From Power to Process
In order to be effective, power needs to be harnessed
“In the first place, I put for a general inclination of all mankind, a perpetual and restless desire for power after power, that ceaseth only in death.”
― Thomas Hobbes, 1651
Power can be intoxicating. There is an allure to being a captain of industry, a wise lawmaker (when such positions existed), a mover and shaker who can influence decisions and issue dictums.
Power without purpose is dangerous. Once obtained, it becomes difficult to give up and can be used and abused by the unscrupulous.1
To lead effectively is to share power with others. But that doesn’t happen in an unstructured way.
Think about your job for a minute. Or if you’re retired, the job you used to have.
You probably identify as part of a department or division. Marketing, human resources, accounting ― it’s safe to say that your identity is more closely tied to your function rather than the company as a whole.
This system of managing labor didn’…
