Power
October 5, 2003

What is power?

Power: The ability or official capacity to exercise control; authority
A person, group, or nation having great influence or control over others

Power is a very interesting thing. First of all, what is power? Can it even be called a thing? I would guess that it�s more of an idea or quality. Is it even a quality? How about it�s a characteristic or perhaps you could even call it an item; an item that you use and can pass from one to another.

I�ve taken notice of power a lot recently especially through my teachers. They must have power in order to keep a class from becoming chaotic. However, there is also another side to that: they must be able to influence their students positively as well as keep order (look back at the definition). How they accomplish those things is a different manner and through them I�ve learned basically what to do and what not to do.

Appearance is weighed almost as much as manner, especially at the beginning of meeting a group of people. It is a way to show self-confidence, though be careful not to appear cocky for that will undercut you faster than a less self-confident look. You must look self-confident in order to keep potentially dangerous people (esp. obnoxious students) from challenging your authority. If that one person challenges it and wins, then your authority has been undercut. So make it difficult to be challenged to begin with. Therefore, do not look down when walking or take slow hesitant steps. Keep your eyes bright and aware. When dealing with posture, you don�t have to be sitting straight up as long as you don�t look hunched.

As for manner, be consistent. This applies to everyone, not just teachers. It is difficult to know how to act around someone if you�re uncertain of his response. Be yourself you say? Well, knowing how to act around certain people doesn�t necessarily inhibit your individuality. It�s like going up to a person in a wheel chair and starting a conversation about how you just ran a 5k race. By avoiding that topic, you�re still yourself and you�ve saved yourself and that other person a lot of pain. This doesn�t mean that you have to be able to predict every reaction in order to speak. However, you want to know if the person to whom you�re speaking will yell at you, become offended, or answer passively. My point of this is that more people will likely speak/open up to you if they know roughly your response. If you�re a teacher you want your students to speak to you and most everyone wants that as well. However, this isn�t to say that you shouldn�t overstep the boundaries when it�s necessary. I did once in a manner that I�ll never forget; I probably wouldn�t be where I am today if I hadn�t. No� I wouldn�t be where I am today. Screw boundaries.

There are two types of manner that I have found to be most effective: compassion and strength. While it�s best to have both, if you have to choose between the two, it is better to have more strength than compassion. Why? Because the majority of people don�t respond very well to compassion. In a class, for instance, you will have a handful of people that actually want to learn. Then, out of that handful, there will be those that want to learn for the wrong reasons. Not for the pursuit of knowledge or out of interest but because of grades or parents or college. So the ones that actually have an interest in knowledge are the only ones that will respond to compassion. There are exceptions, however. For instance, the ones that are learning for other reasons other than themselves could respond to compassion, even though they don�t realize that this is and should be for their personal benefit. However, it is less likely since they live their lives for someone/something else. So basically if you are a teacher you must appeal to the masses. Why must you teach not only to the ones that want it? Because there is that slight chance that something will get through to the ones that don�t understand the value of intellect. Therefore, you must be strong for those that will never understand intellect�s value or won�t until college. To get anything from them you must be confident or they will push your schedule and take advantage of you. However, I highly do not recommend fear as a teaching method; I�ve seen it. Fear isn�t the best form of power because scared students speak not at all. You lose the potential students, even though you silence them all. The �true� student will be scared to ask questions and speak up in class. What class do you have then? You teach nothing but submissiveness. Nothing truly great came from submissive people. Your compassion must show sometimes, especially on an individual basis. If you show none, you will not have an opportunity to make an impact on a student. And isn�t that what you�re after? (If not: seek another profession esp. if you have income issues as well) Also, patience truly is a virtue. People won�t come to someone who is impatient, especially if they need help with an issue. Impatient people make others that don�t understand feel stupid and slow. No one wants to feel that way so no one will ever come to you. Have no volatility� except perhaps towards the unjust. I find that acceptable but then again, that�s what I feel most violently against. It doesn�t do any good to be angry at the unjust. Trust me I�ve wasted time on it. However, when I said, �have no volatility�, I didn�t mean do not have opinions. Have opinions�strong ones even�but listen to others calmly. Perhaps they�ll mention something you never realized or you can understand their point of view. Who knows? Anyway� enough of this� You can see my point here.

Things like this are noticed. The way you walk down the hall? The way you confront that problem? That extra light in your eye? The extra smile on that horrible day? That mocking laugh at the uncomprehendable? Your behavior in a certain predicament? Someone (me for instance, though I know I�m not the only one) makes a note of such things. You are noticed.

**ONE MORE THING: USE A PERSON�S NAME! A name has a very close and personal connection. Look at the difference between �I love you� and �I love you, Laura�. Or even the difference in �Hello� or �Hello, Laura�. It is directed to the one and only person addressed. It stresses the person�s importance. Make sure people know that you know their name.

Power� is something many people strive to gain, but I don't see why it's so important. Well, I do, but I don't see how someone could want power just to be the "top dog". I understand how in certain professions it's needed, like teaching for instance. I understand how the powers and mannerisms that I listed above are important but not for use for the wrong reasons. I guess people are just after success or attempting to have power OVER someone else. And I can't see how someone would want that. I can but� why would anyone want to control someone else? Self-esteem? A method to gain self-confidence? Someone must have power, but it doesn't have to be used against someone else (Like Ellsworth Toohey in The Fountainhead). ::sighs:: No comprehende mucho. Also, please note that while this entry was based on four teachers that I've noticed, understand that this isn't for only teachers. This is for all people. A lot of this I try to exercise myself. I don't write what I don't belive.

Power is like dealing with fire. No, just don�t think of the fire expression as a typical one. Actually think why is power like fire? It�s uncontrollable; it can be the downfall of someone; it flat out hurts; make sure you know what you�re doing; keep a safe distance. Use it for the right reasons.

Love,
Lemme