Management Tip of the Day: Want power? Start small
(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-09-09 09:47
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The Management Tip of the Day offers quick, practical management tips and ideas from Harvard Business Review and HBR.org (www.hbr.org).
"People who want more power within their organizations frequently think too big. Often it's not one move or a specific job that grants authority. Instead, power is something you accumulate over time in small ways. Here are three things you can do now to start building your power base:
1. Fill a brokerage role. Start a project that brings unrelated people together who will benefit from knowing each other. You'll be valued for bridging the gaps and in the process, become known to more people.
2. Take on a mundane, but important, task. There are many unglamorous but necessary jobs in every organization. By doing one of these well, you can gain the appreciation and gratitude of important people.
3. Put yourself in the flow of information. Information is power. Don't eavesdrop to get it, but find a role or project that centrally situates you; these are often seemingly administrative tasks such as scheduling.
- Today's Management Tip was adapted from "Build Your Power Base from Small Beginnings" by Jeffrey Pfeffer.