The Antidote to Power

Let’s admit it: power is a powerful drug, and most people want it. Don’t you want to be empowered? Don’t you want control? Don’t you crave agency, ability, and action in your life?

You and I are both human. It’s okay to feel these feelings. They are normal and healthy. It is natural to want to assert your will, to get what you want, to make your dreams reality.

Perhaps, though, you think of yourself as a cut above the rest. Maybe you are self-assured enough to think you know better than the others. You’re not a bad person, quite the opposite—you just know that things will go better for everyone if you get what you want. And you will dress these desires in the appropriate attire: wanting to make a difference, helping people who are less fortunate, and making a contribution to your teams, organizations and communities… maybe even the world. Power is safest and most effective in your capable hands.

Most of you probably sense the tension in this self-concept. It’s magnanimous on the surface, but predicated on the assumption that you are superior to others—that you have more knowledge, make better decisions, and wield responsibility more effectively than the rest of the herd. Some of these qualities sound like the traits of a born leader. But can leadership be effective if the leader believes their followers are lesser beings?

I know of one man who would answer that question with a booming “YES!”: Friedrich Nietzsche. He devised the concept of the superman, or Übermensch—an individual who has transcended social morality to achieve maximum power for himself. Nietzsche believed

that rules are in place to keep people from becoming strong and empowered individuals. Societal order, including religion, culture, and democratic rights, are in place to help the weak feel important. The true leader, in his view, is one who believes that individual will is more important than interconnectedness, community, and compliance.

Hard to believe that this is the same dude who wrote one of my favorite quotes: “Without music, life would be a mistake.” We contain multitudes…

Needless to say, such a view of power and leadership is the gateway to our collective destruction. Let’s keep in mind that Nietzsche influenced some of the world’s most damaging leaders, including Hitler and Mussolini. It’s impossible to separate the absolute primacy of individual will from antisocial and inhumane behavior.

But it’s worth noting that Nietzsche also inspired some amazing work in philosophy and psychology, including Alfred Adler’s work on moderated self-empowerment. Unlike Nietzsche, Adler suggested a “both/and” philosophy in which the individual will to power is balanced by an emphasis on social relationships, interconnectedness, family, and community. While holding self-importance and a strong sense of agency, the well-adjusted person also holds a strong sense of the importance of others.

It’s worth pausing here to think about examples of these different approaches. Can you think of leaders who embody the Nietzschean ideal? (I’m sure you can). How about the Adlerian?

Patricia Sun is a pioneer of what we at Emergent refer to as “both/and thinking.” Sun calls it “New Style Thinking,” as opposed to “Old Style Thinking,” which embraces polarities like right-wrong, strong-weak, and mine-yours. Whereas “Old Style Thinking” sees problems to be solved, “New Style Thinking” focuses on mutually desired outcomes to strive for. “New Style Thinking,” according to Sun, is more mature and evolved. It requires us to remain open to information, seek diverse and possibly opposing views, and ensure all stakeholders are consulted.

I’ll admit it: if power is a drug, I need the antidote. I’d like to think that decades of sincere practice have made me a better person, and want to believe I am immune to the temptations of superiority and power. But if I am very honest with myself (and my readers) I know the power-hungry version of myself all too well.

My business partner Cathy Gaynor says she sees me as someone who knows a lot about a lot of subjects. This breadth of knowledge allows me to connect with just about anyone. But she has accurately identified a major gap in my knowledge: sports. It wasn’t until recently that I admitted to her why that is.

The physical nature of most sports provokes an intense competitive drive that I do not like about myself. It awakens something like the Übermensch in my normally peaceful soul. My goal is not just to win, but to dominate, and this scares me. I just don’t like thinking I’d be capable of  violence or harm. My solution has been to abstain from playing or watching sports that elicit this reaction. Instead, I choose games of solitude. If you want to talk non-competitive fishing, I’m your guy!

But besides abstaining from triggering situations, I believe there is an even better antidote to the drugging effects of power: “both/and thinking.” As leaders, we need subtle reminders to include others, listen deeply, and not act on our very first impulse. We need to remember that leadership is not about winning or losing, but about managing the complex dance of cooperative work. We need to get our priorities in order. What do we really want? Is it power for power’s sake? Or is it the ability to make positive change that benefits everybody?

I am genuinely concerned for the leaders of the world, in all countries and all parties. This is a human problem, not a political one. I know, deep in my heart and soul, that every leader must first lead themselves to higher levels of consciousness. But they must do it for their friends, family, and neighbors—for the neverending project of building a peaceful world grounded in community and mutual respect.

Whatever you are doing to strengthen your communities and lead responsibly, keep up the great work. If you want to go deeper, reach out to me at [email protected]. It’s our mission at Emergent to raise the consciousness of leaders, teams, and organizations.

And, for what it’s worth, Nietzsche died of syphilis and pneumonia while in the throes of psychosis. I’m no superman, but I am grateful that everyone I care for is doing better than that.