The Keys to Power

A friend of mine wrote in his blog recently about the keys to Power. His writing made me think a great deal, and as he asked for comments, I tried to put some down for him. I tried several times before realizing that I had far too much to think about- and subsequently to say- than I could put into a simple "comment." As such, I now write for you.

Now first it is important to determine what we're talking about when we mention the word "power." This can be especially tough with such an over-arching word, as there are 32 different definitions in the English dictionary. Clearly many can be ruled out based upon the subject matter, but there are still many to choose from. I bring up this point not to split hairs, but rather to point out that what we view as a powerful person can mean many things. What do we mean when we say a person is powerful or that they have power?

Philosophically, "Power is a measure of an entity's ability to control the environment around itself, including the behavior of other entities." I think that sums things up quite nicely, as it covers all ranges of power from that of a parent to a child, or a world leader, or even a man adjusting nature to himself.

So if this is true, then anything that helps a person control the environment or behavior of others makes him more powerful.

My friend says that there are eight keys to making a person powerful. In brief, they are:

1. Money
2. Fame
3. Charm
4. Aesthetic Faculties (Looks)
5. Influence
6. Fear
7. Authority
8. Knowledge

He notes also that some people are capable of being powerful, and others not, and that the most important of the keys he listed are charm, knowledge and influence.

But what does power mean to me? What makes someone powerful? I agree with my friend in many aspects.

• Money- Totally agree. I have often said that some people become influential because they are talented and lucky. Money is the only sure way to control influence in our society. The entire Earth has seen the effects of Bill Gates, and not just for computers. He has changed art, science, and the welfare of millions of people by choosing where and how his money will be spent.
• Fame- Notoriety is certainly an important aspect. We put trust and faith in people that are well known, regardless of whether or not they deserve such accolades. When a celebrity asks us to do something, we are more likely to do it than if we were asked by someone else. When a disaster happens, who is it that makes us break out our checkbooks with their telethons? Celebrities. 
• Charm- I would say that this is better described as Charisma than charm, but definitely important. Some people just have a knack of getting people to follow them. This natural ability is definitely a driving force in being innately powerful. Think JFK and MLK. Charisma incarnate.
• Looks- Our society has definitely shown that looks matter. We can remember how this was historically illustrated, possibly for the first time in the Nixon v Kennedy debates that were televised for the first time. Kennedy looked smooth and confident, and had good looks. Nixon... was none of these. Most experts agree that this was critical for the results of the election. We as a society let our initial impression of looks determine who we think a person is, and thus what kind of power and influence they have over us.
• Influence- I actually think that power is influence, and vice versa, so would remove this from the list and use this word interchangeably.
• Fear- Sadly an incredible tool to becoming powerful. A person's innate weaknesses are multiplied when they are faced with fear. It is easy to let fear rule us. That said, fear can never create lasting power, because there is no loyalty behind it. The moment that fear isn't present, or the person in power shows any weakness, their power is instantly eroded. Though it may be the easiest road to power, it is the weakest method of staying there. Every dictator that has risen to and fallen from power is a testament to both the power and weakness in fear.
• Authority- We do respect authority as a default. If someone has been given (or earned) a position of power, we innately view them as powerful. Think of cops, or judges, etc. that you respect the "uniform" if not the person behind it. I would definitely say that again, this is a weaker form of power, but is visible in our society every day.
• Knowledge- The most potent form of power may also sadly be the least effective today. We seem to almost turn against those whom are experts in their field, or who actually house knowledge. There is nothing... I repeat... nothing so powerful as knowledge, but in the eyes of others, said knowledge can unfortunately shine far less than a more flashy, if less useful method of gaining power.

I would say that there are 2 additional keys to power that we have thus far overlooked. The first of these is insight. Though tied in some ways to knowledge, insight is more an innate ability to see the heart of a matter and to see it's truth. Knowledge can be gained through insight, but the reverse is not often true. A person with incredible insight will be able to out-position someone with incredible knowledge almost every time. 

A tragic example of this would be Karl Rove. This man carries a limited amount of the aforementioned claims to power, but he instinctively knew how the tides of society were shifting and how to make the most of it. He lacked the knowledge of most of his peers, didn't have the authority of the highest ranking offices, certainly doesn't have much in the way of looks or charisma, though clearly was one of the most powerful people in our country for the last decade. Power indeed.

Finally, I will present intention. Intention may be the most commonly overlooked, but the most vital key to power that there is. A person with true and clear intentions can often clear paths where no other method could. People with intention always seem to be able to accomplish more than you could ever expect with less money, a "lower" position, etc. I contend that this holds completely with the premise that the universe is malleable. Humans have far more control than most of us would like to admit, and it is our intention that makes things happen. It is no coincidence that people who set solid goals achieve them, even if they shouldn't logistically seem to do so. Being clear about what we want, far more than the how or the why will bring us greater results, and when it comes to power, what could be a more clear indicator than the results?

So what's the conclusion? Power is available to all of us. Some of us have it innately. Some of us have more keys to power than others. The most powerful people in our society are the ones that are able to combine their keys seamlessly to create an overwhelming sense of influence and authority. That said, each and every one of us contains our own keys, and it is just a matter of whether or not we choose to use them to make our own little universe a better place to live.