Power Tool #3: Use What You’ve Got

In No Excuses, I share this dream I had one night. I was in my out of control speeding car, and I couldn’t stop it. I slowly realized the keys to the car were in my hand, and they had been all along.

You don’t have to sit in the shrink’s office to figure out the metaphor in that dream! Have you ever had a similar experience?

To be able to use power, the first thing you’ve got to do is realize that you have it. I’ve found in personal life and in meeting challenges at work that what you need is usually there if you can only see it and have the courage to use it.

Here are just a few examples women shared with me about how to use what you’ve got:

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Share Your Power Tools Here!

Dear Powered Woman,

I am writing a book entitled No Excuses that explores women’s relationship with power and why this is the moment to use our “power-to” for good in life and leadership.

I have one chapter in that gives nine specific Power Tools women can use to make changes they want in their workplace, in politics or civic life, or in a personal relationship, with concrete examples of what has worked, or what you tried and it didn’t work but you learned from it.

The Power Tools are:

Know Your History (and you can shape your future)
Define the terms—first
Use what you’ve got
Carpe the chaos (chaos is opportunity)
Embrace controversy
Wear the shirt (of your convictions)
Create a movement
Employ every medium
Tell your story

It can be something large or small–they are all valid and important. You can also send photos or video for website use if you wish.

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