Power Impacts Success and Performance

Power favors an executive's success... Power helps leaders maintain and pursue goals even when they face distractions. How so? Having authority can positively affect planning and performance. On the other hand, lack of power impairs people's ability to keep track of ever-changing information, to sort out what's irrelevant and to plan ahead to meet goals.

A low-power role often impairs a person's cognitive functioning... and ability to get ahead. Power is linked to ability to function well on the job and use problem solving skills effectively.

Interestingly, during an experiment to explore how power affects performance, folks in the low-power group were just as motivated and put forth just as much effort as executives and leaders. Differences appeared in their ability to focus on their current goal. They fell short in complex problem solving and generally demonstrated poor planning.

Implications of this study can make a difference in high-risk industries such as health-care. Here's how... employee errors can have fatal consequences.

What possibilities do you see to overcome the sense of powerlessness and dispossession that often accompanies low-power roles in many of today's organizations? Here're five to start...

1. Involve low-position employees in problem solving... When people's voices and ideas are heard and recognized, they find more satisfaction - leading to greater well-being

2. Empower low-power employees to take charge of a work activity... Empowerment helps the person to concentrate and function at a higher cognitive level.

3. Challenge low-position employees to volunteer in non-profits... Leadership roles are often open in volunteer organizations. Taking on a role can help change peoples' confidence level and sense of position.

4. Reward on-the-job performance... Recognition can help foster concentration needed to avoid mistakes.

5. Share lunch with low-position employees... Getting to know employees and discussing their interests builds a relationship that impacts performance.

What strategies would you add?

Writing and Doing Like a Fire-Breathing Dragon

Do you breathe out fire in what you do as dragons do? Joanna Young asked that question in March, and I've been chewing on it since. When expressing ideas, no matter the topic, breathing fire into your words makes a difference. You'll juice up brainpower to access the fire...
Flickr photo by labels_30

Joanna pictures the fires as...

a breath, a powerful, transformative breath.

That's what's in it for us when we take risks to breathe the dragon fire...

Recently Joanna encountered many glitches as she transferred Confident Writing to Word Press. That was a powerful decision to make and she had the courage to go ahead. I can just imagine the new inspiration and dragon-fire we'll be seeing in future posts.

On top of this Joanna made a life-changing decision to move to the Aryan Islands located off the west coast of Ireland/Scotland. That was a transformative breath in itself and I hope that Joanna reaps life time benefits from it.

Stop by Confident Writing and wish Joanna Young well today.

The Power of Thanks

If I awaken cranky, and say thanks for the good in my life, it changes the nature of my day. Have you ever experienced that? Thanks touches the spirit of others and yours, too - when it burbles up from the heart.

Others say it so well...

Psalms of the Bible: "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound."

G. K. Chesterton: "I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder."

Tecumseh Shawnee Chief: "When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the morning light, for your life and strength. Give thanks for your food and the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies with yourself."

Dale Carnegie: "Try leaving a friendly trail of little sparks of gratitude on your daily trips. You will be surprised how they will set small flames of friendship that will be rose beacons on your next visit."

Pam Thomas reviewed Deborah Norville's book, Thank You Power. Saying thanks improves your thought process, reduces stress and increases your daily happiness. Here are Deborah's nuggets...

1) Being thankful for the things you already have helps you to positively manifest more of the good stuff.

2) Counting your blessings helps to shift your attitude and raise your energy level.

3) There is always good in every situation, even the bad situations. Look for the good, as there is an awesome learning experience to be had.

4) Being kind to others definitely has a boomerang effect.

5) Doing something nice for another helps to raise your self confidence and how you feel about you.

21 Day Challenge I enjoyed Pam's challenge for the next 21 days to say thank you for at least five things in your life before your feet hit the floor and each night before your head hits the pillow. Then make note of what happens.

Thanks brings well-being to your day... since it brings more serotonin, a brain hormone of well-being. By saying thanks, you can not only launch a better day, but boost your brainpower, too.

Writing a letter of thanks makes a powerful difference. University of Michigan Professor, Chris Peterson, assigns students in his class to detail the kindnesses of someone they've never properly thanked.

"Read this letter aloud to the person you're thanking," Peterson says, "and you'll see measurable improvements in your mood." Studies show that for a full month after a "gratitude visit" (in which a person makes an appointment to read the letter to the recipient), happiness levels tend to go up, while boredom and other negative feelings go down.

Joanna Young, thank you for the challenge of writing with power.

Brad Shorr, thanks for your kind gift to me because I was the 1000th commenter on your blog, Word Sell.

Folks, I'd enjoy hearing how thanks touched your life during a work day...

Stevan Dedijer Documentary

The documentary about Stevan Dedijer has been broadcasted by Croatian television ( HTV ) and made me think, laugh, and sparked few ideas.
He's the so called '' father of business intelligence '', and some really nice quote from him ( source: his interview ) :

'' Science and technology doesn't matter. It's about what do you know about the world ''.

He was scientist and social monster at the same time.
The great information gatherer .
An extraordinary man. But he knew that ;)