FOOLED BY POWER

 

The constant effect of handing people power seems to be the source of them acting like fools.

Mr. Keltner, a professor from the Haas School of Business, compares the feeling of power to brain damage, noting that people with a lot of authority tend to behave like neurological patients with a damaged orbito-frontal cortex, a brain area that is crucial for empathy and decision-making.

Adam Galinsky agrees with this, stating that a sense of power has a dramatic effect on thought and behaviour; that being in a high-power role transforms people psychologically.

We have seen this played out when witnessing a friend, spouse or colleague rise to power; they change and it is not envy on our part but the reality of change on their part that produces destructive behaviour.

Surveys of organisations find that the vast majority of rude and inappropriate behaviours, such as the shouting of profanities, marital cheating etc. come from the offices of those with the most authority. Nice, ‘good’ people turn evil and abuse the power they so ardently sought.

The Powerful and the Strong are not always as they seem.  We assume, because of societal pressure, that being bigger and stronger and richer is always in our best interest (Malcolm Gladwell). Yet it seems that power and wealth contain the seed of their own destruction.

Psychologists refer to this as the paradox of power. The very traits that helped leaders accumulate control in the first place all but disappear once they rise to power.

 We all deal with powerful people, how do we survive.

 

A SURVIVAL KIT TO GET US THROUGH THE DAY

1.     Recognise the Abuse of power

Be aware of dominating, humiliating and unreasonable behaviour and /or neglect.

2.     Beware of Gaslighting

An abuser of power makes you question your own reality/sanity, second guess yourself and they feed false information and deny facts.

3.     Know yourself

Get to know YOU better and better. You have a right to your opinion and feelings.

4.     Ask for support

In a working environment seek support through Human Resources; if in a family matter seek Professional Counsel.

5.    Last resort: Free yourself from Abusive Power

Grieve the loss, not only of the relationship you thought you had, but also of the relationship with yourself that you neglected. The good news is you can always repair the relationship with yourself.

We live in a world where appearance is everything! Attention seeking has become the number one past time and envy is a preoccupation.  

Knowing ourselves should become our primary goal as we seek to survive the abuse of power, attention seeking behaviours, envy and pretence.

Richard Foster states that: Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem. Desperate need is not for a greater number of intelligent or gifted people, but for deep people.

Let’s strive to be one. Go deeper.