I have been trying to find a dissertation that I remember reading online a couple of years ago, that discussed characteristics of personal power in counseling students in training. I can't find it. I remember that it defined levels of personal power, and I would really like to read it again. From what I could remember:

Level 1 - no sense of personal power, all power is perceived as belonging to someone else such as a supervisor
Level 2 - beginning to act using power perceived as coming from supervisor or other source
Level 3 - first realization of own power and ability to use power - afraid of losing or giving up personal power or to share power with others (it sounded like people at this stage coul dhave the potential to be overly controlling and even engage in some bullying or inappropriate use of power)
Level 4 - secure enough in own sense of personal power to take an interest in empowering others
Level 5 - in control, able to wield power effectively while actively building power in others - power is shared
Level 6 - realization that all power is shared power and personal power is no longer relevant

It went something like that. I feel that I am still at level 1, and don't know how to move beyond. I'm also afraid of level 3, as it sounds like level 3 people are not very nice, and the description reminded me of a boss I had who seemed to be in charge and in control, but could not stand for other people to be successful, was not really IMO qualified for her own job, and was only willing to promote people who were unqualified, so that she could keep people down who might be potential threats to her. And I might hesitate to move through these stages because I don't ever want to be like that.