Politic and Power in Education

Though misunderstood and misrepresented by the media and its opponents, the 1960s Black Power movement touched every aspect of American culture, and like the “New Negro” Movement of the 1920s, African Americans came of age, becoming self-determining and racially conscious. Black people- sharecroppers, unionists, welfare and tenants rights organizers, students, intellectuals, poets, musicians and singers and politicians-grounded in the ideology of Black Power, began to organize around controlling their own lives and institutions. The movement pointedly questioned the capacity of America’s democracy to extend justice, citizenship and equality of opportunity to African Americans, castigating America for its failure to live up to the principles of democracy.

Unfortunately, the confrontational style and practice the Black Power Movement has obscured its pivotal role in transforming American democracy. Yet, its cultural and political mode of thought and practice- its assertive posture, strong rhetoric and uncompromising critique-permanently altered the political landscape of America as well as the identity of African Americans. At a time when blacks were still referring to themselves as “Negroes”, ashamed of being black, of their hair, and their African heritage, the movement for power by black people in 1966 roared on the national stage transforming the consciousness of African Americans. Thus, coined and popularized by Kwame Toure, Black Power captured the spirit and imagination of black people, setting a new national agenda with international ramifications.

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It’s more difficult to speak on the topic of power than it is to speak on money. We all believe in universal presence of power and its strength in determining all situations. While establishing any organization powers are assigned on relatively different perspectives. Mangers need a power to achieve his goals by using available resources. The process of influencing the behaviors of employees on the basis of managers’ wishes shows their dependency on authority. Formal power is based on information and rules which all employees has to follow. Reward power is based on achievements and it is distributed mainly with values.

Power is primarily received from the positions of individuals in formal hierarchy of organizations. Such legitimate power is applied to control and to rightly use the resources of organizations. Similarly referral power is attained by individuals on the basis of desirable resources or personal traits. Individual’s interpersonal style and personality execute charismatic power. Mangers use power tactics as a reaction to undesirable actions and to influence subordinates and supervisors. Tactics used by managers to influence supervisors comprised of reasoning, coalitions, friendliness, bargaining, assertiveness and high authority tactics. Similarly in order to influence subordinates, managers demonstrate tactics to bring out reasoning firstly than assertiveness, friendliness, coalition, bargaining, and high authority tactics. Sanctions are applied at the last stage of this process. Power in the group of professionals can be formally bound together and actively involved to get a common goal. Because of mismanagement and unequal powers in the workplace, illegitimate behaviors can be practiced like sexual harassment.

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An acquaintance of mine coined the title phrase of this article in a discussion we were having regarding creating success in wholesale distribution. At the time, I perceived that to be “consultantese,” another cliché to be used in the speaking arena. However, since that original perception, I have come to realize a deeper meaning in those words.

“It’s time to stop thinking about power and politics
and start applying principle and process.”

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