Is Power Taken Or Given? Or BOTH?
Is Power Taken, Or Given? Or Both?
“Power-Grab!” “Absolute power corrupts absolutely!” “Global superpower!” “Overpowering!” All of these words and phrases carry with them a sense of brashness, unwieldiness, fear… A “powerful” person is one that, for most regular folk, should probably be avoided, UNLESS you need the power they possess, that is. When they are wielding their power, lording it over you and yours, that power feels like something to be opposed, marched against, protested. However, when you are unsheltered and in need of protection, that same power can feel pretty darn great! When I need it, I celebrate it. When I feel its weight bearing down on me, oppressing me, demanding things from me, I rail against it. Am I really that self-serving? I think probably so.
This is the issue that intrigues me most when thinking about power relationships among people. How much of power is taken by brute force or manipulation, and how much is willingly abdicated in exchange for comfort or security? This is addressed in Mary Kate Morse’s book, Making Room For Leadership, Power, Space and Influence. In the book’s introduction, the author writes: “People don’t just take up the space needed to become leaders; others give them that space. Either they need that person to be their leader; or they are too afraid to challenge the abuse of power; or they themselves are powerless, and no one listens to their voice.”1 Can we justly castigate leaders for leveraging power in ways that may not be popular when we have all but forced upon them the mandate to do so? If we are going to hoist a man up onto our shoulders, then gently set him down on the jewel-encrusted pedestal we have built for him, can we cry “foul!” when he rules with a heavy-hand?
Power is as much given as it is taken and it is true that “[t]he people in power are often ignorant about the negative emotional impact that powerlessness has on those deprived of voice and value.”2 In the incomparable words of the urban poet Ice T: “I don’t know why a player wanna hate T, I didn’t choose the game, the game chose me… Don’t hate the playa’, hate the game!”3 In other words, let’s see if we can do something about redefining the nature of power relationships rather than spending all of our time attempting to unseat those in power, only to occupy those same seats ourselves. We have to change the game.
I believe we all have been given some measure of power that is rightfully ours to steward. We should use that power in the pursuit elevating the downtrodden, giving voice to the voiceless, teaching by example how everyone should steward their power for the sake of Christ. “Wherever Jesus traveled he used his power to catalyze a reformation of thinking about hospitality, outsiders, interpretation of the law, economic systems and the practices of the established religious systems.”4 He validated those who were otherwise invalid, legitimated those who would be illegitimate if left to themselves, valued those who were inherently without value. This is the message and end of the Gospel.
The powerful working on behalf of the powerless to bring about transformation that is eternal in scope.
1. Mary Kate Morse. Making Room for Leadership: Power, Space and Influence. (Downers Grove: IVP 2008) Kindle Edition. Loc. 82.
2. Ibid. Loc. 310
3. “Don’t Hate The Playa’” Ice T. 1999 release.
4. Morse, Loc. 429
About the Author
Jon Spellman
Jon is a husband, father, coach, author, missional-thinker, and most of all, a follower of Jesus.13 responses to “Is Power Taken Or Given? Or BOTH?”
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Wow…Strong use of Ice T! “Don’t hate the playa’, hate the game!” Well done Jon, well done.
One of the big takeaways for me from MaryKate’s book is the fact that I have given others power. Maybe I should have, maybe I shouldn’t. But I have a responsibility for the power I give others.
You said, “Can we justly castigate leaders for leveraging power in ways that may not be popular when we have all but forced upon them the mandate to do so?” That’s a really good point and why it is is some important to carefully/prayerfully think about who we put in power. We are often to easily swayed when elevating leaders and we place people in power that shouldn’t be. So how do we change the game?
“Dont hate the playa hate the game” ha ha exactly. At times I hate the game that people play with power. It is just that a game most of the times when it does not bring about transformation. “The powerful working on behalf of the powerless to bring about transformation that is eternal in scope.” I dont want to unseat a person in power if their scope is for the transformation of the powerless. It becomes important to question the scope of what some people are doing in power but its not that hard to answer most of the times. Too many people just want to sit on the golden pedastal just to say im sitting on it. Sometimes a little fire needs to be ignited under it so that they do something on it! lol Jon!!!!!!!!!!!
I think part of the answer to the question is found in your comment about giving our power to others. Part of changing the game is being willing to really steward the power we have been given instead of abdicating it to others. We have to hold ourselves responsibility for the power we give to others.
Thanks!
J
I agree. It’s just interesting that I’m not sure i’ve ever lead a teaching series,or sat through one, that taught how we should give our power to others. Lots to learn on this subject.
“A “powerful” person is one that, for most regular folk, should probably be avoided, UNLESS you need the power they possess”
Wow Jon, you made me think about something that I had not thought about while reading; some people love to “use” those in power while complaining about them and labeling them as “bad”. I lived for eight months in a country that did not have a military. A national pastime was berating the evil United States and their “imperialist military”. This country had been threaten by her neighbors over the years, so I asked people what they would do if they were ever invaded. Everyone I asked gave the same answer, the United States would come to their aid. I have seen this attitude play out on a smaller scale in churches, families, work situations, and politics; It is easy to loathe the power that some people have, while at the same time manipulating it for one’s own benefit.
Brian, thanks for this. I am searching my own heart to reveal where I have engaged in this kind of behavior myself. It’s painful to see where I have been willing to enjoy the benefits of power while railing against it in the next breath. That’s really small thinking on my part, I don’t want to be a small person.
J
Jon, I remember reading one time that in the US if you are relatively tall, male, dark haired, thin, and fit, everything in the chase of the American Dream is tipped your way and sets you readily up for success. While a broad generalization, I have to say there is something to that claim. I feel I have been ridiculous, unearned privilege in many major and minor ways from the greater culture and forces of power and expectation, especially as you write about how people so readily give power away or to others. One angle on how I have ended up where I am could somewhat claim by default of just stepping into space others expected or afforded me. I kind of even feel I have been and want to remain reluctant because of the power game, but I have definitely advanced because of tons of opportunities that were “just available” to me. I had journaled in Cape Town about truly feeling like I am living an unearned, privileged life I do not deserve, but because of the awareness of that want to live a life that gives others the same opportunity … I life full of grace, mercy and hope.
Thanks Phil for sharing your journal thoughts. Being filled with gratefulness for what we’ve been given is a big part of being aware. Instead of feeling entitled or guilt…I’d rather feel true gratefulness and love others from a healthy awareness.
Jon,
So I liked the ice T quote, and to that end how do we change the game?
Frankly the game changer that comes to mind is “Humility”. It’s what I long for in leadership. We want to be lead, we don’t mind people over us having great influence, but what I long to see from them is genuine humility. Humility in how they treat the organization/group they are leading, in how they listen to others. Not just ‘saying the right things’ but overtime showing a meekness in your dealing with people without ever lowering your control over the vision.
Humility is a game changer for sure.
J
John, powerful words…
“I believe we all have been given some measure of power that is rightfully ours to steward. We should use that power in the pursuit elevating the downtrodden, giving voice to the voiceless, teaching by example how everyone should steward their power for the sake of Christ.”
I’ve seen leaders abuse their power inadvertently, or get into situations where they abuse their power. They often don’t understand their sources of power, and when or how to exert them. Often times people use negative types of power to influence people, instead of healthy power. There are five types of power:
Expert Power comes through a person’s skills and knowledge. These are thought leaders, and they influence others in their specific field of research.
Referent power is something that get when we earn trust.
Coercive power is exerted through threat or fear.
Reward power is gained when one provides rewards in return for compliance or work.
Legitimate comes through one’s position within an organization. For example, a CEO has legitimate power.
Jon – while in Cape Town, I’ll confess to wondering what our cohort would be like, in particular in relationship to how we exert our own power. When I walked into the room where we sat at the square-U-shape tables, I thought about who would sit by who, who would speak up first, and how the personalities we read on our chats would be reflected in meeting each other for the first time in person. You were in a difficult place (although you seemed to take it in stride) with your baggage still missing, and having to wear the same clothes. And I remember thinking about how your presence was actually rather comforting, rather than a bravado I expected from at least some in our group. In fact, I was amazed at the humility in which each person offered him/herself honestly, intentionally, and a moving-towards one another versus a posturing. In my mind, it was a beautiful example of how power and presence can be used to create synergy rather than distract from what’s important.
It does seem that this group of leaders/learner instinctively uses whatever power we have for the good of the “other”, whoever that other may be. I had not thought of it in those terms but we all seem to be postured supportively of each other, truly celebrating the achievements of each other. Power is not a zero sum economy… I don’t lose anything by elevating you, you don’t lose anything by elevating me. There’s plenty to go around!
J