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Power literacy means to understand the implicit game without having to have it spelled out to you. To the power literate, the power illiterate are like people who don't get jokes and want each joke explained.

This is why flirting and making friends is different. In flirting, there's an undercurrent of power games. There's a lot of subtlety involved. Awkwardness is a form of power illiteracy with regards to male/female identities.

A common misunderstanding among the power illiterate is believing that power is equivalent to force. They are actually opposites. Power mean the ability to have effects WITHOUT having to use force.

A better word for power then (since power has connotations of force) is 'leadership' (though that has different interpretations as well) But essentially, it is the 'power' to have people willingly listen to you and follow you.

Anyone can burn a city to the ground with enough people and fire. Few can take it over with culture and wealth intact. Anyone can coerce with force/money/etc... Few can lead with their follower's will intact.

"Invisible power games" aren't necessarily shadowy and political. A 'leader' by definition stands between followers on one side, and the unknown on the other. The leader figure interprets a messy reality, the precise reality that the follower do *not* want to face.

Leadership is far less roaring at the top of pride rock like a lion and more like holding a torch at the head of group wading into darkness.

A sort of 'pseudo-leadership' is like an emissary taking you on a tour of a Grand Glorious Country. Teaching you who to know, who to avoid, how to dress, talk, bow, etc... It's not exploring the 'true' unknown because the invisible rules are made by man, not nature.