My friend wanted to be a civil servant. Whenever I asked him why civil services, he said “ I want to be powerful. Power gives you everything you need.”

Another friend of mine, looks at civil services as the most powerless jobs. He is someone who can keep all his bosses under his control.

Who sounds more powerful to you?

What is power?

Dictionary defines it as the ability to do anything or influence others.

Classic definition of power by Weber

The ability of an individual or group to achieve their own goals or aims when others are trying to prevent them from realising them

According to this definition, in an informal context, who is powerful? You or your partner?

It is not a shameful thing to crave for power. The ones who feel powerful are more confident than those who are not. At the same time, feeling powerful can make you overconfident if you look at others as totally powerless.

What makes you feel powerful?

My first friend wanted power through position. It is the position in an organisation. He wanted the authority to take decisions. It can be day to day decisions on running an organisation or monetary decisions or who to reward or punish. He wanted to rule. That made him powerful.

My second friend had power by being an expert at what he did. He had the information which others don’t. People are naturally attracted to him for the way he carries himself. He holds the power to influence people for these characteristics of his.

What characteristics do you possess? What if you have neither type of power?

How to feel powerful?

1.Display proofs

Irrespective of which level you are in the organisation, carry your position tag. When I was in school, I had a badge for class leader and first ranker. I was definitely viewed as more powerful than what I was.

Get your name printed on a visiting card. When they look at a card, they assume that you hold the power to take decisions. My uncle gives me a visiting card every time I meet him. I thought he was an influential person.

Keeping aside the position, get good at the job you are doing. Earn reward for the work you do. Display those certificates. They make you look more credible.When one acquaintance of mine received an award at work, I thought she is better than what I actually thought she was.

Research shows that when you do this, other people perceive you as more powerful than you actually are.

2.Dress up well

At a sales stall you want to approach the manager, if there is a person wearing a suit and other one wearing a T-shirt who will you approach?

Most of the people approach the one in suit. They assume him to be the manager.

So your dressing sense will make others perceive you as less or more powerful.

3.Be nice to others

When you do favors to others when they are in need, they feel obliged to return it back to you. The more helpful person you are, the more powerful you become.

When you talk in a nice way and don’t act entitled, you are on your way to building powerful connections.

4.Body posture

Open body posture makes you feel more powerful than closed body posture. When you are in a room, check whether you are trying to take as little space as possible or are ready to sit comfortably. Just by changing your posture you can change your mindset which in turn makes you powerful.

5.Affirmation and Visualization

Keep telling yourself that you are powerful. I am not a powerful person when compared to both my friends. But when I need to influence others, I use this technique. I tell myself that I am powerful enough to do this.

You can also visualize what it feels like to be in a powerful state. Or else you can even recollect a past incident where you felt powerful. This alone can make you feel powerful.

6.Question the beliefs

If you believe or someone else tells you that you are not powerful, question the belief. Dissect it. Turn the statement to make you a powerful person. Never let others pull you down.

What sort of power do you possess or crave for? When did you feel most powerful? Which technique are you going to use to feel more powerful?

Share them with us in the comments section.

Happy feeling powerful!