This paper is concerned with how persons in organizations, tackling what they define as complex problems, define others as significant in terms of their perceived power. Using a particular case as an illustration, the author argues for attending to the complex intersubjectivity of definitions of; powerful others, involving not only patterns and consensualities but also significant diversity in the theories and values different individuals bring to understanding and predicting their political environments and the key actors within them. She will also argue that such a perspective has significant practical implications for OD consultants, whose effectiveness in the client-consultant relationship often crucially depends on understanding and negotiating with the internal political concerns and theorizing of their clients.
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