A634.3.5.RB - The Harder They Fall

Power seems to be the culprit of many of life’s dilemmas. In politics, countries build up a military force that is often used as a scare tactic against others, although that may not be the main reason for it. In the workplace, individuals tend to abuse power when they get to a position where they are able to have control over the behaviors of others. In personal life, there are many struggles between parents and children, brothers and sisters, teachers and students, law enforcement and ordinary citizens, most all revolving around power struggles.

Power struggles at work seem to be commonplace in today’s age. People are becoming more and more educated, technology is allowing workers to become more and more capable and less dependent on one another, and everyone seems to know the right way to do something, whether it be changing a water jug or developing the next best video game. I think as the workplace evolves into something that is extremely diverse, competent, and inpatient in almost every industry, there will be power struggles. Power struggles are one of the biggest sources of conflict in the workplace today, and it all stems at having control is some capacity (Matusun, 2012).

An area that we tend to overlook is power struggles and conflict at home. Why is it that something like the need for control and power can spread so far in the lives of almost every human being? One of the reasons may stem from the need for power as described by David McClelland. His need for power theory states that we like to have control over others, enjoy winning arguments, enjoy competition, and appreciate recognition (McClellands, n.d.). In a world where so many people have this need, it’s easy to identify the conflicts in all areas of life. This need is certainly amplified as activities like school sports, competitions, and debates are becoming commonplace.

References:

Matusun, R. (2012). Conflict in the workplace: can’t we just put everyone in timeout? Fast Company. Retrieved from http://www.fastcompany.com/1810877/conflict-workplace-cant-we-just-put-everyone-time-out

McClellands Human Motivation Theory (n.d.). Mind Tools. Retrieved from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/human-motivation-theory.htm