Let’s talk about power moves and how they subtly surround you in your place of employment. Some of you are intelligent enough to spot them out and be very aware of their implications, while others are naive and in fact, just unaware.
Some people are hungry for power, while others are in desperate need of recognition in order to feel competent. Either way, power moves are for those with an agenda, a very specific one for that matter.
Power can be grabbed in a variety of ways: general competence at your job, networking and being liked by those who sit on the greasy ladder above you, working longer and harder than everyone else to make yourself stand out clear above those around you. The list is endless and goes on and on.
People like this are easy to spot out. They are never at fault, always on top of their game, socially intelligent and always five steps ahead of who they perceive as “the rest.”
How dare they ever be at fault or made out to be toxic, manipulative or compulsive. Oh my, never. Instead, they’ll point fingers, flip the tables in your face, use their position of power to take control, hell; they’ll even report to you to HR to get things done their way. If it’s not their way, it’s an irrational highway.
My favorite type of power move is one that aims to instigate fear against someone. A very simple one is a warning letter, or better yet a salary deduction. Great, so scary. I have a question though, a very simple one. Have you heard of power harassment? Because I certainly have.
Power harassment is defined as harassment of a political nature, often occurring in the environment of a workplace. It includes a range of behavior from mild irritation and annoyances to serious abuses which can even involve forced activity beyond the boundaries of the job description. Power harassment is considered a form of illegal discrimination in some countries, and is a form of political and psychological abuse, and bullying.
No one should accept being spoken to in an aggressive nature. No one should tolerate being yelled at. No one should tolerate any type of disrespectful behavior in the workplace. Executive, junior, senior, manager, no one should be spoken to in a disrespectful manner.
If you have been spoken to disrespectfully, I suggest you sit down and consider the culture of your workplace and the nature of conduct by which they abide. If it is a consistent habit where seniors or those in power are speaking or treating their subordinates in a way that makes them feel humiliated or disrespected, it’s time to wave a very big red flag and take a stand.
