Promoting Occupational Therapy and Yourself Through Personal Power

Brent Braveman, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTADirector of Rehabilitation ServicesMD Anderson Cancer CenterHouston, Texas

American Occupational Therapy AssociationAnnual ConferenceApril 27, 2012

"We envision that occupational therapy is a

powerful, widely recognized, science-driven, and evidence-based profession with a globally connected and diverse workforce meeting society's occupational needs."

AOTA Centennial Vision Statement

What is Power and why are some

people afraid of it?

Power and the Centennial Vision

Once upon a time at a leadership retreat…….

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY’S RELATIONSHIP WITH POWER

• Historically, occupational therapy practitioners have not been comfortable with being powerful

• Why the unease?– Opposite of caring– Masculine attribute– Associated with domination

F. Clark, 2011

Five Traditional Types of Power

• Reward-is power that a person has because he or she has control of the resources. The target person complies in order to obtain rewards he or she believes are controlled by the agent.

• Coercive-is power is power that a person has because he or she has control of the punishments or demotions.

• Legitimate- is power based on the position or title that one person may have.

• Expert- is power based on some knowledge that a person may have that others may not.

• Referent- is power based solely on attractive characteristics that a person may have.

Powerful

• Leadership role in healthcare delivery system

• Education as basis for power

• Active in policy-making

• Use of technology to provide

services

• Influence change to benefit society

• Proliferation of private-pay practices F. Clark, 2011

Power and Gender

• Male stereotype/gender role emphasizes agentic power or the ability to act and assert power independently of a social or bureaucratic structure

• Males taught to assume leadership roles, exert dominance

• Female stereotype/gender role emphasizes communal power

• Females taught to place needs of others over their own, exert collaboration

Ethel Cantuhttp://blue.utb.edu/ecantu/psyc%204312/notes/notespower.htm

The Power of Woman

The Power of Woman

• There were 11 people - ten men and one woman - hanging onto a rope that came down from a helicopter.

• They all decided that one person should get off, because if they didn't, the rope would break and everyone would die.

• No one could decide who should go, so finally, the woman gave a really touching speech saying how she would give up her life to save the others, because women were used to giving up things for their husbands and children, giving in to men, and not receiving anything in return.

The Power of Woman

When she finished speaking, all the men

started clapping!

GETTING COMFORTABLE WITH THE IDEA OF BEING POWERFUL

1) Power is neither good nor bad2) “How an individual uses or misuses

power ultimately colors the perception of power in the view of others” (Ulrich, 1987)

F. Clark, 2011

Are you a good witch or a bad witch?

• Personal power is based on strength, confidence, and competence that individuals gradually acquire in the course of their development.

• Personal power is more an attitude or state of mind than an attempt to maneuver or control others. It is based on competence, vision, positive personal qualities, and service.

• When externalized it is likely to be more generous, creative and humane than other forms of power.

Building Personal Power

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-human-experience/200904/personal-power

Robert Firestone, PhD

• Be thoughtful about developing a presence and identity in the profession and in your organization (manage your image)

• Network in a meaningful way– Develop and maintain a professional network– Look for opportunities for adding key contacts– Benefits can go in two directions

Building Personal Power

• Be a good colleague• Help others to the top (be a connector)• Be a giver of resources (especially unexpected

resources)• Identify and try to resolve new and upcoming issues• Show strong commitment• Be active in external efforts like nonprofit boards

Rosabeth Kanter, 2011http://blogs.hbr.org/kanter/2010/10/six-extras-that-build-power-an.html

Building Personal Power

• Personal power rests on credibility• You must allow yourself to be challenged• Value affiliation versus people affiliation

– Commitment to the right thing– Don’t overlook personal appeal

Building Personal Power

1. Search out hidden levers; power often lies in the details.

2. Accumulate Rolodex power.3. Build credibility from the outside in.4. Write the agenda (for meetings).5. Join Toastmasters6. Maintain one good friend who revels in telling

you that you're full of hooey.

Building Personal Power (Tom Peters, 1997)

7. Move slightly prematurely and fast.8. Don't forget the little people; they can torpedo

you.9. Remind people (gently) of how much you've

done for them.10. Hand out recognition.11. Don’t forget thank you notes.12. Remember that goals are (mostly) stupid.

Seize the day.

Building Personal Power (Tom Peters, 1997)

Building Expert Power

• Gain expertise• Promote an image of expertise• Maintain credibility• Act confidently and decisively in crisis• Keep informed• Recognize subordinate concerns• Avoid threatening the self-esteem of

subordinates

• Personal and expert power are not zero sum games, you do not lose power when others gain it and vice versa

• Becoming a powerful profession rests upon the actions of occupational therapists as a group and relies upon the support of membership (e.g. AOTA and AOTPAC)

• Creating and leveraging personal and expert power benefits not only the profession but you personally– It is a win, win, win, for the profession, your

organization and your career.

Take Home Messages

Q and A