After I published my interview with Jaqueline Sussman, on The Power Women Were Taught to Hide, last week, I received this comment from a reader.
“It’s one thing to know you have power. It’s another thing to know when and how to use it—especially when it matters.”
She made a great point! The recognition that you have power is only the beginning.
And so, I am writing this newsletter to answer her very challenging question:
What do you do with the power you have once you know you have it?
How, when and where do you use it without blowing things up and suffering the consequences, understanding the double standard and bias in society and the workplace.
What does it mean to have power?
First, let’s define power because, right off the bat, most of us still think of the traditional definition as dominance, power over others, and that can be off-putting and intimidating, especially for women.
I want you to consider another approach: power is the ability to influence what happens to yourself, to others, and to the decisions that affect you.
It’s not about controlling others. It’s influence. It’s your ability to shape a decision, change an outcome, open a door, protect your interests, create an opportunity, or have your voice heard.
And most importantly, you don’t have to diminish someone else to exercise your power!
You don’t need to become more dominant to become more powerful. You need to recognize the power you already have and develop the judgment to know when and how to use it.
Next, it’s important to know that having power doesn’t require that you constantly demonstrate your power. The knowledge alone alters your communication, body language, behavior, and presence, and people sense that strength. You gain respect and recognition because of it. And so, your self-awareness is critical as a starting point.
Read the full article on Substack.com.
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