The Harvest: Shared Power

The fall harvest comes upon us once a year. The farmers collect the sometimes-scant rewards of their heroic efforts begun months before. For those of us who are hobby or family gardeners, fall is the time for us to pluck the firm orange pumpkins, the deep green flowers of broccoli, and the plump red tomatoes from their vines. As we reap our rewards of months of work and waiting from the backdrop of the black, black earth, we realize our personal power. If not for our labors, if not for our devoted attention and timely reaction to environmental hazards, these fruits would not be borne. The seeds we sowed in the early spring have given us sustenance and security for the coming frigidness.

Much like our work in the garden, we have no power singly, as power does not exist in isolation. Only when we work with others and interact to produce something of value, with constant alertness to outside variables and others' responses, do we have power. Our personal power enhances our own and others' capacities.

When the seedlings thickened, we thinned them so they would not choke each other out. When the vines fell from the weight, we supported them. When the drought threatened their very life, we watered them. When the bugs invaded, we protected them. When the frost came nipping at their foliage, we shielded them. Through our power we gave birth to something fresh and wondrous that would not have existed without us. This was not fulfilled through power over the seed, but through power with the seed, leaving ourselves open, vulnerable, and ready to act with the environment.

Power has historically been viewed as a situation in which one must lose in order for another to win. That is not power, that is force. True power is connected with others. True power is accepting the responsibility to act when needed. True power is moving toward a vision of the future to effect change.

When we supervise others, we must remember, understand and accept the potential and limitations of our power. If we give in to the temptation to dictate someone's life, to tell someone what to do, we strip others of their power. This is a form of force, not power. Only when we assist others in recognizing and using their own power are we truly powerful. To allow someone to become empowered is a gift that we can give.

The opposite of empowerment is dependency. Nothing and no one is totally dependent or helpless. Just as our gardens were dependent upon us for some things, they were not dependent upon us for everything. The ability for life was inherent in the seed, the sun, the soil and the rain. Without all these other forces we could not have willed or controlled the gardens to grow. So it is with others whom we assist.

Our role then, as managers becomes one of teaching others how to sow their own gardens and, with that, reap their own personal power. And for ourselves, when feeling helpless, fearful, and powerless to change, let us remember our gardens: those glorious green beans, or crisp cucumbers, that through our power were created.

About The Author

Linda LaPointe, MRA, is the author of the book, The New Supervisor, in which she describes how to develop self-managed staff to increase loyalty and decrease stress in the workplace. Email her at lapointell@yahoo.com

---

Are YOU a Dreamer?

This morning I watched a news article about a young... Read More

Purpose

Many people go through much of their lives without really... Read More

7 Effective Ways To Boost Your Self Esteem

1. Get a life purpose statement.A well thought out life... Read More

Overcoming Work Addiction

Why are you so busy? Do you really have too... Read More

Trust In The Moment, and Trust In Yourself

Do you often get yourself upset and feeling less than... Read More

Cause and Effect! Choose a Path

Three steps to your Personal Transformation:Awareness and PerceptionLaw of Cause... Read More

The Student Who Knew Too Much

This article is for those of you who coach or... Read More

Loving Every Phenomenal Part of You

Have you ever wished yourself away? I am not referring... Read More

Strategic Checklists

I've been through a couple of checklists in the past... Read More

A Coaching Secret

I've told people for a long time that one of... Read More

What Do You Really Want ?

Being a coach is such a rewarding profession. The enormous... Read More

Negotiating Difficult Life Transitions

Life is a process of beginnings and endings. In both... Read More

The Power of Visualization

Professional athletes and other highly successful people use the power... Read More

Four Common Rapport Building Mistakes and How to Fix Them

1. Pretending You Are Interested When You Are NotDo yourself... Read More

A Christmas Wish

My sister is a woman now beginning her thirties. She... Read More

Think, Pause & Talk

There are two kinds of peoples we generally face in... Read More

How to Jump-start Your Emotional Health

You've probably heard the expression: "It's not what you're eating.... Read More

Emotional Dependency or Emotional Responsibility

Emotional dependency means getting one's good feelings from outside oneself.... Read More

Your Past and Present Hold Key to Your Future

Knowing more about who you are will give you the... Read More

Why a Self Help Book May Not Help You

For a self help book to work, we have to... Read More

Success Coaching - What Bill Gates and You Should Have In Common

He was just a teenager, but he was already displaying... Read More

Anger: To Control or To Learn

Many of us will do anything to avoid another's anger,... Read More

How to Forgive Another for Past Hurts

No one gets through life without being hurt by another... Read More

The Art of Change

We don't change. I imagine such a statement could find... Read More

Mentors and Coaches: How to Find a Great Mentor

A career coach or mentor is a person who can... Read More

Working With Choices

Despite our skills, experience or expertise we can still make... Read More

If What You Are Doing Is Not Working Change Your Approach

And ironically the more we worry about it, the more... Read More

Walt Disney, the Inspiration to Form a Better Life?

You, like many others, may have come to this article... Read More

Attitude is Contagious - Would Anybody Want Yours?

Are you using the Life Potential you have been given?... Read More

Making Changes in Your Personal Life

Making changes in your personal life can be a tough... Read More

7 Destructive Habits of Incompetent People

WARNING! If you want to have a fantastic life, never... Read More

Your Silent Voice of Experience

"I can't wait!" she exclaimed over the phone. The anticipation... Read More

Executive Coaching Case Studies

If you are wondering whether investment in executive coaching would... Read More