Responsibility and power

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   Responsibility is proportional to power. Power and response-ability are inter-dependent, neither can exist without the other. But those with greater power (people in positions of authority) depend on the consent or aquiescence of those with less apparent power - the leader depends on the follower to follow, the manager on the worker to accept instructions. Thus actual power is often more diffuse than aparent power, the result of a parallelogram of forces.  Some things are easier to do in our society or an institution because collectively we allow it. Some things are harder to do because collectively the balance of power pulls in different directions, often cancelling each other out.

Each of us is the source of our own power and we choose how to use it, mostly unconsciously. We permit others more power to do what they do because we choose to focus on other things, because we don't have the confidence or ability to do otherwise, and because we do not reealise our own power.

When we blame others, we give away our power. When we hold others to account - challenge them for something we believe they have done wrong - we are using our power to shape the collective. When we take action we are exercising our power to create - and we can expect that some may aplaud (or quitely assent), while others will oppose or dissent. 

Collectively we are weaving a fabric of power and responsibnlity - a force field of possiblity - and most of the time we do not know what we are doing. George W Bush may have thought he was waging war on evil, Dick Cheyne may have thought thought he was seizing control of the Middle East, but their act of war weakened American power. Gordon Brown may think he is rebuilding the economy, but he is restoring America as a financial power.  G20 demonstrators may have thought they were challenging the state or calling for a new green global economy, but they were teaching agents of the state to be smarter. 

Learning the nature of power and how to use it is therefore critical to developing responsiblity. 

Power is the ability to make things happen. Power comes from: 

Y confidence and self belief: If you lack confidence, do things to build confidence and work with confident, supportive people.
 knowledge and expertise can unlock secrets and find smarter ways to do things, so know your stuff and get into a position to use it!
 resources – money, tools and other assets are needed to get things done: mobilise what you need through good communication, contacts and position. 
G position gives control over decisions, money, staff and other resources, but also responsibilities and pressures to serve the institution or system. You need skill and expertise as well as contacts and confidence to use any position successfully. 
 collective action is the power of people acting together with a shared goal: if your aims are big, join or start a group, organisation or movement 
"    a network of contacts enables people to exert influence beyond their formal power or expertise: who you know can be the fastest route to making things happen. 

  celebrity enables you to get attention through the media. 
      self-knowledge is the mirror to yourself in which you find your power to act.
When we blame others, we give away our power. When we hold others to account - challenge them for something we believe they have done wrong - we take power to make somethings different happen. Blaming and holding accountable are two very different kinds of action.

The starting point for learning power and responsiblity is to be clear about want you want - what is the result, the state of affairs you want to achieve, and why do you want it (ie your direction and values) - and then to understand and develop the power to achieve it, by using what power you have to move the larger fabric ofi social power to weave the world you want.

Our education establishments do not spend much time or effort enabling people to clarify what they want, because they have allowed their power to become the servant of employers. 

Once people are clear about what they want and why, at a deeper level, not just in terms of career or consumer choice - then they can learn the how and become powerful.

To take power is to take responsibility.  

The question is: where, when and how can you take power effectively to bring about the result you want?

What is the result you want?

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Titus Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 19-Mar-2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Quote Reply Topic: Responsibility and power Posted: 20-Apr-2009 at 17:46
	Responsibility is proportional to power. Power and response-ability are inter-dependent, neither can exist without the other. But those with greater power (people in positions of authority) depend on the consent or aquiescence of those with less apparent power - the leader depends on the follower to follow, the manager on the worker to accept instructions. Thus actual power is often more diffuse than aparent power, the result of a parallelogram of forces. Some things are easier to do in our society or an institution because collectively we allow it. Some things are harder to do because collectively the balance of power pulls in different directions, often cancelling each other out. Each of us is the source of our own power and we choose how to use it, mostly unconsciously. We permit others more power to do what they do because we choose to focus on other things, because we don't have the confidence or ability to do otherwise, and because we do not reealise our own power. When we blame others, we give away our power. When we hold others to account - challenge them for something we believe they have done wrong - we are using our power to shape the collective. When we take action we are exercising our power to create - and we can expect that some may aplaud (or quitely assent), while others will oppose or dissent. Collectively we are weaving a fabric of power and responsibnlity - a force field of possiblity - and most of the time we do not know what we are doing. George W Bush may have thought he was waging war on evil, Dick Cheyne may have thought thought he was seizing control of the Middle East, but their act of war weakened American power. Gordon Brown may think he is rebuilding the economy, but he is restoring America as a financial power. G20 demonstrators may have thought they were challenging the state or calling for a new green global economy, but they were teaching agents of the state to be smarter. Learning the nature of power and how to use it is therefore critical to developing responsiblity. Power is the ability to make things happen. Power comes from: Y confidence and self belief: If you lack confidence, do things to build confidence and work with confident, supportive people. knowledge and expertise can unlock secrets and find smarter ways to do things, so know your stuff and get into a position to use it! resources – money, tools and other assets are needed to get things done: mobilise what you need through good communication, contacts and position. G position gives control over decisions, money, staff and other resources, but also responsibilities and pressures to serve the institution or system. You need skill and expertise as well as contacts and confidence to use any position successfully. collective action is the power of people acting together with a shared goal: if your aims are big, join or start a group, organisation or movement " a network of contacts enables people to exert influence beyond their formal power or expertise: who you know can be the fastest route to making things happen. celebrity enables you to get attention through the media. self-knowledge is the mirror to yourself in which you find your power to act. When we blame others, we give away our power. When we hold others to account - challenge them for something we believe they have done wrong - we take power to make somethings different happen. Blaming and holding accountable are two very different kinds of action. The starting point for learning power and responsiblity is to be clear about want you want - what is the result, the state of affairs you want to achieve, and why do you want it (ie your direction and values) - and then to understand and develop the power to achieve it, by using what power you have to move the larger fabric ofi social power to weave the world you want. Our education establishments do not spend much time or effort enabling people to clarify what they want, because they have allowed their power to become the servant of employers. Once people are clear about what they want and why, at a deeper level, not just in terms of career or consumer choice - then they can learn the how and become powerful. To take power is to take responsibility. The question is: where, when and how can you take power effectively to bring about the result you want? What is the result you want?


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