A problem of power

Perhaps the bleakest dichotomy of all: the physics definition of ‘power’ is “the ability to do work”, whereas most social definitions are more like “the ability to avoid work”…

Therein lies perhaps the most serious problem for organisational effectiveness: which definitions of power are in use? If it’s the wrong ones – as is likely to be the case – you’ll see your organisation’s productivity and performance slide further and further down towards the precipice…

And yet it’s not that hard to change – once people do start to understand the real meaning of ‘power’. That’ll have to be another topic for another day, I think: but for now, just watch out for that dichotomy at work.