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Ever wonder why the person less qualified than you keeps getting promoted? They're not smarter. They're not working harder. They've simply figured out what you haven't: who actually makes decisions. While you've been impressing people with titles, they've been building trust with the people who quietly decide what happens next. And that's why they're moving up while you're stuck.
Robert Moses never held elected office in New York. No formal executive position. Yet for 40 years, he shaped the city more than any mayor or governor. How? He understood something most people miss: organizational power doesn't follow the org chart. He controlled the people with technical expertise (engineers, planners), he had relationships with everyone who mattered (bankers, politicians, business leaders), and he positioned himself at every decision point that involved infrastructure. Three circles of power, all intersecting in one person.
That's what power mapping reveals.
The Three Circles of Organizational Power
Power operates in three circles. Most people only see one.
Circle 1: Positional Power - The people with titles. VPs, Directors, Department Heads. They have formal authority on paper: budgets, approvals, promotions. But here's the problem: people with titles can still be overruled, sidelined, or ignored if they lack real influence.
Circle 2: Expert Power - The people everyone consults before deciding anything. The senior engineer whose opinion determines technology choices. The analyst who builds the financial models executives present as their own. The operations person who knows how things actually work. These people influence decisions because ignoring them creates risk.
Circle 3: Relationship Power - The people with access and trust. They have lunch with the CEO. They're in informal discussions before formal meetings. They know what's being considered before announcements happen. Relationship power is invisible on the org chart but incredibly potent.
The most powerful people sit at the intersection of at least two circles. That's where real decisions happen.
Map Your Organization in 10 Minutes
Step 1: List the last three major decisions that affected your work (budget changes, project approvals, team restructures, technology choices).
Step 2: For each decision, identify:
Who had formal authority to decide? (Circle 1)
Whose expertise influenced the outcome? (Circle 2)
Who had informal conversations that shaped it? (Circle 3)
Step 3: Look for names that appear multiple times, especially in two or three circles. Those are your real decision makers.
Step 4: Map your current relationships. Who do you know in each circle? Where are you blind?
This reveals exactly where to focus your relationship-building energy.
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The Quick Win: Power Audit Diagnostic (Free Tool)
This tool helps you identify which power circle you're currently blind to in your organization.
AI Prompt for Power Visibility Assessment:
I work in [your role] at [company type/size].
List the three most important decisions that will impact my career in the next 6 months. For each decision, identify:
1) Who has formal authority (positional power),
2) Whose expertise will be consulted (expert power),
3) Who has informal influence through relationships (relationship power).
Then tell me which circle I'm likely overlooking based on typical career patterns in my role.
How to Use:
Run this prompt with your specific details
Review which circle you have the least visibility into
Identify 2-3 people in that circle to start building relationships with this month
What's Behind the Paywall
You'll know exactly who holds the keys to your promotion and how to win their trust in 30 days, without wasting months guessing or networking with the wrong people.
The Complete System Includes:
The 3-Circle Power Mapper that analyzes your specific organization and tells you the 3 people to focus on first
A 30-day relationship-building plan that creates visibility with decision makers without looking desperate
Conversation frameworks for each power type so you build trust naturally, not transactionally
This system turns organizational awareness into career acceleration. No theory, just strategic moves that work.
Join 200+ professionals building undeniable authority and accelerating their careers
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