Find that job: Lesson 80. The power of the powerless
Some people think that they can't pursue ambitious projects because they haven't got the power. But you do have the power even when you think you're powerless. In fact, according to some modern management experts, being (officially) powerless, gives you the power. Here's how:
First of all, everybody has the power. Some people are just scared to use it. Can you imagine Amundsen saying, 'Reaching the South Pole would be great, but I haven't got the power!?' Or Mandela saying, 'Apartheid stinks, but sorry,
I haven't got the power!?' Or any of the early explores like Magellan or contemporary adventurers like Jason Lewis, who's circling the globe on muscle power, saying 'I haven't got the power!?'
But you think you are powerless. Good. Good? Why? Because as an officially powerless 'junior' you are virtually free to dig into any assignment. You are free to experiment. Say you have a WOW Idea. A WOW idea is something weird and original that runs directly counter to 'the way we do things around here'. It may be seen as an attack on the holy authority of the bosses. So when you have a WOW idea, don't try to sell it 'up the chain of command'. What is the chain of command anyway? It's a bunch of people who have been promoted to guard the status quo; they are the conservative Guardians of Yesterday.
So, if you have a WOW idea, don't tell the boss. According to modern business thinkers, you should find a Freaky Friend instead.
a SłOWNICZEK
power - władza, potęga, siła, moc, wpływ
powerless - bezsilny
to pursue - dążyć/zmierzać do czegoś, zajmować się, rozwijać
to reach - docierać, dostać (się)
the South Pole - biegun południowy
to stink - (dosłownie) śmierdzieć, cuchnąć, (potocznie) być do kitu, nie do zaakceptowania
explorer - badacz, eksplorator
adventurer - poszukiwacz przygód
to circle the globe - okrążać ziemię
muscle power - siła mięśni
to dig into - zająć się czymś dogłębnie, 'wgryźć się w coś'
assignment - zadanie
wow - (potocznie) sukces, również: wow! - okrzyk zachwytu
WOW idea - świetny/ wspaniały/oryginalny/genialny pomysł
weird - dziwny, dziwaczny, przedziwny, inny, nietypowy, niestereotypowy, nieszablonowy, kuriozalny, osobliwy, ekscentryczny
to run counter to - stać w sprzeczności z (czymś/kimś)
holy authority - święty autorytet
chain of command - hierarchia służbowa
bunch - tu: grupka
to be promoted - dostać awans
to guard - strzec, pilnować
guardian - strażnik, opiekun
freaky - osobliwy, inny, nietypowy, niekonwencjonalny, ekscentryczny
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