The pros and cons of power

Power has multiple, positive consequences. People with more power experience more positive emotions, are more optimistic and feel more able to share their authentic opinions with others. A study led by Tilburg University’s Maarten Boksem also found that feelings of power significantly increase left frontal brain activity, which is associated with approach-oriented tendencies. In other words, people who feel powerful are more motivated to approach challenges than avoid them.

Risky business

However, feelings of power also have drawbacks – most of which are not apparent to powerful people. They are more likely to underestimate the amount of time that projects take. They take more risky decisions and express higher levels of unwarranted confidence in their decisions. They also more easily dehumanise other people – being more willing to sacrifice the welfare of others in order to achieve their goals.

When powerful people feel incompetent, they may be more likely to behave aggressively, too. Management psychologists Nathanael Fast and Serena Chen found that self-doubting professionals who described their jobs as affording them greater formal authority and power were more likely to agree with questionnaire statements such as ‘I can’t help getting into arguments when people disagree with me’ and ‘Given enough provocation, I may hit another person’. Similarly anxious professionals but with less formal authority reported fewer aggressive behaviours.

The interpersonal downsides of power are supported by neuroscientific studies. Jeremy Hogeveen and colleagues at Wilfrid Laurier University discovered that powerful people’s brains exhibit less motor resonance: reduced activation of the mirror neuron system when watching another person’s behaviour. This suggests that power reduces the inclination to pay attention to and empathise with others.

To mitigate against the dangers of power, it is rarely enough to have clear rules and procedures sanctioning against inappropriate behaviour. Instead, the people responsible for enforcing them must have been given abundant authority and power to implement them properly.

If you are in a position of power, you can help yourself. When making decisions, compensate for excessive confidence by vigorously encouraging others to speak up in dissent. Don’t just assume that your behaviour is well-regarded, either; actively seek feedback on your behaviour – ideally through anonymous channels so that people can speak freely. Also, consider hiring a coach who can tell you hard truths.

Dominance vs prestige

To accrue power, consider the two distinct routes to getting it. Dominance involves capturing and maintaining power through intimidation and coercion – for example, via threats of punishment and demoting or controlling talented individuals who may threaten an individual’s dominance. In contrast, prestige involves demonstrating skills, knowledge and behaviours that others find beneficial – for example, showing concern for others’ wellbeing.

In meetings, speaking more and talking over others are dominance tactics; making insightful or helpful comments is a tactic that generates prestige. Individuals who combine both sets of tactics tend to gain the most attention.

Neither path to power is better in all situations. Factors including country culture and the local economy also affect people’s appetite for dominance versus prestige tactics.

Leaders using dominance tactics can get results quickly by initiating fear-based compliance, which may be especially useful during crises when action is needed without delay. However, dominance-wielding leaders typically seize power from the reluctant or outright unwilling, meaning that others may look for ways to rebel against the dominant, disliked leaders.

Prestige-oriented leaders try to create supportive, collaborative, inspirational environments such that others freely give power to their leaders. However, gaining power through prestige is considerably more time-consuming and effortful than using dominance. Prestige tactics may be less effective when applied to others who are themselves highly dominant or who prefer the clarity that comes from being asked to follow orders without question.

In the short term, you can boost your feelings of power by spending several minutes recalling and writing about a past situation in which you had power – influence over another person or persons. Experiments have shown that this intervention helps people to behave noticeably more confidently and persuasively – for example, during job interviews.