Quote On Power

Recently I read this blog post by a friend about her unpleasant experiences at workplace and her annoying boss.

I have very strong feelings against such people who misinterpret their 'authority' or 'power' and exercise it in wrong manner. Using your power in a work related matters is understandable - but cannot be justified when your boss tries to use it as per his whims and fancies.

In this context I remembered a quote from our MBA module called 'Mindful Manager'. Though we all made cracks at those Mindful manager sessions (needless to say I was at the forefront!!!), I must admit that I liked the basic concept a lot... (Candid confession! Does this qualify to be a 'Breaking News'??? Any India TV reporters out there?)

So here is the quote on Power:

“Power is the illusion people get when they are obeyed…[they] discover what their power is really made of when they start to lose it. They realise, but too late, that it was ‘made’ of the wills of others”

[Latour 1986 p 268]

I completely agree with this - and to add to it...it is the 'lack of will of others' that allows the people holding power the luxury of misusing it.