For a professional to succeed in a 'dog-eat-dog' competitive market, he needs to be a master of positioning his 'Presence'.
Effectively it means that a person should be able to align and manage the balance between the two types of Power that simultaneously work on him
- 'Personal Power' and
- 'Social Power'
Rightly points Howard Thurman that ..." there is something in every one of you that waits and listens for the sound of the genuine in yourself. It is the only true guide you will ever have. And if you cannot hear it, you will all your life spend your days on the ends of strings that somebody else pulls."
Personal Power determines your self decision over issues that directly impact you. Self dominance which prompts us to act the way we like....I buy the blue Mercedes because I think it enhances my style quotient. So what if others have been advising me that the black BMW goes better with my social standing and profile. We enjoy freedom from dominance by others. It is an outcome of ones confidence to act based on one's own self-belief, attitudes & values.
Social Power is about your ability and strong internal desire to exert dominance over others and control their behaviours or at least seriously influence their choices and decisions. How can Sam buy that blue Mercedes . He is so tall and well built. He should buy that Wrangler Jeep and not that serious looking Mercedes ! It requires some kind of control over others.
Unless we feel personally powerful, we cannot mark our 'Presence' amidst others. Once your 'Presence' is acknowledged, it stands out and is marked and acknowledged by others. Your social reference will thus enhance. As a consequence, your ability to influence the choice of others will go up.You top your University and others including strangers will seek your advise on what to study further. If you are a college drop out and I doubt even your studious attempts to seriously influence educational choices of children in your own family will have serious takers !
This relationship is not static. The dynamic dance between 'PP' and 'SP' is choreographed by many dynamic moves. Unfortunately, it is not always graceful. A blow to your Social Power may adversely impact your Personal Power. Personal Power is precarious and fragile by nature. You may have been a rather successful cricketer but if you got out for a duck in the last 7 matches you went out to bat, your social reference and even your own Personal Power would be impaired. Your confidence would be impacted.. till ofcourse you successfully fight back to glory. Sometimes the others (read friends and fan-followers) rudely remind you of the shifting dynamics when your social power is diminishing and despite you continue to behave as if nothing has happened. Read the autobiographies of some fading Star Celebrities and you will realise this.
The feeling of being Powerful or Powerless has a huge impact and consequences in our lives. The way we behave, the aura we reflect, the energy we throw, the gait in our walk, the shine in our smile, the zest in our life....all gets impacted by the way we feel within and the way we believe we are being perceived by others. This is what ultimately reflects in the inner mirror of your personality and thence emerges in the form of your Presence.
If you feel confidence within and a feeling of serious resilience backing you even when you may have earlier failed...you will be able to mark your Presence as a fighter.
Your inner confidence to win marks your Presence. And this is critical for your success.