Ever Ride With A Mountain Biker That Intimidated You?

I'm talking about the power of performance, well, I guess more appropriately; the power of someone who can perform better than you! Well, guess what? That's a good thing; no a great thing!

Remember when you were a youngster. It was always seemed to be true that the class bully, was also the best at kickball, or the best athlete. Of course, a year later, you're killin' the bully in the 50-yard dash, because you grew up some. However, move another 15 years on the age dial and you're back to being intimidated by someone who is better at you; but at something else.

So that thinking is, well, WRONG! I just read one of the coolest posts by Guy Kawasaki. He's like a VC-Apple-Twitter-blogging GOD! This latest post is all about "power" and, more importanty, how PEOPLE POWER works. A few words from his site might make you re-think how power impacts you:

1. "Power equals cash, votes, and muscle." Not true. In psychological terms, power is the ability to "power is defined as one's capacity to alter another person's condition or state of mind by providing or withholding resources—such as food, money, knowledge, and affection—or administering punishments, such as physical harm, job termination, or social ostracism." Thus, a child can exert power over her parents—as every parent knows. This means that you don't need to coerce or dominate to exert power.

2. "Machiavellians win in the game of power.""P Not true. "...one's ability to get or maintain power, even in small group situations, depends on one's ability to understand and advance the goals of other group members. When it comes to power, social intelligence—reconciling conflicts, negotiating, smoothing over group tensions—prevails over social Darwinism."

   "Power is strategically acquired, not given." Not true. The truth is that people without power can band together and "constain the actions of those in power." According to Keltner's research: "We've found that Machiavellians quickly acquire reputations as individuals who act in ways that are inimical to the interests of others, and these reputations act like a glass ceiling, preventing their rise in power."

The next time someone who is better than you asks for a ride, go for it! According to Guy's post, they just might be trying to help power YOU!