The steps of power are often steps on sand
– Edward Counsel.
Have you ever watched a leader at your work place and wondered how his subordinates could stomach an appalling leader like him?
You know the ones I’m talking about. The reality is though, we’ve all been there.
During my professional journey, I have advised and coached many young professionals who could not figure out how to effectively handle a power tripping superior.
The truth: Such leaders have put many careers in a deep hole…almost literally.
In one of my blogs, The (Un)qualified Leader(Sept.3rd,2014), I have shared about an accidental CEO, who was too obsessed with his own positioning and literally created a resonating fear in the atmosphere to safeguard his existence. He was strangely impolite, inapt, and a vindictive power tripper. He had an invented perception of his own significance in the system. He would invest considerable time underpinning his position, advertising it and trying to shield it from any possible exposer. I have closely witnessed him gradually disseminating his power to intimidate others and to craft a conflicting dynamics in the system. Essentially, he engaged in undermining confidence of otherwise potential team mates to circumvent budding successors. Unfortunately, I could not do much at that time. Rather, felt like a miserable person, empty of his creative magical spell and talent to overpower a malicious mind. But worse, I felt like he cunningly whitewashed everyone’s intelligence.The best part is that he was a very inward looking, hesitant, and a fatalist manager before inadvertently landing-up at that sought-after position.
There is incessant dilemma over self-possessed leaders. Were they humble and sincere when they achieved that pivotal position of power? Or they were insensitive and rude even otherwise? Or power has that POWER to entice even most chastised leader to act unfeeling and self-seeking? Is it a chicken and egg story?
How an unassuming timid individual turn monstrous after seeking power?
How he masters that art of exploiting his privileges to abuse others?
It does not mean that everyone is bound to let power get to their head. There are innumerable examples of inspiring leaders. But, yes, there is a dichotomy. Some people are able to remain objective and few suffer from power-indigestion. Power motivates us to greatness or drives us into darkness of deception. Many power researchers have confirmed that power can mean very different things to different people. But, there are few potentially predisposed people, who will certainly abuse their authority- if entrusted.
Indeed, you can learn a lot by closely observing those inflection points. It definitely taught me a very valuable lesson about the ‘power-nausea’ and the psychology of those who strive for it.
Yes, Power is addictive. It can get to people’s heads.
Nineteenth century British historian and puritan, John Emerich Edward Action, also known as Lord Action, in his letter to Bishop Mandell in the year 1887, expressed a line that regurgitated over and over again in innumerable references:
“Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely…..”
Paradoxically, leadership is fundamentally all about using power and influence to get work done, either for the larger welfare of others or indecently for the personal gains.Or else for the both. The suffering explodes when a leader imposes his power predominantly for the personal gains at the expense of followers’ benefits. Such leaders are stumped by their position power. Brashly engaging in “wrong-doings” at the pretext of “I know what I am doing for you”, just because they can get away with it. In all probability, they might have good intentions, but the only way they can demonstrate is by enforcing restraining gear-stick. A power hungry leader can cause multiple complications at work place, even sabotage a great organization. Undeniably, for certain leaders, power seems to bring out their best. I too believe that power and authority are critical to a leadership role to make leaders more assertive and decisive in taking right decisions.
However, a leader cannot elude himself by believing that rules are not meant for him. I believe, leadership is an honor and not an authorization to satiate personal greed. Only a strong institution with longstanding governance mechanisms can clutch a leader in controlling his dangerous ambitions.
Can there be a debauched yet effective leader? Arguably yes.That is very much possible, but not for long. Eventually, that effectiveness is not supportable and will be visibly wide-open over a time.
It is not difficult to identify power-hungry leaders.Let me give you few tale- tell signs:
- Such leaders genuinely believe that the acquired power is their wisdom.
- For them leadership is a superior title with the licensed authority to control people and not a charisma or an obligation to meritoriously interweave and lead the entire organization together on the path of advancement.
- Their decisions (seemingly) taken for organization are purely guided by self-gains. They have undying determination to remain in power only for self- benefits.
- They have unrelenting quest for achieving proximity with another influential leader or a power center to further supplement their position in the system and also seek materialistic favors for their personal growth.
- They would love to marginalize others to underline their power and influence in the system. They relish sadistic pleasure by unexpected and unreasonable personal attacks on people around them. They are pushy and overbearing and interested only in end results regardless of the means.
- Such individuals are more likely to have complications in their professional and personal relationships. They prefer position over contribution. They can go to any extent to manoeuvre the system to retain their position.
- Such leaders are also highly unreliable and unpredictable. They know the art of masking and changing colors based on situation. They are like a chameleon or an accomplished actor. In a way, they are gifted.
- They have compromised self-esteem and continuously hunt for reaffirmations. Perhaps, for that reason, they are most comfortable in the company of sycophants. They are hungry for applauses and compliments. With enhanced intensity of the craving for controlling people, they land up flocking toadies who also revel in vicious pleasure from the misery of people.
- For them moral and ethical stands are matter of choice. Power trippers have incredibly disruptive minds.
There are many other cryptograms, but these are few obvious to look for.
I do acknowledge that working with power trippers is challenging, but the solution is also not to side-step or to avoid them. The important thing is to evoke and enrich your inner strength to deal with such personalities. Steam-up your “quality of courage” to face such power trippers. Do not let them step all over you. Do not get intimidated or manipulated by their overt aggression. Learn to overcome your false fears. Express your assertive front. Do not look forward to be obliged by their endorsements and acknowledgements. Stop pleasing them to save your skin .Be what you are and true to yourself. Focus on your work and deliver as expected. Desensitize yourself for the possible negative reactions and hostility. Learn to stand for ‘what you are’ and not for ‘what they want’ you to be. Give voice to your rights and also to what you value as RIGHT. But, never indulge in conniving to teach them a lesson or kicking them back at a suitable time. It will certainly boomerang very adversely. You should never adventure out to get even by dramatizing your language, tone, conduct, and humility.
Power trippers do not survive for long! Those who push too far and slant the balance of the system, later realize that it only leads to their expiration. History is rife with examples of the leaders who have failed to recognize this certainty…Virtually echoing Lord Acton’s pronouncement… Even today.
Power trippers are forever empty for the respect!
Power does not know confines. Regrettably, power has the proclivity to be abused and to be trailed in unwholesome leftovers.
Leadership is a fascinating conception with unlimited interpretations. Leader is not necessarily someone who does great things. Yet, we look up to our leader for nobility, ethical values, and right-mindedness. An extraordinary leader is accredited to his purpose to be a true ambassador for the organization and not to satisfy his own self-absorbed desires.
For me, an individual becomes hungry for the power when he has no higher objectives in his life. I too reverberate Maya Angelou’s quote here-
“I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.”
Your comments please…!
Dear Mr. Yagnik, This is indeed a well-written article – straight from the heart. Knowing your intellectual capabilities along with emotional balance, the kind of perspective that has been provided here is direct and additionally hard-hitting. Thanks for enriching us with your well-researched perspective.
Dear Mukund, Thanks for your encouraging words. Position power is becoming the only relevant achievement in today’s world. Just because our inner strength to stand for a cause is weak…Let me support it by John Saul’s quote, “The Age of Reason has turned out to be the Age of Structure; a time when, in the absence of purpose, the drive for power as a value in itself has become the principal indicator of social approval. And the winning of power has become the measure of social merit”. Thanks for feedback.
well said n summarised in one line “when you lack having higher objectives in life , only then hunger of power hits you”. Indeed thought provoking !!!
Dear Mr.Singh, I appreciate your positive feedback. My all the blogs are outcome of my personal and professional journey and probably that makes them little more closer to realty.
Dear Yagnik,
‘Quality of courage’ I liked this concept.
Thanks for your encouraging words.
Dear Mr. Yagnik,
Thanks for sharing a very well written article.
I completely agree with your position of ‘Individuals steaming up the courage and giving rights to the courage to express itself”. Having said so, would you profess this as a valid universal response or rather a choice let to individual’s discretion ?
I am not sure about your proposition that ‘power tripper leaders being short lived in terms of their tenure’. Average life of a CEO itself has been reduced to 5-7 years. And we have seen power tripper CEOs completing that kind of a tenure. Agreed that they are not respected- but does anyone care? The damage was already done..many a careers have been destroyed along with Company’s reputation and business- but the remedial action begins after the destructions has happened and CEO had made his millions, sufficient enough to live a luxurious retired life.
I do not know what is the right prescription. Standing up for oneself has its own price to pay – May be it is a very personal and individual choice.
These and such uncomfortable issues must be discussed nonetheless- thanks for sharing!
Dear Rajesh, you have put it so well. Injustice often seems to triumph in life, particularly in corporate world. Good people suffer manipulations and immoral people flourish with perplexing constancy. That is an age old question. No, I don’t know why, and I believe, no one else will be able to explain either. But if we observe closely, we see that everyone undergoes some suffering in some form. The real suffering is when we lose our goodness. The answer is in our definition of happiness. We equate money, position, comforts, and other materialistic pleasures as real joy? Yes, in day to day life, we all revolve around that. But, trust me, such people starve for respect and credibility in life. Besides, life is much beyond corporate life cycle. At least, I do not recall such people have lived a very happy personal life. Our problem is, we relate with them for a very small ‘time-window’ to see the end. Or, possibly I am wrong. Thanks for your candid observation and feedback.
Dear Mr Yagnik
Loved reading both your well Witten Article.
These so called power trippe’s are easy to spot as authority not accompanied with humility is a big give away. One observes a distinct difference in their behaviour when they deal with people in public and in private. There is a difference in their behaviour when some authority above them is present.
But these people in my opinion cannot be called leaders – they are managers in position of authority who invariably damage the organization. As you have written they place self over the organization or people they manage – they don’t rise to the standards of leadership.
I believe there traits are deep routed in once personality, at initial stages of one’s career while driving results as an individual or that of a department or a function can be managed by them and its possible to achieve success. This initial success helps them rise to higher positions where the problem begins as this power drives that worked while driving short-term results and in small groups is bound to fail. In driving an organization to sustainable success one needs leadership which gets replaced in the above case with more Power.
I have watched them at my work place so often and wondered how their seniors have missed this?
thanks for the wonderful insights
Regards
Dear Shriharsh, thanks for sharing your spontaneous thoughts. Lots of research work has happened on Power. Surprisingly, as you have rightly expressed, such people climb up their corporate ladder more swiftly than others. However, the same hunger for power, that got these people to the top, may weigh very heavily on their neck over a period of time. To quote Edmund Burke, “The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse”.
Actually, it is just matter of time.
Bhagwat great Article! This is also very true in family companies where owners also takes up the hat of business leader and has competition within the family
Thanks Jaideep. Hunger for power affects the trust people have in each other and how comfortable they feel with each other. It affects the way they interacts and have competition with each other.
Dear Mr Yagnik, again an excellent blog coming out of your repertoire. While I tend to agree with Rajesh (Vaidya) and fully endorse his views too, however, where does the solution lie. Will a good governance help? E.g Independent Directors supervising the CXO. Perhaps not. If the buck stops at the CEO and if he is a power tripper, then Gods have mercy. Very often I go into the philosophy and perhaps the answer may lie there. If one can ingrain this message that all of us come with an expiry date, may be the focus would shift.
Dear Mr. Bhatia you have touched a fine point. A strong governance mechanism is one good solution. A board should ensure that CEO has competencies, commitment and character. A CEO who is clean on integrity and willing to collaborate and encourage genuine dissent. For that, first board has to also take the long term view while evaluating the temptation of shorter-term results. They have to exercise excellent judgment to filter the window-dressing. Ultimately, everything boils down to character of the leader. I appreciate your valuable inputs.
Dear Mr Yagnik,
Thanks for the excellent article, providing insights about power and power trippers.
Though we see numerous power trippers in history, and epics, it is also important to note that there are many examples of counter-power centers or oppressed individuals who have demonstrated countervailing forces to erode the powertrippers.However in corporate world they are very rare and are identified early and rooted out. As long as corporate world or society mistakes eliminating dissent as a strategy for success, can we really contain this malice.
Dear Mr. Kunte, You are absolutely on dot. Every organization needs a healthy work culture for dissent. Encouraging straightforward and constructive disagreement is the key. While one should surely discourage worrywarts in the system, genuine dissent is essential for superior decision making. Unfortunately, very few leaders have that kind of quality of courage. Thanks.
Mr Yagnik,
Makes good reading and when one goes down the memory lane,can relate to it in context with some of the people one has worked or dealt with.
Regards
Dear Mr. Sethi, you are absolutely right. it is journey down memory lane. As Roosevelt said, “People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built”.Thanks for your comments.
Dear sir
This one resonates!
Unfortunately, during the time when they are in the organisation their ability to wield total control over others careers leaves a destructive trail. Very rightly there are very few people with a strong mental constitution and as you rightly say “quality of courage” who can withstand the pressure of dealing with such leaders on a day to day basis.
Also power trippers are so dependent on that positional power. Once stripped of that, they find themselves alone and devoid of respect!
Dear Vandana, hope you are doing fine.Finally it boils down to one’s power greed. I am sure you are aware about the famous Erich Fromm’s statement. Greed is a bottomless pit which exhausts the person in an endless effort to satisfy the need without ever reaching satisfaction. Take care and be in touch.