Choose your weapon:

Power 1.0 = muscle and weapons Power 2.0 = money, market share, or brain power Given these choices, most people and companies choose both. However, both Power 1.0 and 2.0 reflect Machievelli's thinking that it's better to be feared than loved. Dacher Keltner, professor at U.C. Berkeley, has defined what I would call "Power 3.0" in an article called "The Power Paradox."

In a nutshell, his concept is that power is the ability to influence people using skills in responsible ways to fulfill their needs and interests. (Note: "their needs and interests"—not the person or organization exerting power.) The paradox is that these skills are likely to deteriorate once you have power.

Keltner examines three myths of power:

"Power equals cash, votes, and muscle." Not true. In psychological terms, power is the ability to "power is defined as one's capacity to alter another person's condition or state of mind by providing or withholding resources—such as food, money, knowledge, and affection—or administering punishments, such as physical harm, job termination, or social ostracism." Thus, a child can exert power over her parents—as every parent knows. This means that you don't need to coerce or dominate to exert power.

"Machiavellians win in the game of power.""P Not true. "...one's ability to get or maintain power, even in small group situations, depends on one's ability to understand and advance the goals of other group members. When it comes to power, social intelligence—reconciling conflicts, negotiating, smoothing over group tensions—prevails over social Darwinism."

"Power is strategically acquired, not given." Not true. The truth is that people without power can band together and "constain the actions of those in power." According to Keltner's research: "We've found that Machiavellians quickly acquire reputations as individuals who act in ways that are inimical to the interests of others, and these reputations act like a glass ceiling, preventing their rise in power."

Keltner concludes that "Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely" to quote British historian Lord Acton, and power frequently make people act in three dysfunctional ways:

Rely on stereotypes of people and less sophisticated reasoning.

Act on your own "whims, desires, and impulses."

Act like a sociopath.

Keltner concludes with this penetrating thought:

"Social behaviors are dictated by social expectations. As we debunk longstanding myths and misconceptions about power, we can better identify the qualities powerful people should have, and better understand how they should wield their power. As a result, we'll have much less tolerance for people who lead by deception, coercion, or undue force."

Here's to zero tolerance.



Like this article? Share it with your friends

E-Mail | Print | More

Related Articles
Innovative Home-Based Business - Teaching Babies Sign Language
	You’re on the phone with the babysitter, frantic not knowing why your baby is crying. She’s tried everything that she should have but nothing seems to calm your baby. You start to panic thinking maybe he’s sick, but...
DRM…Pirates Helped in Ways They Didn’t Plan
	Digital Rights Management (DRM) has been the rallying cry for the motion picture industry for years. Contending they are losing billions of revenue each year they have struck out against individual consumers. The ...
Motivation
	From the pages of Crossroads, written by Edgar T. Chrisemer and published in 1962 by Bruce Humphries of Boston, MA, comes this inspiring story:
The Passionate Organization
	Book Review -- Igniting the Fire of Employee Commitment by James R. Lucas; AMACOM, American Management Association, 1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019; May 1999; 240 pages
What are you saying?
	Start listening to what you are saying?

---

Related Forum Posts
	Women Entrepreneur Tips
	Success Strategies
	Wills, Power of Attorneys personal, bank, health
	Business magazines
	Re: Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires
	Constant contact
	Business Leaders...
	Re: Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires