Power_ Why Some People Have Itand Others Don't - Jeffrey Pfeffer [102]
You can guess how this story ended—Bob’s gone, Chris is the CEO. What was interesting was the conference call in which the board discussed the moves. Although there was much agreement that Chris’s behavior had been inappropriate and harmful to the company, there was little support for Bob. If he was not going to put up a fight, no one was going to pick up the cudgel on his behalf. People who are complicit in their own beheading don’t garner much sympathy or support.
Taking care of yourself sometimes means acting in ways that may seem selfish. A woman who worked in a nonprofit organization valued collaboration—so much so that she failed to press an advantage in gaining influence over an important strategic planning exercise:
The executive director asked me to set up some time with her to discuss the plans for the strategic planning session. I knew that if I alone were the one to have this initial meeting with her, I would be the main person involved in setting the direction of the project and would be viewed as the key point person; I would be the leader and my colleague would be there to help get the work done. I wrestled with whether or not I could actually just schedule the meeting without my colleague, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it, despite the voice in my head saying it was all right. This is an indication for me of the areas where I am most challenged in acquiring power.
One wonders if her colleague would have been as considerate. And remember, in hierarchical settings, colleagues are also competitors for promotions and status.
It’s not just that the world is not always fair so you should stop counting on the triumph of your merit. People align with who they think is going to win. If you don’t stand up for yourself and actively promote your own interests, few will be willing to be on your side. Since observers will see you as not trying to triumph and therefore losing, they will either not join you side or desert you, making your organizational demise more certain. Therefore, although self-promotion and fighting for your interests can seem unattractive, the alternative scenario is invariably much worse.
Pay Attention to the Small Tasks
Throughout this book we have seen that it’s often the little things that matter. Just as companies sometimes overemphasize grand strategy and overlook the mundane details of execution, individuals often neglect the small steps they can take that can provide them with control over vital resources, visibility, and the opportunity to build important relationships. The people who pay attention to these small things have an edge in creating power.
When Matt joined a major consulting company, he was one of many talented individuals in the entering cohort. How to stand out and build a reputation? When new associates come into the firm, there are often many in the entering “class.” The partners need to know who the new people are who can be assigned to projects, and the entering associates need to know about the partners and the projects in the office. In the past, there had been some informal methods—like meals and seminars—that had brought the various people together. Matt asked the managing partner whether he could formalize this process of ensuring that everyone knew about everyone else to make project assignments and also the new associates’ integration into the office easier. “Of course,” he was told. The task required Matt to interview the partners in the office