File this under simple, but underappreciated: power and influence are not synonyms. They describe seperate, though sometimes closely related, phenomena. Distinguishing between each requires self-awareness. Successful people like Bing Gordon of Electronic Arts fame, who recently discussed the issue here, tend to be keenly aware of how much of each characteristic they have, and how best to conserve or deploy it. Being successful in cleantech is no exception.
Let’s define the terms first. Power is the ability to command someone to do something. At its best power can enable or provide the legitimacy for people to achieve great things. At its worst, power can be destructive and coercive (think of dictators or autocrats or, better yet, Office Space). In a corporate setting, a classic appeal to power is when a manager “pulls rank” or mandates that an employee do something simply because “I am the boss.” Of course pulling rank is also a sign that the employee has little respect for, or is not influenced by, the manager.
Influence, on the other hand, is the ability to affect others, regardless of whether that ability is derived from formal authority or not. Not surprisingly, the most influential often lack formal title or power. Sometimes they are not even listed on an organizational chart. Examples …
