by Rachelle de Bretagne

Created on: January 11, 2009   Last Updated: January 27, 2009

The difference between professional power and status is the state of mind that employs it. There is a vast difference between "professional power" and "status" and understanding the differences helps an employee make the most of the opportunity of gaining both rather than just having one of these aspects in their working life. While people may seek that ultimate reward of having a job which gives them status, several things stand in the way of status actually taking effect.

This article clears up the gray area between professional power and status because it may help someone gaining a wonderful job to experience what status really is all about, instead of just having professional power.

*Defining who you are.

*Realizing that with power comes responsibility.

*Being able to prove oneself.

*Gaining recognition.

*Gaining respect.

*Truly understanding power.

Defining who you are.

Do you think that your position in life is defined by your job description? Often people mistake job description as a status symbol, when in fact all it represents is a label. You may own the best car on the block, or the fanciest house because you earn a lot of money, though it is not until you define who you are that you gain any status at all.

Imagine an unknown human being becoming President overnight. No-one knows who they are. They know what the job involves, though the status of that stranger would have to be proven, rather than gained by calling him "Mr. President". Similarly in a work situation, the first step to reaching status is knowing who you are, and knowing what you have to offer. It takes skill to define who you are, and certainly a title won't do this for you.

The reasons you got that title may be part of your meriting power, but to be truly powerful, you must remember your roots and all the skills you learned on the way to that powerful position. These help you to use the powers of that job in a manner which gains you the status you feel that you merit. Ask yourself who you are, rather than depending upon a label, as this really will help you to see that the label means very little without substance, and it is understanding yourself, your motives and where your drive comes from, as well as being able to lead which will establish that substance.

Realizing that with power comes responsibility.

Power isn't enough on its own. Professional power means responsibility for all those people who work for you. It isn't simply a question of being in charge. You can never really be in charge of

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