this topic are positional power and personal power. Positional power is power bestowed to an individual by holding a specific rank in a team, whereas personal power is power earned by an individual through his/her attitude without the use of formal authority.

POLITICS, on the other hand, are means employed by an individual at advancing his/her status or expanding power within an organization. Networking is utilized as one of the political tactics to establish social circles, whereas reciprocity is a tool for mutual exchange of benefits. In order to increase one's political power, a coalition is usually formed, whereby a group of people temporarily work together to accomplish a common objective.

NETWORKING, a process involving exchanging of ideas and information through encountering new people who share a common interests, is also a powerful way to exert influence. This is because networking not only creates connections, it enhances your professional identity and opens you up to various job opportunities. It is one of the most effective ways to escalate quickly in your career and pave your way in becoming a successful leader.

NEGOTIATION is a discussion between two disagreeing parties to find common ground or to resolve conflicts. Negotiation is no easy process. It can be condensed into a 5-steps-process, which involves preparation and planning, definition and ground rules, clarification and justification, bargaining and problem solving, and lastly, closure and implementation.

Here's what I thought...

I find this topic really interesting, because through my observation, the four influencing strategies discussed above are not only used in the adult world, but also unconsciously used by my students to influence their peers, or sometimes even the teacher.

For example, in school, prefects use their positional power to make other students follow their orders. Prefects even hold the power to give demerit points to their fellow friends who misbehaved. Aside from obtaining knowledge, students also learn about networking in school. The social circles that are built in school can serve as a foundation for students to develop confidence, friendships and even to find a job in the future.

Students are also exposed to politics through activities such as student council elections. A national survey done by the Australian secondary school students found that voting in school elections is a good predictor of adult political engagement. In my opinion, this is an invaluable experience for students, as politic permeates throughout all aspects of life. A glimpse into the political world allow students to understand their rights as a citizen of a country and how every single one of them hold the power to change the framework of an organisation/ government and the direction it moves forward towards.

I would like to end this reflection with some word of wisdom by John C. Maxwell - "Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less...titles don't have much value when it comes to leading. True leadership cannot be awarded, appointed, or assigned, it comes only from influence, and that cannot be mandated. It must be earned."