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Balancing power
Written by: Renée LeMoine
Photo by: Vojtìch Vlk
"As a result of my hard work,
determination and focus, I have been very successful in my job.
However, my peers are jealous of my success and consequently say
and do things that are unfair, causing me undue stress.
Success and the suit of envy that accompany it can be a heavy
burden. Once the balance of power is tipped in your favor, jealousy
and resentment from those in weaker positions will be inevitable.
If you hope to stay on top, these are new battles that you must
learn to manage and balance together with your success.
- Don't underestimate the power of others. Your newfound
success may send your rivals into combat alert. Your promotion
was their wake-up call - now they are out to prove that they
are just as good or better than you, and they may even use sabotage
to achieve this outcome. Therefore, get off your pedestal, as
power is in the eye of the beholder. Resources are only one way
of defining power. Keep your position by also building strong
win/win relationships with the team, the client, the boss, and
your rivals.
- Don't overestimate the information that you possess. Research
has shown that successful negotiators may become overconfident,
thus gathering less information and using analysis less for negotiations
than their weaker counterparts. Therefore, avoid becoming the
next Goliath and prepare more, not less. Never assume that you
have unassailable information.
- You are not invincible. Don't ignore your teammates' possible
animosity toward you. Keep your enemies close, gauge their behaviors
and respond by overwhelming all parties involved with clear,
objective data that speaks for itself.
- Your success may encourage fierce competition. The stronger
you become, the more it will incite a forceful response from
weaker rivals. When situations turn to a dog-eat-dog scenario,
avoid direct battles and seek out a mitigating party within or
outside your organization whose interests are aligned with yours.
Coordinate with this person to provide a rational voice in support
of your proposed solution without reference to you and your ideas.
Article prepared by Renée LeMoine, Executive
Director, LeMoine & Associates
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