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The ability to influence others can be a very useful ability to have.  Developing sources of personal power is an important way in which we can improve ourselves.  If our only goal in developing these resources is power and influence over others it can lead down a dangerous path. 

There are four sources of personal power.  The first is expertise.  As we become more knowledgeable in our job and the jobs of those that work for us we can guide and direct others to make decisions that will be beneficial to the company.  Others will trust our ability to make decisions and know that we will be directing them down a successful path. 

The second source is attraction.  Having a level of charisma and charm can help us to develop relationships with others.  Being likable can go a long way to influence those around us.  The text states a few of the characteristics of likeable people.  When people are honest, loyal and emotionally accessible it can help others to trust and want to confide in them.  When we show positive regard and acceptance for others they will not worry about being judged around us and can be more honest and open.  When they see we are willing to sacrifice, show empathy and talk to them on a regular basis we are able to develop relationships that are more than just “leader to subordinate”. 

A new leader that comes in and shows a substantial amount of effort to learn the job, get along with others and listen to ideas can greatly influence others.  People will see commitment and dedication and have a desire to help and work hard for that person.  As we show commitment to hard work and learning the job we will develop that expertise power and hopefully develop powerful relationships with others.  These play into legitimate power.  As we develop the previous sources and seek to do business the “right” way we develop legitimate power.  Acting in a manner with the company’s and our own value system helps us to have true power and be able to influence others in a good and moral way.    

Over time we can use these sources of power to influence others.  We should all have the desire to mentor and lead and give quality advice.  If our only goal in developing these sources of power is to influence others then we are on a slippery slope.  If we want to develop personal power to improve and succeed and work, accomplish our own goals and to help others then we can be sure that we will always have the best interest for ourselves and others in mind. 

Over the past several months I have been asked to lead an office of people that have a great deal more experience than I do in the field we are working in.  Every day is a struggle to develop the four sources of personal power.  I have also strived to develop a likeable personality that others can trust and will want to work hard for.  I was working late and one of the people in my office came in and started talking to me.  For almost a year before I got there, the leadership in the office was toxic and people dreaded showing up to work every day.  As we talked this person started opening up to me about how bad it really was and how much people dreaded coming to work.  She talked about how much better it has been since I got there.  This made me feel pretty good considering I feel like I am always making mistakes.  I was told before I came into this section that the office was pretty much broken and the people there had no work ethic.  I have actually found the opposite to be true.  As I have openly and honestly communicated with them and focused on creating a back and forth communication I feel that the sense of responsibility and ownership of the tasks we accomplish has shifted greatly from the leadership to the rest of the office.  Because of my lack of expertise I have relied greatly on them to do their part and accomplish the mission.  I work hard to help them do their jobs and show great appreciation for the hard work they do.  I have found that doing this makes them want to work harder and smarter.  I often find that they are more than willing to come in and talk to me about things that are going on in their lives.  They will ask for advice and seek guidance even though I am younger than some of them.  I try to share my experiences in life and help them to find a path that is best for them.  Often I am just there to listen.  I have learned that often people don’t necessarily want advice, they just want someone to listen to them.  As I have learned to do this I have watched my relationships with others grow and develop into a strong bond that lasts a long time. 

Using table 5.5 in the text I have learned a few important lessons about influence my boss.  Communication is key.  I have learned to communicate often and in detail.  Because of the fast pace that things happen in my career field I find it necessary to always keep my bosses in the loop.  The more I do this the more they are able to help me when it is needed.  It is when I try to do things on my own that I tend to stumble along and make mistakes.  The more I know how my bosses job and their pressures the more I can anticipate the things they need from me to get the job done.  When I can anticipate their questions and needs it takes a great deal of weight from their shoulders.  I have also learned that it is important not to waste my boss’s time.  When I bring a product, plan or problem to them I need to have spent time on it.  A product or plan needs to be well thought out with all the kinks and problems fixed.  When I bring a problem to them I should have a variety of solutions already thought of.  This way I can show that I am working on a solution and am either looking for approval of advice on which direction to take.  Developing and maintaining a relationship with both my subordinates and my leadership is very important in my organization.  If I am able to do this I will be successful in what I do.  If I were to abandon both sides and try to do things on my own I would be a failure and would probably be fired after only a few months. 

I have learned that being part of a team means everyone working together in pursuit of a goal.  No one member is more important than the other.  As I develop relationships with my subordinates and leadership alike I have found that I influence them and they influence me.  I have mentors and coaches that I learn from every day.  I am also able to provide guidance, leadership and help to others when they need it.  These are mutually beneficial relationships that lead to the success of both the employees and the organization.    

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     In my experience, it is important to have both a coach and a mentor.  Because coaching and mentoring are two separate ideas, with separate functions, there are different times in life for each.  If you can find a great mentor that can guide you through your life or career and coach you in certain areas when needed, this can satisfy the needs of both.  Companies will often assign senior managers this role.  The article Mentoring, Does it Work? states, “Senior managers are believed to be experienced people who, as superiors, also need to take the roles of coach and guide for the new entrants” (Ayinde, 2011, p. 3).

     Mentoring is a long term, relationship guided process.  A mentor will guide an individual in many facets of life ranging from work to life and from marriage to raising kids.  A good mentor can guide an individual to help them make the decisions which will help them achieve their life goals.

     I will often ask my mentor questions about decisions I am going to need to make in the near future.  These vary from job opportunities, bases we may like to move to and important career decisions.  Because I am married and have a child, these decisions effect myself and family.  When looking to make decisions, it is important that I keep my family in mind.  Career wise, it may be a great move to do a one year tour in Korea; however, this would mean not being able to bring my family with me.  I then have to ask myself whether or not the separation is worth the career progression.  I would also ask whether or not there are any other ways I can achieve the same career goals, without having to separate from my family for a long period of time.  I would expect to be able to go to a mentor with these questions and be able to receive advice that would help in the decision making process.

     Just because a mentor is often giving advice and answering questions for the mentee does not mean the mentor does not gain anything from the relationship.  Ayinde states, “The close association between the mentor and the mentee as established in the course of this paper has some potentials and actual gains for both. This association and the realization of this fact serve as bond determinants that often lead to collaboration, which will eventually become synergy” (Ayinde, 2011, p. 12).  Ayinde also states, “A strong secure bond between the two can lead one or both to do more innovative and important work than they might do on their own” (Ayinde, 2011, p. 13).  When we develop close professional relationships with others at work, we can develop a bond that can lead to better communication, collaboration and higher quality work.  The mentors themselves generally will experience increased motivation, self-esteem and the satisfaction of knowing they are helping someone to learn and grow in their career.  It can also help the mentor to develop new insights into what is going on in the lives of younger employees.  As we grow and are set in our ways, the mentoring process can help us to stretch, learn and think in new ways.  A mentor is also a role-model.  Becoming a role-model to another person can improve the desire to produce quality work and become a better person.  In this sense, mentoring not only guide the mentee, but also can improve the life and quality of work for the mentor.                

     There are occasions that a mentor may need to coach employees through processes, briefings or new responsibilities.  In this sense a coach becomes a “performance consultant”.  A coach may outline goals, development plans and provide feedback to the coachee.  A new employee may have a list of things he or she needs to learn to become more competent in their job.  A coach can help to train this employee and guide them along that development path.  A coach may even be ask to help develop a coachee’s personal image.  How we are perceived in an organization is an important part of development.  Are we competent? Are we shy or outgoing? Are we aggressive or timid?  Being able to manage our image can go a long way to being successful in our career.  The article states, “Over time, each of us establishes a personal, “signature” brand that represents the overall image that we present to others.  One’s brand comprises certain dominant qualities and behaviors, or brand attributes that distinguish you in the minds of those who interact with you” (Barner, 2011, p. 43).  A person that has been branded as being “too aggressive” or “too intense” during disagreements may need to be coached to adjust those types of behaviors.  A good coach can give accurate feedback that can help that individual correct this behavior.  My father had an experience like this years ago.  He had an employee that was overweight, often wore clothes that did not fit his size, came to work disheveled and often chewed tobacco while working with managers from various grocery store chains.  My father met with him and coached him on his dress and appearance and how to present himself to managers.  This person could have been offended and ignored the advice.  Instead he took the advice, adjusted his ways and saw his success and relationships improve greatly with those he worked with.

     For a coachee, it can be difficult to be told we are doing something wrong, it takes a great deal of humility to change our ways and adjust our path.  A good coach knows how to approach a coachee and teach them without being overbearing or offensive.  Whether a coach or mentor is part of an official or unofficial program, the roles they play in the professional and personal lives of their employees is incredibly important.  They can make a great and lasting effect on the career paths of those they are teaching.  Looking back, I can remember each of the mentors in my life that have truly helped me learn and grow.  For the rest of my life I will remember and be grateful to those who took a special interest in my professional and personal well-being. 

References

Ayinde, A. T. (2011). Mentoring, Does it Work?

Barner, R. (2011, Jun). The 5 Hidden Roles of the Managerial Coach. T + D.

                    

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I find that frequently my role as a team member switches dramatically.  There are times that I take on a task-facilitating role and others I take on a relationship-building role.  On many occasions, I take on both.  I generally do my best to help the team work together and get the job done.  In my current position I often play both parts, take on two roles, I am the Officer in Charge of the Installation Deployment Readiness Cell and the Wing Installation Deployment Officer.  Often, I work the many tasks that come my way, while simultaneously working with the people in the office to get tasks done.  Because the Non-commissioned Officer in Charge is gone, at the moment, I have even more tasks, roles and responsibilities.  It is very exhausting and stressful for everyone.  Due to this situation, I find that it is important to keep the tone light, avoid complaining about tasks, and encourage people in the tasks we are given.  I try to be light-hearted and strive to help everyone in the office get along.

There are many task-facilitating roles that one can have, depending on the situation and associates I switch roles, which are as follows: direction giving, information seeking, information giving, elaborating, urging, monitoring, process analyzing, reality testing, enforcing and summarizing.  I may have to switch drastically and immediately in order to best fit the situation. While I am often giving tasks, I am also inquiring how to accomplish, or improve on a way we are completing a task.  I am also monitoring tasks that are given out and making sure they are getting done.  There are some occasions that these tasks, or methods, are inefficient, so I move to reality testing.  Sometimes things look better on paper than they do in real life and changes need to be made to the process.  There are on occasion, tasks that no one wants to do and everyone “forgets”.  While, some of these tasks seem pointless and a waste of time, on these occasions I have to enforce and remind in order to make sure they get done.  In our job at work, it is also important to brainstorm.  Frequently we are given tasks or goals to accomplish without a clear way of getting there.  We will sit down, explain the problem and discuss ways of accomplishing it.  Communication is incredibly important on a day to day basis and even on a minute to minute basis.  There are days where I will find myself walking out of my office every few minutes to update people on new information or changes.

The next set of roles are the relationship-building roles.  In reality, these roles go hand-in-hand with task-facilitating roles.  If I find that I am immersed in the roles of the task-facilitator, but am not taking on a relationship-building role, then I am probably doing something wrong.  Relationship-building roles include the following: supporting, harmonizing, tension-relieving, confronting, energizing, developing, consensus building and empathizing.  When giving out tasks, I should also be working to create harmony, support, energize and any number of the relationship-building roles.  Things can get very stressful and fast paced at work.  I know that I am often asking people to stay late, work quickly, do more work, and sacrifice for the mission.  On top of all this, they are often going through things in their lives that make work difficult.  The more time away from home and family I ask them to give, I know that I am asking them to replace one responsibility for another.  It is important that I am supportive, empathetic and do my best to encourage and relate to them.  I will often make jokes, goof off and jump around to lighten the tone.  I know that when I am stressed and frustrated it shows and can make things difficult at the office.  If I let the stress of work turn my mood foul it will only make things hard for everyone.  Being able to bury my frustrations and stress and show a side of excitement, energy and light-heartedness is very important.  When others at the office are stressed, I will empathize with them, and then push to help them get the work done so that stress can be shed.  When we are stuck at work because of the needs of the mission we will take breaks to joke around, play mini games or tell stories on different subjects.  When the stress has diminished a little bit, we will jump back into the task.  This enables us to take a breather and start again.  There are times that work is like a marathon with a great many areas that require sprinting.  If we don’t take time to rest and rejuvenate it will cause burn out. 

I find that I am most satisfied at work when I can intertwine relationship-building roles with task-facilitating roles.  When we leave work having accomplished a difficult task, are still in a great mood, and not dreading coming back to work the next day, because we all enjoy the busy, yet fun work environment, then I am happy about the way I am able to run the office and the work we are doing there.  If both tasks and relationships begin to crumble, that’s when I will need to take a step back and reexamine both my managerial and leadership roles.