Power is the ability to get things done – your way. Sometimes, it’s a direct order that you give, sometimes a suggestion you make, or a request or the asking of a favor; but the result (if you have power) is always that the other person acts and you derive a benefit from the other person’s actions.
One can have power in many different ways. You have it over your employees because you pay their salaries. If you are an expert in a special field, it’s because you know the best way to handle matters. In a legal dispute, it’s because you have the law on your side. If you have credit cards, it can be part of your lifestyle to go into a store, hotel, or restaurant in any city and order whatever you wish. In politics, it’s because folks will give you their votes, hoping that you’ll work and succeed in getting the government to serve them in their area. And there’s the power that derives from being talented, charming, and capable, of being up-to-the-minute and knowledgeable, so people know that if they let you handle things for them or listen to your advice, they’ll come out ahead.
One more aspect of power. This concerns competition. If all the world were fair and equal, one would have no need for the upper hand, for the advantage, for power. But, of course, the world isn’t. Which often means that in a competitive situation, you cannot merely settle for an equal chance.
You must keep your eyes and ears, and indeed all your faculties, open for any clue or other tips that will move the balance in your favor. Whenever possible, make sure you get more than an equal chance.