Discovering Power

A few days ago I had the pleasure of speaking to a group of interns from a number of profit and nonprofit based organizations in the Victoria County area.

They are approaching the end of their program of internship and The Kawartha Lakes Community Futures Corporation that manages the program for Industry Canada, wanted to hold an event to celebrate the end of the year. It is a wonderful program and the opportunities for the interns expand exponentially as a result of the experience.

Although the interns were unanimous in their appreciation of the program and its value to their future, they were not all of the “celebrating” mind. The program was coming to an end and many did not, and still do not, know what comes next in their career.

I was asked to provide a motivating meaningful seminar to a group of people about to lose their jobs. The irony of this was not lost on the group.

In hind sight it is possible that there could be no better send off than to remind them that they are not powerless in a power-based world and that though they are unsure of their prospects, they still had the grandest of possibilities ahead.

So in a self examining way we started to look at where power fit into their lives and how they felt about it. There was no shortage of those angry feelings of powerlessness.

I find that every time I speak with a group – especially a younger group of Gen Y’s – the predominant emotion is anger. Of course fear follows closely behind on the scale of power emotions. But that anger and frustration is always palpable when we begin our discussion.

Once we examine those emotions and the circumstances from which they originate everything becomes clear and we charge along discovering this thing called power.

I always feel like a little bit of a trouble maker when I ask them the question, “Is power a good thing or a bad thing?”

Those who live a life of fear and concern always think of the power in authority and are convinced that our society would go to hell in a hand basket if there was not a great power ruling over us. People would go around killing people they say.

I always doubt the truth of that statement. People are not such a motivated beast. I honestly don’t think we care that much about each other.

We will kill when we seem to have reason. It doesn’t have to be a good reason - just a personal one. But all the authority in the world can’t seem to stop that. Other than a few very badly damaged twisted people, for the most part we don’t go around doing such things.

But those who see power as a necessary part of society I try to encourage them to consider Hobbes and his Leviathan.

Others say it is a bad thing. These are usually those who feel like their life is out of control – or more accurately – that someone else has control over it. Those who dislike power have no shortage of examples of abuse and corruption.

When we discuss it in detail we seem to always come back to the significance of intention.

Is power good or bad?

“Well…it depends….”

On what?

“On what they are using it for…”

Tough question – but it sure shows us where we stand.

I guess the best part of these speaking training sessions is seeing the eyes of the participants when they connect the dots between power, need, ability and emotion.

When they see how it works, and when they acknowledge that it is s battle for choice and the battle ground is inside their head, it is easy for them to agree that power is an illusion.

At that moment we usually go from an active discussion to quiet contemplation.

At that moment I understand the importance of sharing this insight.

I can't thank them enough for allowing me that chance.