Turning Quiet Power Into Meaningful Impact
You Are in a Position of Power (Yes, You) – Part 2
In Part 1 of our two part series on discovering and maximizing one’s own power, we explored how power often shows up quietly—influence that may not come with a title, but still shapes conversations, decisions, and outcomes. We offered a 10-question Power Position Self-Check and looked at why it’s so easy to overlook our own influence—especially when it feels “normal.”
Now, in Part 2, we shift from awareness to action.
If you’ve recognized that you hold power in certain rooms, the next step is to use it intentionally—not to dominate, but to make room for stronger decisions, more effective collaboration, and better outcomes.
This isn’t about being selfless or noble. It’s about being strategic. When you use your power to elevate the quality of thinking around you, everyone benefits—including you.
💡 Why Using Your Power Effectively Matters
Let’s talk plainly: bringing together a variety of voices—different roles, skills, levels of experience, or areas of expertise—is an expensive and time-consuming process. And yet, far too often, only one or two voices in the room are truly heard.
The sales lead dominates a cross-functional team while risk management struggles to be heard. The senior exec sets the tone while junior analysts—those closest to the details—stay silent. The person with the strongest personality speaks first and most often.
When this happens, we’re not just limiting inclusion—we’re wasting resources. If you’ve invested time and budget to get the right people in the room, but only a select few are influencing outcomes, your ROI drops dramatically.
Using your power well means helping surface the full value of the people already at the table. It improves results, morale, and team engagement—without needing to expand the team or hold another meeting.
👀 Once You Know Your Power, Look Around the Room
Even with the best intentions, it’s easy to dominate without meaning to—especially when others are used to deferring to your voice.
In Part 1, we shared a 10-question Power Position Self-Check to help you spot where you may already hold influence—whether or not you have a formal title. If you haven’t taken it yet, it’s worth revisiting. You may discover that others look to you for guidance, wait for your opinion, or follow your lead more often than you realize.
But once you’ve recognized your power, there’s a second, equally important step:
Notice how the power is distributed in the room around you.
Ask yourself:
Formal vs. Informal Power ⚖️
Are there people with formal authority (like titles or roles) whose input is rarely acted upon?
Is there someone whose technical knowledge or experience should carry weight, but doesn’t seem to shape the final decision?
Communication and Influence 📣
Is someone offering important information, but struggling to be heard or integrated into team thinking?
Does one person tend to summarize or steer the conversation, leaving others’ ideas unexplored?
Psychological Perception 💭
Are there people you personally find intimidating—and do you know why?
Do you hesitate to challenge someone because you assume your own input carries less weight?
Social Belonging and Visibility 👁️
Are there unspoken “in-groups” that hold more influence than others, regardless of role or insight?
Are there team members who consistently stay on the margins, even when they have something to contribute?
Remember, power profiles vary. Some voices carry authority. Others bring credibility, tenure, or technical depth. Some are still finding their footing. And some are left out—not by design, but by default.
When your voice carries weight—when people defer, agree, or follow your lead—it’s easy to take up more space than you mean to.
This isn’t about guilt—it’s about awareness. When you understand the influence you hold, you can use it to widen the conversation—not narrow it.
⚙️ Practical Ways to Use Your Power to Make Space
Here are tangible, repeatable ways to use your power to create a more dynamic, high-functioning team:
Use clear, accessible language. Skip the jargon and acronyms unless you’re sure everyone’s on the same page. A shared language levels the playing field.
Share the high-profile assignments. Notice who’s doing the “housework” of the team—note-taking, presentation-building, logistics—and who’s getting the credit-facing roles.
Pass the mic. If someone has been cut off or overlooked, redirect attention: “I’d like to go back to what Jordan was saying.” That small move changes team culture over time.
Be aware of side conversations. Social references, industry shorthand, or after-hours connections can unintentionally exclude others. Be mindful of how you frame ideas—and who you assume is in the know.
Name contributions publicly. If someone’s idea sparked a solution, say so. Crediting others is one of the simplest and most effective uses of informal power.
🧭 Creating Space Means Letting Go of Being “Right”
This is where it gets hard.
Sometimes the new perspective challenges what you’ve built. Sometimes it just feels…wrong. Not because it is—but because it’s not yours.
Letting go of being “right” doesn’t mean staying silent—it means staying curious. It means making space for something unfamiliar long enough to test its potential. It means not assuming that your instinct or your experience always outweighs someone else’s insight.
Here’s how to stay grounded when challenge feels personal:
Notice the reflex. When your first instinct is to push back, correct, or dismiss, ask: Am I protecting quality—or familiarity?
Frame the moment. Instead of seeing challenge as opposition, try: “This is a new lens. It may not land right away, but it’s worth staying curious.”
Model your discomfort. Say things like: “This is pushing my thinking, and that’s a good thing. Let’s sit with it before we decide.”
Coach the room. If resistance is rising, remind the group: “Not every idea needs to feel complete to be valuable. Let’s give it a minute to unfold.”
Leadership isn’t about always having the best idea. It’s about making sure the best idea has a chance to be heard.
This practice—of noticing your influence, adjusting your behavior, and helping others step into their own power—is sometimes referred to as allyship. While the term often appears in academic or identity-based contexts, at its core, allyship is simply the act of using your position to open space, share power, and elevate the effectiveness of the team as a whole. It’s not a special category of leadership—it is leadership.
🎯 Conclusion: Power Isn’t a Badge—It’s a Tool
Recognizing your power is just the beginning. What matters next is how you use it. Whether you hold influence through trust, experience, title, or presence, you have the opportunity to make that power constructive—not performative or protective.
That doesn’t mean stepping back or staying silent. It means using your voice to open space, share credit, and set a tone where others feel confident to step into their own power.
Because here’s the truth: great teams aren’t built by one strong voice—they’re built by leaders who know when to speak, when to listen, and when to amplify others.
🧠 Where do you hold power? And how will you use it this week to help others rise?