34. Great Power
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Bottom. [6] A man in a lowly position may have great personal power and ability, but if he
tries to exercise it, he meets with misfortune. Ability is not the only factor to consider. In
order to be effective, a man must be in a position to use his abilities in a proper and suitable
manner. If he tries to act with force and authority that is not natural to his station in life, he
will be seen as a self-promoter and a pretender, and he will be rejected with scorn.
2. [6] When a man begins to rise in the estimation of his fellow men, when he begins to
move into a position of respect, when his abilities are recognized and a position of power is
opening to him, he becomes capable of moving ahead into positions of trust and responsibility.
But it is at just such a time that he must be especially careful. If he does not rise to the
occasion, he is thought lacking in ability. If he forces himself forward too vigorously, he is
considered pushy and over-confident. He is destined for good fortune, but only if he moderates
his behavior and carefully -- and quietly! -- takes command, while avoiding being too
aggressive in his dealings with others.
3. [9] When he is elevated to a position of power, the inferior man brandishes his power and
revels in making a display before everyone of his authority. But this causes him to become
entangled in all kinds of reactions and resentments with his associates. He is not respected
for this, but is looked upon as a faker who is trying to impress those around him with his
new position and authority. The superior man, on the other hand, retains his equanimity
and avoids phony displays of power. He realizes that he will be respected for the way he
exercises his powers when necessity calls them forth, or when some crisis demands his action,
not when he arbitrarily makes a display of his authority. He avoids the empty appearance
of power and authority and thus gains the respect of his peers.
4. [9] When a man first ascends to a position of power, he meets with some small amounts
of resistance and perhaps even resentment. He comes in as an unknown quantity, and his
subordinates are not sure that he can be relied upon to fully exercise the authority of his
new position. But if he moves ahead as necessity demands, dealing directly with problems
and with whatever challenges to his authority as they arise without shrinking from them
for a moment, in time he will be successful. Obstructions will fade away, and any thought
that he may have been too forceful in dealing with them will evaporate. He need not rant
and rave or explode into rages. Such open displays create problems of their own as associsistent
attention to each problem as it arises. Eventually, his persistence will pay off, and his
quiet but determined style will be respected.
5. [9] If a man once felt that emotional displays were necessary in order for his authority to
be respected, he should realize that such excesses actually do no good. It may appear that
this behavior got results, but the truth is, the man can drop such demonstrations and everyone,
including himself, will be the happier for it. Outward emotional displays actually indicate
a weakness within because the man fears being taken advantage of if he does not continually
come on with a belligerent, aggressive attitude. This is just not so. The man should
relax. If he will approach problems on a one-on-one basis and never fear coming to grips
with exactly what is wrong, never backing off for fear of putting someone on the spot, life
will be easier for him and all associated with him, and everything will be done more efficiently
than before.
Top. [9] If a man forges ahead relentlessly, he eventually arrives at a point where he encounters
nothing but difficulties. He cannot go forward, and it is not feasible to go backward.
He has pushed so hard, and the situation has becomes so complex as a result of it,
there is nothing that he or anyone else can do. No matter what he tries, things only get
worse, and the man is at his wit's end. The solution? Stop! Step aside, look at the situation,
and take a moratorium. Let the matter rest, and in time it will sort itself out. It is not so that
every problem must be met with some form of active move. Sometimes the wisest thing to
do is to do nothing
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