I first put these concepts together a few years back. I was working with a primarily technical group of people that were doing project work for a large bureaucratic organization (government). We had a series of proposals and projects underway to ‘improve’ productivity and increase self service. The business case(s) required that a fair number of now uncommitted staff positions be reduced or eliminated to pay for the investment in new business systems. There was a corresponding reduction in associated space and equipment. So overall, the affected department(s) would shed staff, facilities/equipment; and The corresponding operating budget to go with them. The first round of analysis had a very aggressive payback in less than 24 months. The customer was NOT buying it; declared the plans to be flawed and unacceptable; they wouldn’t say why.

1. Math of Power
Large Organizations with Well
Established Bureaucracies
© Albert Cerqueira 2018 all rights
reserved

2. 201/31/18
Leadership - Power in Organizations:
the Math of Power
Numbers Count!
© Albert Cerqueira 2018 all rights reserved

3. 3 01/31/18
What is ‘power’?
• The ability to obtain, retain and deploy resources to do
what YOU want, when you want!
• Positional power:
– Based on where you fit into the Organization
• Personal power:
– Based on what you can offer; knowledge, experience,
skills, credentials, just plain know-how.
• Relationship power:
– Who you know and what they think/feel about you.
© Albert Cerqueira 2018 all rights reserved

4. 4 A.C&A Confidential 01/31/18
Leadership:
Power & Influence Organizations
Power in any organization, especially in
government, is measured by:
1. Power Base:
• Total resource base under control;
• This can be measured/counted.
2. Influence:
• Leverages UNCOMMITTED resources to
build hidden power;
• This is unknown until you see it in action.

5. Power Base in Organizations
© Albert Cerqueira 2018 all rights reserved
1. Power Base: Total set of all resources under their control.
• In all three categories of : $=money, P=people, FSE=Facilities,
Equipment & Materials : $+P+FSE
• The larger the total base, the more one has to work with to
accomplishing one’s goals.
• There is always the constraint of having to meet the mandate of
the department; then you can work on other goals.
2. Influence: Leverages UNCOMMITTED resources to build hidden
power.
Hidden Power is a force multiplier.
• Allows exploitation of opportunity & the ability to do favours
• I help you out by lending you some of my resources (never give
them to you, just lend) and I am now owed a favour.
• Owed favours = undisclosed resources = uncommitted resources
= influence & power

6. 6 01/31/18
Leadership:
Power Base – What are Resources?
Three categories:
1.$$ = Money,
• Total budget made up of
• ‘spoken for $$’ & ‘do what I want $$’
2.PM = People Mix,
• Fully Employed & Available for other duties
3.FEM = Facilities, Equipment & Materials.
• Sometimes having extra space or a server or
two really comes in handy!
© Albert Cerqueira 2018 all rights reserved

7. Bureaucratic Power Grid :: $$+PM+FEM
No Reserve /
Over Committed
Small Uncommitted
Reserves
Large Uncommitted
Reserves
Large
Power
Base
At Risk:
Can lose part of
their base to
Opportunists.
Enabled Opportunist:
Can handle some
opportunity & disruptions
without calling in favours.
Can build Up the Favours
Bank.
Entrenched & Leveraged:
Will be the Obvious Target;
they have a lot, so should be
able to ‘give up a lot’.
Can Exploit Opportunities &
Fend Off Opportunists
Small
Power
Base
Dependant:
need a
Leveraged or
Empowered
Partner
Self Sufficient &
Vulnerable:
A strategic play may be an
option; otherwise build
support with an Entrenched
Player
Leveraged:
Opportunists, can make an
occasional big play.
In danger of being
swallowed; so need to
cultivate partners & build
influence.
© Albert Cerqueira 2018 all rights reserved

8. 8 A.C&A Confidential 01/31/18
Power Base in Organizations: The Math
Resource Element or
Capital
Power Base =
Committed + Uncommitted
Money: $$ Total PB$$=C$$+U$$ =
100% of $$ capacity
People Mix: PM
Mix & Count
Total PBPM= CPM+UPM
= 100% of People capacity
FEM: Facilities,
Equipment & Materials
Total PBFEM= CFEM+UFEM
= 100% of FEM capacity
Total Power Base = $$PB+PMPB+FEMPB
Can use a strength in one element to offset a
shortfall in another element, provided the total
demands do not exceed the total resource base.
C= Committed Resources; U=Uncommitted Resources

9. Power Base in Organizations: The Math
Resource Element or Capital Power Base = Committed + Uncommitted
Money: $$ PB$=C$+U$ = 100% of $ capacity
People: Mix & Count PBPM=CPM+UPM = 100% of P capacity
FEM: Facilities, Equipment, & Materials PBFEM=CFEM+UFEM = 100% of F capacity
Condition Characteristic Position Description
If tC>100%,
doesn’t matter
what PB is
Dependant;
Need allies.
Poor You are beholding to someone else.
Even if total power base is large, you are at risk
since you are overcommitted & vulnerable.
If tC=100%
& tU=0%
& tPB is large.
Self Sufficient;
Don’t need
favours.
Medium You command a lot of resources but have them
fully committed; you are vulnerable to lost
opportunity or sudden increase in demand.
If tC<100%
& tU >> 0%
& tPB is small
Opportunist;
Can build
influence.
Good You can do favours and get leverage to acquire
more resources.
Vulnerable to being subsumed by a larger
resource base looking for unassigned resources.
If tC<100% &
tU>>0%
& tPB is large
Entrenched;
Able to overcome.
Excellent You can capture opportunities AND do favours
for leverage.
Applies per element or in total; you can use a strength in one element to offset a shortfall in
another element, provided the total demands do not exceed your total resource base.
C= Committed Resources; U=Uncommitted Resources
© Albert Cerqueira 2018 all rights reserved

10. Power Base in Organizations: The Math
Resource Element or Capital Power Base = Committed + Uncommitted
Money: $$ PB$=C$+U$ = 100% of $ capacity
People: Mix & Count PBPM=CPM+UPM = 100% of P capacity
FEM: Facilities, Equipment, & Materials PBFEM=CFEM+UFEM = 100% of F capacity
Condition Characteristic Position Description
If tC>100% & tU is a
negative number;
doesn’t matter
what PB is
Dependant;
Need allies.
Poor AT RISK; commitments exceed power base
You are beholding to someone else.
Even if total power base is large, you are at risk
since you are overcommitted & vulnerable.
• Total Committed responsibilities/duties exceed the total resources available.
• Even if the resource base it large, it has more on its plate than it can handle.
• This scenario is confusing to most external observers, the assumption is that if you are big
you can do anything you want.
• Reality is that you HAVE to do the obvious commitments first;
• IF anything is left over you can undertake something new/expand.
• In a rapidly changing environment, this makes you vulnerable;
• This is one of the reasons that large bureaucracies abhor change.
Applies per element or in total; you can use a strength in one element to offset a shortfall in
another element, provided the total demands do not exceed your total resource base.
C= Committed Resources; U=Uncommitted Resources
© Albert Cerqueira 2018 all rights reserved

11. Power Base in Organizations: The Math
Resource Element or Capital Power Base = Committed + Uncommitted
Money: $$ PB$=C$+U$ = 100% of $ capacity
People: Mix & Count PBPM=CPM+UPM = 100% of P capacity
FEM: Facilities, Equipment, & Materials PBFEM=CFEM+UFEM = 100% of F capacity
Condition Characteristic Position Description
If tC=100%
& tU=0%
& tPB is large
Self Sufficient;
Don’t need
favours.
Medium VULNERABLE
You command a lot of resources but have them
fully committed; you are vulnerable to lost
opportunity or sudden increase in demand.
• You are big and balanced; can handle your obvious commitments with the total resource base
available to you.
• Sometimes embrace change based on hope that things will then ease up and can ‘relax’.
• “big” changes are a problem;
• New opportunities can’t be handled without disrupting current operations or letting the
service standards slide.
• Sudden increases in demand for existing services stress the organization; it has gotten
used to status quo & doesn't respond well to peaks that turn into new ‘business as usual’.
• If someone else steps in, they may capture part of your activity/power base.
Applies per element or in total; you can use a strength in one element to offset a shortfall in
another element, provided the total demands do not exceed your total resource base.
C= Committed Resources; U=Uncommitted Resources
© Albert Cerqueira 2018 all rights reserved

12. Power Base in Organizations: The Math
Resource Element or Capital Power Base = Committed + Uncommitted
Money: $$ PB$=C$+U$ = 100% of $ capacity
People: Mix & Count PBPM=CPM+UPM = 100% of P capacity
FEM: Facilities, Equipment, & Materials PBFEM=CFEM+UFEM = 100% of F capacity
Condition Characteristic Position Description
If tC<100%
& tU >> 0%
& tPB is small
Opportunist.
Can build
influence.
Good ENABLED
You can do favours and get leverage to acquire
more resources.
Vulnerable to being subsumed by a larger
resource base looking for unassigned resources.
• Your uncommitted resources are relatively large; they have the ability to be re-deployed
quickly and potentially for long periods of time.
• Relatively large is sometimes quite small; but can leverage a large opportunity if it is the right
fit at the right time.
• This offers an opportunity to capture new opportunities (scope of responsibilities) & can grow
the power base; take on a new service/program/function.
• Or to prop up a colleague and increase the favour bank for future situations.
Applies per element or in total; you can use a strength in one element to offset a shortfall in
another element, provided the total demands do not exceed your total resource base.
C= Committed Resources; U=Uncommitted Resources
© Albert Cerqueira 2018 all rights reserved

13. Power Base in Organizations: The Math
Resource Element or Capital Power Base = Committed + Uncommitted
Money: $$ PB$=C$+U$ = 100% of $ capacity
People: Mix & Count PBPM=CPM+UPM = 100% of P capacity
FEM: Facilities, Equipment, & Materials PBFEM=CFEM+UFEM = 100% of F capacity
Condition Characteristic Position Description
If tC<100% &
tU>>0%
& tPB is large
Entrenched;
Able to overcome.
Excellent LEVERAGED
You can capture opportunities AND do favours
for leverage.
• As a leveraged and entrenched player can overwhelm if needed.
• Usually this player has unfilled staff potions that can be traded or quickly filled if the
need/opportunity arises; which means they are always ready for surprises/opportunities.
• Since the total power base is large and the uncommitted resources are also relatively large;
this player is on the lookout for opportunity to grow the base or to build the favours bank.
• This position may offer up an uncommitted resource or two, usually unfilled departmental
positions, to support new challenges or support an ally or two.
• Never assign temporary resources below their actual operating needs and also never for
ever; unless they have obtained a significant advantage/favour they can cash later.
Applies per element or in total; you can use a strength in one element to offset a shortfall in
another element, provided the total demands do not exceed your total resource base.
C= Committed Resources; U=Uncommitted Resources
© Albert Cerqueira 2018 all rights reserved

14. 14 01/31/18
Projects:
When a project is very important, but the sponsor is in a
Poor (Beholding) to Medium (Self Sufficient) Power
Position what do you do?
• Run!
• Failing that, get an Opportunist or Entrenched Player
to co-sponsor the project.
• This adds complexity since you now have 2 or more
‘bosses’.
• But the added leverage, influence & power will
greatly increase the likelihood of success, since there
might actually be enough resources applied to make
a go of it!
© Albert Cerqueira 2018 all rights reserved

15. BackstoryI first put these concepts together a few years back.
•I was working with a primarily technical group of people that were doing project work for a large bureaucratic organization (government).
•We had a series of proposals and projects underway to ‘improve’ productivity and increase self service.
•The business case(s) required that a fair number of now uncommitted staff positions be reduced or eliminated to pay for the investment in
new business systems.
– There was a corresponding reduction in associated space and equipment.
– So overall, the affected department(s) would shed staff, facilities/equipment; and
– The corresponding operating budget to go with them.
•The first round of analysis had a very aggressive payback in less than 24 months.
•The customer was NOT buying it; declared the plans to be flawed and unacceptable; they wouldn’t say why.
The team was confused:
•Since they were technically oriented, I thought writing it out in ‘Math’ terms wold clarify the issue.
•Basically we were asking a set of Entrenched & Leveraged players to give up significant flexibility represented by the now uncommitted
resources in favour of a fixed resource asset based around the new IT solution.
– IT solutions are not flexible, so they represent fixed costs that CANNOT be leveraged for favours in a rapidly changing environment.
They were expected to move from Entrenched & Leveraged to Self Sufficient & Vulnerable
•The trade off for this player was a quick pay back on the investment… …they didn’t want that; since the money accrued, not to them, but to
the central treasury.
•We needed a solution that preserved their Leveraged status or at least kept them at the Opportunist & Enabled stage so that they
could rebuild their position relatively quickly.
Practical Implications:
•A larger entrenched and leveraged player in a big bureaucracy does NOT want an aggressive business case or payback scenario.
•Go for just over break even at the end of the planning period (5 years typically) and preserve some of the uncommitted resources; in this
case a ‘small’ yes is preferred over a big and visible yes; it might be embarrassing to free up hordes of previously hard fought resources.
•Better yet; include pre-planned capabilities in the solution to edge out into other areas; this is enabling Opportunist capability since the
capital draw from central treasury if I do it for you is much less on my IT systems than if you start from scratch.
•Remember the central treasury is always Entrenched & Leveraged and is always looking to pull back any reserves from other departments.
© Albert Cerqueira 2018 all rights reserved