Day 18 in MIT Sloan Fellows Class 2023, Power and Privilege
The definitions of power and privilege
Power
- Ability to influence and impact our environment
- Ability to impact/influence across many different situations.
Privilege
- A right/immunity granted as a particular benefit/advantage/favor
Power may make you more vulnerable
If you have the strongest power and are in a meeting room, you may be the most vulnerable person in the meeting room.
Why?
Power will be enhanced by cooperation from a team and consensus. If you lose consensus and behave brutally, your power will be weaker.
This is the mechanism of power. So, you want to keep your energy and need to take care of everyone. Then, you will be more inflexible and vulnerable. Looking at history. Kings have power, but so many of them are killed by people with lower power.
What brings power to you?
- Socioeconomic form
- Rank/Role/Occupation
- Personality
Also, empathy and legitimacy of power are essential driver to enhance your power.
