Dale--I'm on my 2d reading now, and have adopted many of her thoughts and
principles into my work (believing much of it to be superior to more
recent works I've read). I've mentioned Follett in several of my recent
postings, especially her comments on leadership, power, law of the
situation, conflict integration and circular behavior.
The excerpts you chose are some of my favorites--and have helped me
formulate much of my thinking on empowerment. I'd like to explore these
"snippets" on power with others on this list. I took the liberty of
numbering the paragraphs you selected, Dale, for convenience' sake. The
#4 is integral to my recent contributions on empowerment.
I'd certainly like to see the next 5th Discipline Fieldbook revision
include many of her practical ideas and advice.
I'd like to find out what you (and others) think about #3. Specifically,
the line, "genuine power is always that which inheres in the situation?"
regards,
Doc
1.
> "It seems to me that whereas power usually means power-over, the power of
> some person or group over some other person or group, it is possible to
> develop the conception of power-with, a jointly developed power, a
> co-active, not a coercive power. (...) Every demand for power should be
> analysed to see if the object is 'independent' power or joining power. That
> should be one of the tests of any plan of employee representation -- is it
> developing joint power?" [p 103]
>
2.
> "Circular behavior is the basis for integration. If your business is so
> organized that you can influence a co-manager while he is influencing you,
> so organized that a workman has an opportunity of influencing you as you
> have of influencing him; if there is an interactive influence going on all
> throught he time between you, power-with may be built up. Throughout
> history we see that control brings disastrous consequences whenever it
> outruns integration." [p 107]
>
3.
> "Do we not see now that while there are many ways of gaining an external,
> an arbitrary power -- through brute strength, through manipulation,
> through diplomacy -- genuine power is always that which inheres in the
> situation?" [p 108]
>
4.
> "I do not think that power can be delegated because I believe that genuine
> power is capacity. To confer power on the workers may be an empty
> gesture. (...) [The workers'] problem is how much power they can
> themselves grow. (...) Where the manages come in is that they should
> give the workers a chance to grow capacity or power for themselves." [p
> 111]
>
> "These expressions [dividing power, transferring power, conferring power,
> sharing power], while containing indeed a partial truth, nevertheless at
> the same time *hide* an important truth, namely, that power is
> self-developing capacity. (...) The division of power is not the thing to
> be considered, but that method of organization which will generate power."
> [p 113]
>
> "The manager cannot share *his* power with division superintendent or
> foreman or workmen, but he can give them opportunities for developing
> *their* power." [p 115]
>
-- "The most invisible creators I know of are those artists whose medium is life itself. The ones who express the inexpressible - without brush, hammer, clay or guitar. They neither paint nor sculpt - their medium is being. Whatever their presence touches has increased life. They see and don't have to draw. They are the artists of being alive." - J. StoneThresholds--developing critical skills for living organizations Richard C. "Doc" Holloway Olympia, WA ICQ# 10849650 Please visit our new website, still at <http://www.thresholds.com/> <mailto:learnshops@thresholds.com>
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