Personal Power

Personal power refers to the ability to influence one's life, decisions, and actions and influence others.

Personal power is associated with self-awareness, confidence, charisma, and expertise. There are different types of personal power.

• Internal Power: Derived from self-confidence, emotional resilience, and a strong sense of identity.
• External Power: Influence over others or situations, often tied to leadership, communication, or expertise.
• Positional Power: Comes from roles, titles, or positions.

Internal Power

Internal power is the strength and resilience within you to navigate challenges, maintain composure, and stay true to your values. Knowing your strengths, weaknesses, values, and beliefs is fundamental to internal power.

Internal power equips you to learn from mistakes, adapt to change, and maintain a positive outlook even in difficult times.

Internal power allows you to manage your reactions and avoid making rash decisions based on emotions.

Internal power allows you to find inner peace and maintain a sense of equilibrium, even amidst chaos.

Internal power is not about dominating others or seeking external validation. It is about cultivating your inner strength, resilience, and wisdom to live a fulfilling and authentic life.

External Power

External power is about your ability to influence the world around you. It is the ability to convince others to see your point of view or take a particular action. It is about communicating effectively, building rapport, and presenting compelling arguments.

Inspiring and motivating others to work towards a common goal is a key aspect of external power. It is about creating a shared vision, fostering enthusiasm, and empowering people to do their best.

Having access to money or assets can give you significant external power. It allows you to invest in projects, support causes you to believe in, and have greater control over your life.

Possessing valuable knowledge and skills makes you sought after and gives you leverage in various situations. It allows you to solve problems, make informed decisions, and contribute meaningfully.

External power is not about dominating others or seeking personal gain at their expense. It is about using your influence, resources, and position to make an impact and achieve your goals which benefits yourself and others.

Positional Power

Positional power is the influence due to their specific role or title within a hierarchy. It is not necessarily about their individual qualities, but rather the authority and resources that come with their position.

Positions come with access to and control over resources like budgets, equipment, or information. This control allows the person in the position to allocate resources, approve requests, and influence outcomes.

Developing Personal Power

Developing personal power requires consistent effort and self-reflection.

• Identify what you excel at and where you need to improve.
• Learn from past successes and failures and make better choices in the future.
• Seek new knowledge and skills that enhance your abilities and make you more valuable.
• Improve your communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills.
• Always act with integrity, even when it's difficult.
• Take responsibility for your actions and their consequences.
• Align your actions with your words.
• Trust others to take on responsibilities and give them the support they need to succeed.
• Appreciate what you have and the people who support you.