What Is Personal Power? How to Develop Your Personal Power

Personal power is the ability to be winsome and influence the outcome of events. Rather than formal authority, personal power comes from solid interpersonal skills, self-esteem, and confidence. Personal power comes into play both at work and in your personal life. Someone who has activated their own personal power is focused on developing their self-confidence and the ability to work in harmony with their coworkers. They lead others by example. Rather than exerting power forcefully or by manipulation, someone with personal power uses their communication skills and emotional intelligence to empathize and empower their loved ones or colleagues to be their best selves.

Personal power can help you reach your full potential, both in your personal life and at work. People who rely solely on formal positions of authority are unlikely to experience long-term success, as they haven’t taken the time to build healthy relationships or cultivate a culture based on empowerment rather than control. By focusing on personal power, in tandem with positional power, you have the potential to become a more well-rounded individual while simultaneously achieving your professional goals.

The type of personal power you possess can significantly impact your relationships and leadership style. There are two main types of personal power:

• Referent power: Referent power refers to the kind of power that comes from charisma and the ability to unite others around a shared goal. A person with referent power is skilled at influencing and empowering others. They often have expert communication skills and are a strong public speaker. Referent power can also come from having solid social skills and the ability to make others feel at ease.
• Expert power: A person with expert power is someone who has intimate knowledge of a particular subject. Their loved ones often ask them for advice, and their colleagues consult them in the workplace for strategic decision-making. Individuals with this form of power are often considered “thought leaders” and make excellent mentors.

Consider the following examples of how personal power plays out in professional settings:

• Michael works in a grocery store, stocking shelves. He has a reserved personality but is an exemplary employee. He goes out of his way to help customers and makes them feel welcome with friendly conversation. His coworkers enjoy working with him because he is kind and helpful. Although Michael isn’t competitive like some of his coworkers, his work ethic and winsome personality quickly get him promoted to a management position. The promotion is a boon to Michael’s self-confidence and inspires him to continue working on his personal development. Although Michael now holds a higher position of power, he continues to empower his coworkers and encourage them on their self-development journeys.
• Amanda is the cofounder of a software development company. Her partner, Michelle, has a more charismatic personality and is a gifted public speaker. However, Amanda has more years of experience than Michelle and greater technical knowledge. Michelle acts as the company's public face, allowing Amanda to focus on developing a superior product and training team members in their technical knowledge. The partnership is a success, and Amanda is regarded in high esteem for her ability to effectively mentor team members, empowering them to achieve their full potential and deliver a high-quality product.

Personal power comes from characteristics within oneself, while positional power comes from holding a formal position of authority. The two aren’t mutually exclusive—a person can have both personal and positional power. Personal power is categorized into two types: referent and expert power. There are three types of positional power: legitimate, coercive, and reward power. Legitimate power comes from holding a specific job title and is limited by hierarchy; coercive power is used to control others and often relies on punishment or manipulation; reward power comes from the ability to influence others with incentives.

Consider these tips to help you grow your personal power.

• Recognize your personal power. Activating your personal power starts with self-awareness. Once you acknowledge that you have personal power, you can begin to wield it by taking intentional steps toward your personal and professional goals. For example, if you want to improve your mental health, you must first acknowledge that your well-being is worth investing in. Once you recognize that all human beings are valuable—including yourself—you can start to access your personal power to pursue mental wellness.
• Invest in yourself. Growth mindset is the idea that people can develop their talents and abilities through a positive belief system and hard work. Invest in yourself by learning new skills and by developing your self-esteem, communication skills, and confidence.
• Have integrity. Just like positional power, personal power is easy to abuse. It’s essential to examine your motivations and avoid coercing others with your charm or technical knowledge. For example, it would be easy for a person with expert power to withhold their knowledge of a particular area to force others to be dependent on them. This will ultimately make others feel resentful, and they will likely lose trust in that person.
• Stay grounded. Everyone has an ego. Your ego helps you focus on your achievements, but it can also get in the way of accessing your personal power. Leading by example, sharing your expertise, and investing in the success of others, are crucial aspects of personal power.
• Empower others. When you’re motivated to see others succeed, you are more likely to experience personal success as well. Personal power helps you build a network of high-performing people around you, who can allow you to be and do your best and offer feedback and advice when you need it.

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