Power equa­tions: Un­der­stand­ing power and in­flu­ence in or­gan­iz­a­tions

Course content

Power is often misunderstood and stigmatized, seen as a predetermined trait or gained through manipulation. However, avoiding power cedes it to those who may not act in your interest. In this course, we will redefine power as the ability to influence behavior through access to valued resources.

You will learn about **Power Mapping**: Identify influencers within your workplace who can drive change. We will dicsuss the  concepts of Influence and Resources and how to recognize resources such as autonomy, achievement, affiliation, and how they meet human needs for safety and self-esteem. We will discuss Strategic Action, how to agitate, innovate, and orchestrate for balanced power dynamics.

We will analyze a number of empirical settings, from volunteer organizations to hospital hierarchies and listen to powerful people and how power have impacted them personally, including the dark side of power.

This course is aiming to provide you with a transformative understanding of power, enabling you to wield it positively for personal and organizational benefit.