DUNAMI: My Top Powerful Women: Power, Inversion and the context...

Friday, October 10, 2008

My Top Powerful Women: Power, Inversion and the context...

Recently, I heard this NPR program, The business. It is an interview with the Editor of the Hollywood Reporter talking about the most powerful women in the entertainment business. Two things stood out to me. Those in power "grabbed it" - that is that they had to be "power hungry/controling/out of balance". Also, The interview is a fascinating expose on the state of women in powerful positions and the entertainment industry (the back biting, positioning, clammering for exposure).

These to observations shouldn't take away the fact that 1.) I don't know these individuals 2.) I believe the must be very skilled and respectable. For me these observations point to something deeper, it gets to the one of humans basic natures - a desire for control. Notice I didn't say "a need..." - this is because, I believe it is a perceived "need", aka, a Desire. The title of this blog is, Dunami. This comes from the Greek root word - meaning "power from without - or above". This is why Nobel named Dynamite after this word, because as he lite the fuse - the explosion came from "without", it was hidden, so to speak. Two elements came together, and miraculously, caused another affect. In the New Testament there are many places that it talks about "the power of God" that transformes thinking, hearts, and communities. Also, It is this kind of power is spoken of in and through the life of Jesus.

This power is a power of inversion - an idea that wasn't new to me, but I was recently reminded of through the writing of Peter Block (creating an alternative future demands an inversion of the way things are - that is seeing new possibilities...ect,). It's apparant to me that Jesus epotomizes this "inversion". He gave up power to be subject to others, he worked with the "blue collar" workers of his day when he didn't need to, he associated with the minorities and outcasts, he included the poor in places where they were "put out", he gave authority to women in a time when it wasn't allowed... Call it inversion or reversal - He did both. There was an order that he reversed in the social class of his day. He challenged the beliefs of others by inverting their thinking ("the last shall be first", "don't go one mile, but two"). He challenged the use of money - He inverted the socio-economic practices, especially see the book of Luke (6:20,24, ; 8:14, 12:13-34, 14:33, 16:9, 18:24-25). And it should be noted that those who heed his words with care have a desire to "imitate" his ways (Ephsians 5:1), because he "inverted" love by giving it freely away.

For me there are some very powerful women in my life; I could name my mom, those in the work that I do, others in my Masters program at Pepperdine, but I'd like to highlight a couple of women who are growing examples of "Power from Without" or "power from on high". These two women are in high school, both come from a low income 'social status', don't hold any great "position of power", yet they continue to impress me with their ability to "invert", and "reverse". Against the odds, they are training for the LA Marathon. Gabby and Chanel, (who often don't like their picture taken, but who can't relate to that!;), both, have their flaws. But it is their desire to work hard, receive correction, and encourage others - even when they don't feel great (imagine what you'd feel like after 13+ miles!), that exemplifies them being "women of power". I look forward to being inspired by them!
Along the way, I've tried to practice some of the principles of inverted power that Jesus inspires me with. Lastly, I've found in Margaret Wheatley's book, Leadership and the New Sciences' some similar ideas. I think you'll notice in this quote the "inverted" nature of her description of leadership.

"The art of leadership is the ability to release the potential of those within the organization. The start of this process is to value people and to express confidence in their ability to be all that they are capable of being. Such confidence will be reflected in the confidence people will have in themselves. Leadership has more to do with being than doing. We erroneously see greatness in leadership with what those leaders do rather than what they are and allow others to be."
pg 144-5 Wheatley, Leadership and the New Science

- Click here for the NPR radio program -

- Click here for the Top 100 Powerful Women List -

Do you have any examples of inverted power or leadership? please share.