In the book, she credits the program with the understanding that “power comes from the role we play.” Successful actors do not let their insecurities hinder them from doing what they need. She emphasizes that actors “step away from their own drama and learn how to play a part in the story.”

Acting with power

Gruenfeld offers a caveat that when an individual thinks much of the power he possesses, he thinks of power as a resource so he can get the attention of others. In turn, he perceives that the accumulation of power is the end in itself and so he does all things whatever it takes to get such a coveted position, regardless if it is ethical or not.

More power

Part I “When The Curtain Goes Up” discusses the concept of power—meaning, myths, and truths. The construct of power is very interesting to anyone; humans are so fascinated about this topic. Psychologists believe that it is because humans are afraid of death and power promises somehow a kind of immortality. Power, based on the prevalent definition, refers to the capacity to control other individuals and their results. To elucidate, power is not the same as status or authority—one can have power without them.

Part I “When The Curtain Goes Up”

Playing high does not mean immediately landing on the top. A person who exemplifies power-up does not have a hint of self-doubt, maximizes his comfort, speaks slowly and deliberately, and uses complete sentences.   On the other hand, playing power down invites connection and cooperation. A person intends to appear less threatening and less ruthless. Playing power-down does not imply surrendering power. She builds trust and makes others feel comfortable.

Part II “The Two Faces of Power” 

Gruenfeld contends that acting is not faking—we are just wearing our roles; the author suggests that we try to accept the reality of the stage we are on as in to immerse ourselves fully in it and show a version of self that makes sense.  Gruenfeld contends that acting is not faking—we are just wearing our roles; the author suggests that we try to accept the reality of the stage we are on as in to immerse ourselves fully in it and show a version of self that makes sense.

Part III “Taking the Stage”

She argues “power sometimes corrupts but abuses of power can be avoided.” Moreover, according to the author, the effects of power are:(1) disinhibition, people act more readily on almost all kinds of impulses;(2) objectification, treating humans as objects to attain personal aims; and(3) entitlement, thinking that they deserve the things they want just because they want them.

Part IV “Understanding Abuses of Power, and How to Stop Them” 

This has helped me learn about embracing my role in life

"A refreshing and enlightening new perspective on what it means to be powerful."--Susan Cain, bestselling author of Quiet We all know what it looks like to use power badly. But how much do we really know about how to use power well? There is so much we get wrong about power: who has it, what it looks like, and the role it plays in our lives. Grounded in over two decades' worth of scientific research and inspired by the popular class of the same name at Stanford's Graduate School of Business, Acting with Power offers a new and eye-opening paradigm that overturns everything we thought we knew about the nature of power. Although we all feel powerless sometimes, we have more power than we tend to believe. Power exists in every relationship, not just at the top of big institutions. It isn't merely a function of status or hierarchy, either. It's about how much we are needed and how well we take care of other people. We often assume that power flows to those with the loudest voice or the most commanding presence. But, in fact, true power is often much quieter and more deferential than we realize. Moreover, it's not just how much power we have but how we use it that determines how powerful we actually are. Actors aren't the only ones who play roles for a living. We all make choices about how to use the power that comes with our given circumstances. We aren't always cast in the roles we desire--or the ones we feel prepared to play. Some of us struggle to step up and be taken more seriously, while others have trouble standing back and ceding the spotlight. In Acting with Power, Deborah Gruenfeld shows how we can get more comfortable with power by adopting an actor's mindset. Because power isn't a personal attribute. It's a part we play in someone else's story.

books

Books

“A refreshing and enlightening new perspective on what it means to be powerful.”—Susan Cain, bestselling author of Quiet We all know what it looks like to use power badly. But how much do we really know about how to use power well?   There is so much we get wrong about power: who has it, what it looks like, and the role it plays in our lives. Grounded in over two decades’ worth of scientific research and inspired by the popular class of the same name at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, Acting with Power offers a new and eye-opening paradigm that overturns everything we thought we knew about the nature of power. Although we all feel powerless sometimes, we have more power than we tend to believe. Power exists in every relationship, not just at the top of big institutions. It isn’t merely a function of status or hierarchy, either. It’s about how much we are needed and how well we take care of other people. We often assume that power flows to those with the loudest voice or the most commanding presence. But, in fact, true power is often much quieter and more deferential than we realize. Moreover, it’s not just how much power we have but how we use it that determines how powerful we actually are. Actors aren’t the only ones who play roles for a living. We all make choices about how to use the power that comes with our given circumstances. We aren’t always cast in the roles we desire—or the ones we feel prepared to play. Some of us struggle to step up and be taken more seriously, while others have trouble standing back and ceding the spotlight.  In Acting with Power, Deborah Gruenfeld shows how we can get more comfortable with power by adopting an actor’s mindset. Because power isn’t a personal attribute. It’s a part we play in someone else’s story.

Acting with Power

Louie Giray