"Power can be taken, but not given. The process of the taking is empowerment in itself." --Gloria Steinem
In making this statement, Gloria was repeating a common aphorism, and it's an aphorism for a reason--because it's true.
You seem to confuse power with leadership or influence. Power confers leadership and influence. Leadership and influence does not confer power. One cannot be a leader without first being powerful--without first having the physical and mental constitution capable of sustaining the burdens of leadership.
Power is ultimately about self-mastery. Anyone who has mastered the self is powerful. So much so that the empowered hermit master is a mythical archetype--Jesus, Buddha, Yoda, Obi Wan Kenobi, etc.
So, society doesn't grant power. Society grants leadership. And except for corrupt systems, it grants leadership only to the powerful.
"One cannot be a leader without first being powerful--without first having the physical and mental constitution capable of sustaining the burdens of leadership."
Tell that to anyone with a terrible middle manager. Or anyone watching Trump blunder his way into the front running for the GOP. Or to these 11 rules crowned while they were still in diapers: http://mentalfloss.com/article/12252/11-monarchs-crowned-while-they-were-diapers
There's really no shortage of rulers throughout history who absolutely had power, yet were not physically or mentally capable of handling it. These usually create the worst atrocities in history.
So yes, society absolutely does grant power. Power can also be taken, however usually society resents that and works against it.