In my reading about the various usages of ‘power’, there are indeed definitions which focus on exerting control through other agents. I think in many situations, this is a useful frame, but I find “ability to achieve goals in general” to be both broader and also upstream of “ability to control others to achieve your goals.”
(also—upvoted for asking a question and then editing to acknowledge a misunderstanding!)
In my reading about the various usages of ‘power’, there are indeed definitions which focus on exerting control through other agents. I think in many situations, this is a useful frame, but I find “ability to achieve goals in general” to be both broader and also upstream of “ability to control others to achieve your goals.”
(also—upvoted for asking a question and then editing to acknowledge a misunderstanding!)