Power
Are you comfortable
developing sources of personal influence to gain power?
This
question is a hard one, in some situations, I would be ok using personal
influence to gain power, but in other situations I would not. For example, I
would be ok using influence to empower others, but I would not be ok with using
influence to take advantage of others. Because power and influence go
hand-and-hand, I think that it is always best to look at influence from an
ethical standpoint. If it is not ethical, don’t do it.
Do you
embody the characteristics of likable people depicted in Table 5.4 (p.290)?
Yes,
without a doubt! I pride myself on being
open, honest and loyal. I am sincere and strive to be non-judgmental, I avoid
telling lies; because every lie has an equal or lesser consequence, and I believe
in the value of friendship. However, I am not always emotionally accessible, because
I have a hard time relating to or understanding the feelings of others. For example,
a friend of a friend had a little baby girl who died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
(SIDS). For those of you who don’t know what Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
(SIDS) is, it is the unexplained death of an infant. Unfortunately,
the cause of SIDS is unknown. Well, my
friend, let’s just call her Liz, was consumed by the baby’s sudden death. And,
as the baby’s God Mother, she felt the need to devote every spear moment she
had to her friend, the baby’s mom. Well, let’s just say that I did not
understand how the baby’s death affected Liz’s life. I understand being there
for you friend who is in need, but I don’t understand how Liz’s life changed as
a result of the baby’s death. It is instances like that I cannot grasp. Yet, I
find the need to provide unconditional support and acceptance. Some things you
just cannot change. I have learned over the years to accept things for what
they are and move on. Enduring sacrifices is what friendship is all about. I
had to provide Liz with social reinforcement (sympathy and empathy) even though
I did not understand the situation or how it affect her life. I knew that in
order to sustain our friendship, I had to keep my mouth shut.
Are you
able to use influence both up and down your organization considering the
information in Table 5.5 (p. 293)?
Yes, after
reading Table 5.5, I feel pretty confident that I would be able to use my
influence both up and down my organization. My direct supervisor and I have a
great relationship. We both understand each other personally and professional.
I know that if I ever came up with a way to improve a process or procedure, she
would listen to my suggestions and consider them with an open mind.
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