Author Talks: Rules of Power From Jeffrey Pfeffer to Help You Get Your Way

What they need from you is inspiration. They need energy, even if you’re not feeling energetic that day. They need guidance. They need information. They need you to behave like a leader.

When you use your power to make things happen, to improve the performance of your organization, and to change the culture in ways that benefit the organization and its performance, then you will have more power as a consequence. Power is not something like a bottle of water that gets used up the more you drink it. It’s something that gets created t

A third very important source of power that I think people sometimes underestimate is how you show up. Are you able to act and speak with power? Do you show up in a powerful fashion? Many writers write about what they call “executive presence.” I think how you show up and how you talk is a very important source of power.

I don’t think you need to bring your whole self to work. I think you need to bring the parts of yourself to work that will help you get the job done.