Power intoxicates; Absolute Power intoxicates absolutely. When you are holding a position that wields some power, it becomes necessary to gauge its impact on yourself and others too. This power could be as a result of money ( in most cases ), industry knowledge, expertise in niche segment, networking or contacts, age or work experience and wisdom etc. There are many factors leading to Power earned, gained or thrust upon you !

As a recruitment consultant, I feel I have certain power thrust on me and it is my responsibility to use it judiciously: in the right frame of perception and in light of cause and effect principle. I try to be a subject of the current situation without attaching too much self-importance; exercising due patience so that the situation unfolds by itself. Of course, this does not mean I do not attempt to bring forth ‘change’ to suit the results I wish to achieve. I believe being pro-active or to anticipate is the required ability of every consultant in recruiting. But, being inactive does not necessarily mean being lazy. At times, patience compels you to not act immediately. This is where one has to use his or her power judiciously. Of course, I cannot collide with my client to expedite the recruitment process. It is not done like that ! Period ! But, I can express my concern in the right perspective on delay being witnessed in recruiting, to say that I am not available all the time. “Hey ! There is delay and opportunity or the candidate is slipping if we do not act in time”

Employers, at times, do not realize that even they should use their power judiciously. They chose to be ‘tough’ or very un-yielding in the interview not realizing it could be self-defeating. In the process, the cordial atmosphere turns into a conflict situation. I feel, if there is true sense of what each party is worth and what each party wishes to gain from the situation – there will be judicious use of power ! Many recruitment consultants are too servile and in the process, thereby lose their creativity or problem solving skills. They do not think at all ! In order to achieve the ‘difficult’, it requires active participation at both ends: the client and the consultant. While some consultants feel, ‘hey look, I did not make this much money (CTC) at his age, so…I am not going help this job applicant make it too !’ This is abuse of power and this is what one should avoid totally. Like an accomplished Surgeon on the Operation table, one should perform with ultimate precision using his power judiciously and not allow emotions to cloud his decision-making! This should apply to every situation/ step – whether it is screening, shortlisting, or while discussing compensation package or deliverable/ sales targets with the applicant shortlisted and/ or selected.

Judicious use of power will necessarily lead to happy situations and such an approach works well every time. As rational beings, we need to be reasonable, right?