Personal power involves the ability to influence an outcome, take action, and overcome resistance. Within the dynamics of conflict, power is defined as the ability to get one’s needs met and further one’s goals. An individual’s intention and focus in a conflict is a key variable in the leverage of power. For without any amount of power, an individual is simply unable to enter into a conflict. The information presented in this article is obtained from Mayer (2012), in his second edition of The Dynamics of Conflict.
The ability to bring a minimum quality of power to a conflict is required for opponents to at least consider one’s concerns, and resist any resolution that violates one’s interests. It’s easy to identify situations where the powerless have their needs ignored and their interests trampled upon. Sometimes, when individual power is insufficient, joining with others can increase the total amount of power represented by one side–consider class action suits, unions, and multiple plaintiffs.
Personal power is based on characteristics such as determination, knowledge, communication skills, charisma, wit, courage, and energy. The presence and amount of these variables explain the variations we see in wildly differing outcomes among persons in otherwise common conflicting situations.
“Determination, emotional resilience, and clarity of focus can be more valuable in a conflict that financial resources; even more than legal rights.”
Henry Jawhary
People can enhance their own power by engaging effectively in a conflict. They can do this by addressing each of the following points.
- properly naming the conflict
- managing avoidance tendencies
- constructing an effective narrative
- clarifying needs of all involved
- developing effective alternatives
- acquiring useful information
- raising issues effectively
Naming a conflict involves the proper consideration of underlying the needs of both parties and understanding their differing psychological and objective levels. Individuals in a conflict can be fighting for different reasons or principles. Another point deserves additional elaboration, and that is about constructing an effective narrative. Each side in a conflict creates their own story about the conflict and the opponent. The party that promotes their own narrative with greater clarity, emotion, or reason, can gain the upper hand especially when third parties are involved.
References:
Mayer, Bernard (2012). The Dynamics of Conflict. John Wiley & Sons.
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