Autonomy, Shame, and Doubt

Many planners simultaneously say that they should act more politically and powerfully and yet have ambivalence about doing so. To explore this puzzle, this article will provide a framework for thinking about the types of power that planners exercise. The article analyzes the peculiar nature of bureaucratic authority which tends to make power invisible and discourage organizational members from learning to act powerfully. Interview material from planners illustrates the ways in which organizational experiences of shame and self-doubt discourage planners from learning to act powerfully.