Becoming powerful at work

Power is recognized as a fundamental force in social rela-tionships, especially in work settings. Yet, we find that people are not always aware of its presence or how it can be accessed in their jobs. And, if they are aware, many sources of power (including having control over resources, such as rewards and information) may be viewed as difficult to achieve given one’s lower ranking position in an orga-nization’s formal hierarchy. However, to rewrite such narratives around powerlessness and help managers and employees access proximal sources of power in their work-places, we provide a brief review of what is known about power in organizational research; and discuss practical strategies and implications illustrating how power can be accessible to anyone in their professional contexts.