One of the illusions of management is that there is a room where the big decisions get made. We have lots of expressions that make reference to this:
- Seat at the table
- In the room where it happened
- Backroom deals
- Big table
People in organisations can become unduly focused on getting into that imaginary room to have power and influence. I’ve seen functions and people expend extraordinary amounts of effort trying to get into that room. People are usually disappointed when they get to see the meeting where they think all power resides for a number of pretty obvious reasons:
- Disillusionment: If all the decisions are made somewhere, it is a long way from the work and probably making decisions slowly and badly
- Irrelevance: Power is influence over people. You can’t name the room, but you can name the people who have influence. They do so wherever they are. The room, the table or the meeting don’t mean much without the power brokers. Too many people join the meeting who have no influence and they will leave
- Compromise: Absolute power is a dream. Most people have stakeholders, relationships and constraints to manage. This all powerful conversation can end up looking a lot like compromise, or worse carefully managed theatre, as the real influencers act elsewhere.
- Inanity: Get far enough away from what’s going on and the discussion inevitably turns into a fact-free debate over policies, abstractions and metaphors. Rarely the cutting-edge decision making that people desire.
Real power happens when people influence others, preferably close to the work in action. Make change there with those doing the work. If you are stopped and obstructed, you will find the real sources of power. You can then work with or against them.
Stop looking for distant rooms and secret tables. Don’t worry if you don’t have a seat at the table. Far too many people there would rather be out where the real power resides, making the day-to-day decisions in the work.
Overturn the idea of the magical table. You will get more done and have far much more power.
