1.
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SESSION 7
LEADERSHIP DILEMMAS
How to build power from peripheral positions?
"Power is the basic energy needed to initiate
and sustain action or, to put it another way,
the capacity to translate intention into reality
and sustain it” John Gardner
Ana Garcia – GXMBA Nov13

2.
Strategies to
build power base
• Power is considered a positive force continually used to achieve
organizational, group and individual goals.
• Some of the strategies to build power base within any organization 1 are
described in the following chart:
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2
1
Gain
Expert
power
2
Seek out
mentors and
positive role
models
3
Form coalitions
with other
groups
4
Work
Hard and be
a team
player
5 Seek council
appropriately
6
Be self
aware 7
Focus on
leadership

3.
Individual
& organizational factors
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Organizational
Factors
Personal
factors
If the power is built from peripheral positions, the
organizational factors have weaker influence and
therefore the personal factors need to be stronger.
Organizational
Factors
Personal
factors
Factor Description
CENTRALITY Relationship between positions in a
communication network
CRITICALITY Relationship between tasks performed in a
work flow process
FLEXIBILITY Amount of discretion vested in a position
VISIBILITY Degree to which task performance is seen
by influential in the organization
RELEVANCE Relationship between a task a
organizational priorities
Factors increasing position power are (1)

4.
Building power
from peripheral positions
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In the both HBS cases, Obama’s and Thatcher’s, power
is built from peripheral positions, although both
leaders had different leadership styles and convictions.
There were common strong personal factors:
1. Hard work, energy and endurance
2. Interpersonal competence (Obama’s Charisma,
Thatcher’s “Charm”, empathy, communication
skills and eloquence)
3. Increased number of lateral and upwards
interactions (with mentors, advisors, voters,
collectives...)
4. Flexibility and adaptability to the different
environments and positions.
5. Fast response to any opportunity given in order
develop relevance in the organization.Graph source 1

5.
Building power base
from core
Building power base
from peripheral
Barack Obama and
Hillary Clinton
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Former First
lady
US
Senate
Super -
delegates
Delegates
- Gained expert power i.e. previous
experiences in Senate and work on
“South side Chicago”
- Seek out positive mentors as John
Kerry
- Gained lateral and upwards influence.
- Seek council appropriately: Axelrod
- Formed coalition: glass rooted
youngsters network
-CHARISMA
Illinois
State
Senate
US house
of
represen
tatives
Super
volunteers
CBC
Obama: The voice of the
folk, “the change” and the
community politics

6.
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Margaret Thatcher
Building power base
from core
Building power base
from peripheral
-Gained expert power in the different
positions (energy, treasury, education)
- Gained lateral and upwards influence.
- Worked hard and was a team player
(her dedication to duty and career-
mindset was outlined many times in the
case)
- Seek out positive mentor and trusted
them i.e. Macleu and Neaves
Oxford
Graduates
Conserv.
Assoc.
Danfort
Conserva
tives
Finchley
MP
Party
Wor
kers
House
of lords
House
of commons
Back
bench
Front
bench
Prime
Minister
Thatcher: the core
conservatism principles &
the austerity

7.
Conclusions
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Among Obama and Thatcher there are enduring differences in values, beliefs, perception of
reality, and of the US, UK society needs. This is also the reality now days in the organizations
and the focus on leadership shall be over these differences.
The road to power is open to those who wish to travel it. However, there are skills and
attributes that distinguish the strategic leaders able to use the power effectively.
There are different roads to power, and each one should take the easiest accessible
according to his own circumstances. Obama and Thatcher came from middle-class and
working class families, this is the reason why they had to “build power from the peripheral
positions” while Hillary Clinton as former first lady started from the core.
It can be a more difficult and complex process in advance. However, these both cases have
proved to evidence that it is feasible when the leaders have interpersonal competences,
work hard, seek the appropriate councils and focus on leadership.

8.
Sources
[1] http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/au-24/michelson.pdf
[2] HBS cases
[3] http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/ndu/strat-ldr-dm/pt4ch17.html
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