Power

The last three weeks, I wrote about mind trap choice, how defenses can hijack you, and how learned behaviors influence mind traps. Here’s number three in the mind trap arsenal - power.

Power. There are two types of power: 1. Position Power – power given to an individual due to the formal position they hold in an organization; 2. Personal Power – power that comes from within. “One’s inner, self-sourced sense of authority that remains stable and durable regardless of the outer situation.”[i] Motive is the key to explaining how power is used. Misuse of power happens when means (context), motive, and opportunity collide with lacking emotional intelligence, personal power, judgement, and often, with the help of a mind trap or the mind trap itself may influence the use of position power.

[i] Power: A User’s Guide, Diamond, Julia, Belly Song Press, 2016.