36: Leti McNeill Light | How to Influence and Empower Teams

In this episode, I am joined by my colleague and friend, Leti McNeill Light, to have a conversation around group dynamics, power and leadership.

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The Six Dimensions of Power

“If you want to change the world, power is necessary” Share on X

Whether you call it influence, confidence, or even freedom, power is relevant for your own personal and professional development, as it is for your team’s success, too. In order to change the world, you certainly will need it. In this episode, I am joined by my colleague and friend, Leti McNeill Light, to have a conversation around group dynamics, power and leadership. What does power even mean? And, how can we create opportunities for others, especially women, to gain access to roles of power?

Power and teamwork go hand in hand! Power shows up in many different ways, and each individual has her own unique way to manifest her own power. That is why it is so crucial for leaders to reflect on their own influence, and to then empower their teams as they walk towards common goals. It’s not about the money, fame or recognition… it is about influence towards change (for better or worse!)

Leti McNeill Light is the Executive Director for Principal Gifts & Strategic Initiatives at the University of California, Berkeley, and a remarkable philanthropy evangelist. A natural leader, Leti shares her expertise around group dynamics, sheds light to the six different bases of power, and highlights the importance of treasuring true collaborations. Power is a currency, so let’s use it as such.

Leti illuminates the Six Bases of Power as cited in the 1959 French and Raven research:

Legitimate – This comes from the belief that a person has the formal right to make demands, and to expect others to be compliant and obedient.
Reward – This results from one person’s ability to compensate another for compliance.
Expert – This is based on a person’s high levels of skill and knowledge.
Referent – This is the result of a person’s perceived attractiveness, worthiness and right to others’ respect.
Coercive – This comes from the belief that a person can punish others for noncompliance.
Informational – This results from a person’s ability to control the information that others need to accomplish something.

By understanding these different forms of power, you can learn to use the positive ones to full effect, while avoiding the negative power bases.

Key Takeaways:

(03:50) – On Leti’s first encounter with philanthropy and how it fuels collaboration.
(11:28) – The benefit of community: How a common goal brings diverse individuals together to do good.
(15:40) – 100% Battery Powered: The creation of a group in favor of women who aim towards power, leadership and influential roles.
(16:58) – The Six Dimensions of Power: On the diverse sources of power and how it manifests in people.
(24:14) – Leti’s high impact questions to guide others towards conscious empowerment.
(31:17) – How practicing gratitude can expand our emotional generosity and enrich our relationships.