Don’t let power corrupt you
In Harvard Business Review’s October 2021 issue, the topic of exploiting POWER was explored. This reminded me of an interview I did with UC Berkeley psychology professor Dr. Dacher Keltner when the #metoo movement was getting underway. Dr. Keltner has done extensive research on the concept of power and has published a book called “The Power Paradox”.
What is the POWER PARADOX? It is the irony that most people gain power by advancing the interests of people within an organization or a social network, but then get sidetracked by their own DESIRES and SELF INTERESTS. This can lead to unethical, impulsive behavior that lacks empathy and humanness. In other words, they miss the fine line between using power for good, and using power for self interest.
How does this happen? Individuals usually learn how to manage power by observing those above them. If they work for someone who often abuses power, they are more likely to end up learning those bad behaviors themselves. They may even determine that this is the new normal (sigh).
One idea coming out of Dr. Keltner’s book on how to counter abuse of power is to align as a team about what a CULTURE OF RESPECT really means. And I’m talking about going beyond the list of generic values, like inclusivity, on a plaque on a wall. That’s a start, but aim to get down to the actual BEHAVIORS you want to see. For example, at Kaiser Permanente these behaviors include: you don't swear at your subordinates and you don't interrupt them. The takeaway - make talking about expected behaviors and use of power part of the conversation that happens at work.
Warmly,
Bijal
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Bijal Choksi, MA, CHPC, ACC