Power and politics go hand-in-hand in the workplace. Much of the wasteful energy we see unfold from office politics may relate to old trauma, old stories that leaders carry from their home to the office.
Trauma seeps its way into the workplace, and at times into the threads of leadership if they are not acknowledged and addressed.
Dr. Payal Sharma, a field researcher who studies power and stress in organizations, shares her tips and findings with us. We discuss types of power, how personal trauma can play out at work, how to prime yourself to feel more powerful, and how to manage up when dealing with a difficult boss.
Don’t miss next week’s episode 23. It’s a Q&A with Payal thanks to real-life workplace questions/concerns submitted by listeners via Instagram.
Payal has a Ph.D. in organizational behavior from the University of Maryland, College Park; an M.A. in organizational management from The George Washington University; an M.A. in higher education from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; and dual B.A.s in history and anthropology from the University of California, San Diego. Prior to joining UNLV, she was a visiting faculty member at the Wharton School and tenure-track faculty member at Rutgers Business School (Newark and New Brunswick). Her professional experience includes working for the U.S. Government Printing Office in strategic human capital and at Harvard Business School in external relations.
“We bring our whole selves to work. There’s no clear way to leave demons at home.” — Dr. Payal Sharma
Things we cover in this episode:
- Where you have agency and control at work
- How to manage up
- Importance of self-worth
- What employees expect from female VS male leaders
- How to prime yourself to feel powerful
- Managing a team when angry
- Payal’s life lesson from sky-diving – watch the video!
- Personalized power VS socialized power
- How to find work allies and why they’re so important
- Most successful types of employees who work for a difficult boss
Connect with Dr. Payal
- Follow @power_sharma on Instagram
- Learn more about Payal at her faculty website or email her here
Recommended Leadership Books
- Dare To Lead by Brené Brown
- Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek
Additional Resources
- I’ve Come Too Far To Quit video
- Define your fears instead of your goals video with Tim Ferriss on the power of fear-setting
- Sympathy VS Empathy video by Brené Brown
- Get Better At Receiving Feedback video with Sheila Heen
- The Knowing-Doing Gap about the power of self-fulfilling prophecies by Jeffrey Pfeffer
- Be Seen As A Leader on how to prime yourself to feel powerful by Adam Galinsky
- When A Colleague Is Grieving by Gianpiero Petriglieri and Sally Maitlis
- Managing Your Boss by John J. Gabarro and John P. Kotter’s
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