Power
is something that can be abused, taken away, and sometimes, lacking all
together. However, when it is used correctly, it is influential and
inspirational. Being powerful in the traditional sense is not necessarily
important to me. I am not looking to be the president of any country or
corporation. I would like to be powerful by becoming a leader in my own area,
though. I think that what power means to someone depends on their personality
type. I am more introverted than extroverted and becoming the most feared and
powerful person in the organization is not a goal of mine. Using personal
influence, for me, has more to do with forming relationships with my colleagues
that mean something rather than forming a relationship that makes me the most
important person in the department. Forming good relationships with others
gives you a certain amount of power. When you are respected and understood by
others, you have power over them. They will look to you for advice on issues
that matter to them and trust the decisions you make.
One
of the ways that relationships are formed is by being likeable. I believe that
I do embody the characteristics of likeable people referenced in the text. My
goal is to treat people as I would want to be treated. Being loyal, available,
and understanding is important to me. I seek out individuals who exhibit these
characteristics, too. This type of relationship means that we are more likely
to sacrifice for each other. For example, if we are arranging support for new
EagleVision faculty on their first night and a teammate who is scheduled to
work cannot for some reason, I am more likely to volunteer to take his session
if I like him. Ideas are more likely to be accepted and considered when they
are posed by likeable people.
At
this point in time, the position of “my supervisor” is vacant. I am currently
reporting directly to the CTO of Embry-Riddle. However, I have a decent
understanding of her goals and objectives for the department. She is someone
who likes to stay on the cutting edge of technology for the university and
looks for ways that we can consistently do that. She is one of the busiest
people I know and yet she always seems to be well pulled together and
organized. I believe that this can be attributed to surrounding herself with
the right people. She has the ideas and knows how to delegate tasks to others
while still staying on top of the issues. I believe that being confident and
thinking out possible scenarios prior to presenting her with an idea influences
her. She likes well thought out ideas and solutions to problems rather than
seeking solutions form her repeatedly.
I
understand my weaknesses and strengths, as well. I know that I have to be a
better time manager. I have many ideas but I have still not figured out how to
organize my time so that I can put details with those ideas. I am easily
distracted by things like email and phone calls because I feel like I have to
be available. However, I also know that if I were to set aside certain times of
the day for these tasks, my time would be better utilized.
When
I am dealing with my boss, I take her management style into consideration. I
try to be sure that I am as prepared as possible. I do not want to be unprofessional,
so I am sure to have topics to discuss with her written down ahead of time. Understanding
who are working with, adapting to their style, and being prepared and confident
will help you influence anyone, not just the boss.
