Power Poisoning and the Servant Leadership Remedy

"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."

~~Abraham Lincoln

An understanding of power is central to all leadership.  In fact, you could even say that power  -- its nature and its uses – is almost synonymous with leadership.  Everyone has been on the receiving end of power and has at least some understanding of the effects of power on teams.  But most leaders have little understanding of the effects of power on them.  Understanding the effect of power is critical to avoiding some of the pitfalls associated with it.

Several researchers, including Robert Sutton, have investigated the effects of power on leaders and have reached some pretty interesting conclusions, which have been confirmed in literally hundreds of studies.  To keep this post brief, I’ll summarize them.  You can find out more by looking at the links below.

The effects of power can be summarized by the word “disinhibition.”  Basically, power acts on us to lower inhibitions, much like alcohol.  Specifically, those with power become, over time:·     

• Overly confident, often misjudging the potential dangers in a situation and refusing to take advice;
• Oblivious to what others think;
• More focused on themselves and pursuing their own wants;
• More likely to believe “the rules” apply to others but not to them;
• Less able to accurately judge how others react to them;
• More likely to stereotype others;
• More likely to engage in risky behavior. 

This understanding of the pitfalls of power is not new.  Lord Acton, a 19^th century English historian and baron, is famous for summarizing it:  “Power corrupts.  Absolute power corrupts absolutely.”  The modern term for this is “power poisoning.”

Power is an unavoidable part of leadership, but how should we guard against this subtle but almost inevitable transformation?  One way is to adopt a leadership philosophy that teaches specific skills that prevent this de-evolution and encourages an overall viewpoint that remedies the ego inflation of power.  Servant leadership does just that.  In coming weeks, we will be learning the critical practices of servant leadership, which counter the disinhibiting and corrosive effects of power.

For more information: 

“Power is Not Only an Aphrodisiac, It Does Some Weird Things to Some of Us” by Vicki Haddock 

“It Isn’t Just a Myth, Power Turns People Into Assholes,” by Bob Sutton

“The Detrimental Effects of Power on Confidence, Advice Taking, and Accuracy,” by Kelly E. See, Elizabeth W. Morrison, Naomi B. Rothman, and Jack B. Soll