Beyond Power Games: Effective Leadership Strategies

He thought they were playing checkers; the other knew they were playing chess. While he busied himself lining up the red pieces and settling for small wins, he missed the bigger picture. Tactics versus strategy. Rookie mistakes. No one would ever invite him to play again.

Power is a strange thing, especially in the hands of an amateur who doesn’t have the instinct to sense the game — mistakes pile up. You’ve probably seen this in the workplace: who gets included in email chains and in what order, who blocks the flow of information, who hides behind “helping” others to play cheap tricks — these patterns are obvious.

Using power effectively is about knowing when to step forward and when to step back, recognizing the difference between weakness and strength, and being seen as more of a problem-solver and collaborator than a troublemaker.

In my research and coaching sessions, I’ve met two types of managers — those who dominate successfully and those who don’t. The successful ones are comfortable sharing their power; they don’t need to show off because their name speaks for itself.

In the workplace, where shared life and long-term relationships matter, power is a delicate subject. Short-term gains at the expense of others damage relationships, and eventually, someone loses. Ironically, those who lose are often the ones chasing cheap tricks, desperate to always be right and have the last word.

Ultimately, power and influence depend on relationships because most goals are interconnected, and you simply need others to get things done. Given the complexity of today’s business world, it’s clear that work is never a completely independent endeavor. Therefore, power and influence are about how goals are achieved together.

When we see hastily written emails or abrupt messages that essentially say, “That’s it!” we’re witnessing someone who doesn’t use their power consciously or wisely.

In my coaching and consulting career, I’ve seen how much damage words can do, and how hard it is to repair the broken pieces afterward.

If you want to play chess with adults instead of checkers with children, it helps to get clear on a few points:

• Power and influence are built on relationships.

• Successful leaders think long-term and focus on the big picture.

• Understand the short- and long-term costs and benefits of dominating and influencing others.

• Know how much clout you have compared to your colleagues and where it comes from.

• Be strategic about which communications are best delivered in writing and which are better face-to-face.

By Tracy Cocivera, Ph.D., C.Psych., National Coaching Practice Lead – Vice President, Master Coach at Lee Hecht Harrison Knightsbridge.Translation of an article originally published in Forbes.