Dare To Live Without Limits

Some thoughts on the difference between power, force

Power: ability to do or act; capability of doing or accomplishing something.
Force: strength or effort exerted upon an object; physical coercion.
Power emanates from within. It enables one to accomplish tasks through the positive exercise of the law of attraction. According to the law of attraction, you attract people and circumstances of the same nature as your actions and attitude.
The source of power is a deep-seated belief in your goals combined with a genuine desire to help others. Authentic power arises effortlessly from who you are; it is not contrived. Power doesn't have to be advertised or shown off.
People with power do not have a need to prove anything to anyone. Power is a by-product of developing self-confidence. Self-confidence grows in response to your belief in yourself. Power grows from a respect for others.
Power is not used for control or domination. It's not used to belittle others. Power is a benevolent energy that makes you and those you come into contact with feel positive. It is a comfortable feeling to be with someone with internal power.
Force is the external application of energy in an attempt to control people and events. People apply force to compensate for a poor self-image. Force is used for intimidation. The employment of force creates a feeling of resentment from those upon whom it is applied.
Ego is linked to force, not power. People with power treat everyone with kindness and respect. They don't act in a condescending manner toward anyone. People with power aren't threatened by the success of others nor are they in competition with anyone.

Examples of power vs. force

Ellen has developed her inner power. At the accounting firm where she works, Ellen supervises 20 people. Although she has the authority to hire and fire, Ellen's management style doesn't incorporate threats or intimidation. Everyone in her department knows what's expected of them. They feel Ellen treats them fairly and with respect.
Ellen doesn't order people around. She asks her staff for what she needs. Because people enjoy working with Ellen, her department has very little employee turnover. Over the years, Ellen has had to let a few people go due to poor performance. In each instance, the other employees' moral did not decline. They appreciated that Ellen was fair and expected everyone to abide by the same standards.
Mike regularly applies force in his interpersonal interaction. He has just been promoted to store manager. Mike erroneously believes people are impressed with his authority. He frequently orders his employees to jump from one task to another. Mike is quick to reprimand employees in front of coworkers and customers. Praise from Mike is rare at best.
Mike uses force with customers as well. He is clearly annoyed when a patron is sent to him with a problem. Mile is more concerned with demonstrating his authority rather than solving problems and satisfying customers. Mike's attitude is perceived as rude.
There is a high level of employee turnover in Mike's store. He constantly has to find and train new workers. As a result, his store is disorganized and messy. Sales are down since he has taken over as manager. Mike blames the economy and a poor work force.
The above examples illustrate the radically different results from power and force. The application of force creates problems. Then when more force is used in an attempt to solve a problem, the problem often worsens. Subsequent application of even greater force then produces a downward spiral.
Problems are solved, or avoided, with the utilization of power, not force. Power attracts solutions. Examine your own behavior for instances where you used force instead of power. Next time you are faced with a challenge, choose power.

NOW AVAILABLE: "Dare to Live Without Limits," the book. Visit www.BryanGolden.com or your bookstore. Bryan is a management consultant, motivational speaker, author, and adjunct professor. E-mail Bryan at bryan@columnist.com or write him c/o this paper.  2023 Bryan Golden