Power Dynamics in the Workplace

Behind any consideration of anti-racist principles and establishing equity in society or in a workplace is a discussion about power: who has it, who doesn't, who uses it, and how. An anti-racist statement will not in itself purge inequitable relationships and abusive power dynamics from an organization.

Richard D. Bartlett, who works with The Hum to create more collaborative and human-centered ways of working in all kinds of organizations, has written extensively about the use and abuse of power dynamics in groups and in the workplace.

In his essay "Hierarchy is Not the Problem" Bartlett points out that term "power dynamics" is not synonymous with structural models and hierarchies. As anyone knows, a supposedly non-hierarchical group, like a coop or a focus group, or an employee-run businesses, is no guarantee of an equitable, healthy workplace.

Bartlett gives three kinds of power relationships which provide "useful lenses for analyzing the power dynamics of an organization.":

power-from-within or empowerment — the creative force you feel when you’re making art, or speaking up for something you believe in.
power-with or social power — influence, status, rank, or reputation that determines how much you are listened to in a group.
power-over or coercion — power used by one person to control another.

And he suggests three goals for any organization seeking to create a workplace with healthy, non-toxic power dynamics:

Maximize power-from-within: so that everyone feels empowered.
Make power-with transparent: be honest and clear about all your social influences.
Minimize power-over: Be sensitive to potential coercion and find another way. Use a collective mandate in creating guidelines.

He also offers some practical steps to achieve these goals including everything encouraging your peers and employees to practicing consent-based decision-making.

Suggested reading:

The Empowerment Manual by Starhawk
How to Talk About Power at Work by The Hum