Summary Of James Hunter's Definition Of Power

In Chapter 2, I found James Hunter’s definition of power very enlightening. At any time when I thought of employees in executive positions, I thought that they were in a position of power. However, Hunter defines power as the ability to force others to do your will. As I recall the executive team and the way they implement changes in the organization, by no means were they forcing us. I just knew that I had a job to do and I respected the changes that were forthcoming. Although Hunter mentions that power does work, it damages relationships. Using power to get people to do what you want, will work for some time but the end result is a very unhealthy relationship. This will yield bad symptoms as Hunter calls it. The symptoms in an organization
I always had the thought that companies exist because they have a profit. Hunter addresses this common thought by discussing that profit is a component to a healthy organization. Companies exist because it meets a human need. I found this perspective extremely intriguing because I never really thought of it that way. I always thought that the primary indicator that an organization is doing well it is due to profits. But after reading the text, I learned that healthy organization exist due to healthy relationships. Relationships in an organization can be developed by being a servant leader. James Hunter contrasts power with authority and discusses that authority is a skill that can be learned. Hunter described authority and influence as it relates to his mother. As he described his mother’s authority and influence, all I could think about were my parents. Growing up I never questioned my parents’ perspective, I willingly did as they said. They are huge influence on my decisions without having to say anything to me. This skill of getting others to willingly do your will because of your personal influence is what Hunter calls