When does power become a bad thing? How does power create trust issues?
Though obtaining power is good for you and your career, there are significant downsides to power, says Jeffrey Pfeffer. He argues that the positives of power outweigh the negatives, but you should still be aware of the potential price you may have to pay when seeking power.
Let’s go over three major disadvantages of power below.
Drawback #1: Unwanted Attention
When you hold a high-level position, your words and actions will be watched carefully at all times. Pfeffer warns that one of the disadvantages of power is that every aspect of your public and private life will be studied and criticized, not just your job performance. For example, many people now have strong opinions about billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk that have nothing to do with his career, such as criticizing his politics and his relationships with his children.
Though this constant scrutiny can help motivate some people to always do their best work, it can also be extremely stressful and distracting, making it difficult to perform to the best of your ability. So, if you seek power, you need to be aware of the scrutiny and criticisms you’ll likely face, and learn to ignore others’ judgments and condemnations of you.
(Shortform note: While scrutiny from the public can certainly be stressful and tiresome, powerful people often also face scrutiny from law enforcement agencies, which is a much greater threat. In Gambler, Billy Walters—likely the most successful sports gambler in history—explains that he had to spend many years of his life dealing with investigations and indictments from the FBI. Federal agents believed that he must be part of a massive illegal gambling operation, and later they also accused him of money laundering. They weren’t able to prove either accusation. However, in 2017, Walters was finally convicted and imprisoned for insider trading; according to Walters, that was the culmination of what amounted to an FBI vendetta against him.)
Drawback #2: Trust Issues
Pfeffer says another problem that comes with power is it can make it difficult to know who to trust. If you have a lot of sway and influence, people will want to be close to you and get on your good side. To do this, they might act differently in front of you, say what you want to hear, or withhold criticisms because they don’t want to be the bearer of bad news.
When you hold a job that other people want, it’s nearly impossible to know who is being genuine and who is trying to curry favor to gain power for themselves. As such, it’s not uncommon that the people closest to you are actually after your job, or are simply trying to get favors from you. Therefore, Pfeffer says that if you get into a position of power, it’s best not to put too much trust into any one person within the organization—you must always be on your guard to keep the power you worked so hard to build.
(Shortform note: It can be hard to know whether someone is being genuinely friendly or just trying to use you—or worse, to hurt you. Therefore, when dealing with other people, your intuition is often your best guide. This is because a “gut feeling” comes from you subconsciously noticing warning signs that your rational mind hasn’t processed. For instance, if you feel like a friend or romantic partner is taking advantage of you, there’s a good chance that they really are. Similarly, in The Gift of Fear, security specialist Gavin de Becker writes that you should always trust your instincts when they tell you a person or situation is dangerous; your survival instincts were honed by millions of years of evolution, and they’re much more accurate than many modern people give them credit for.)
Drawback #3: Power Is Addictive
Pfeffer claims that the addiction to power is surprisingly similar to drug addiction. With power comes all sorts of highs: money, recognition, self-esteem, and so on. These things are why we want power in the first place. However, as you gain power, you get used to making important decisions and having people hang on to your every word. This often makes you crave more and more power, and can make it extremely difficult to leave a position of power.
Pfeffer also says that leaving a high-status job or position can, like a drug addiction, lead to withdrawal symptoms. For example, CEOs who have stepped down from their companies often report declines in mental and physical health as they try to get used to life without the power they’ve held for so long.
| Recognize When Power Isn’t Satisfying Anymore This is similar to a warning that Felix Dennis gives in How to Get Rich. Dennis cautions that money (which is, as Pfeffer notes, one form of power) often drives people into patterns of self-indulgent and ultimately self-destructive behaviors, such as reckless spending and drug abuse. In short, people who become rich get addicted to the thrill of buying whatever they want, whenever they want it, just like people get addicted to the perks of power. Dennis’s advice is to indulge yourself for a while, but also to stay vigilant and recognize when those indulgences aren’t making you happy anymore. By doing so, you can move through that self-indulgent phase as quickly as possible and refocus on important things, like your health and your family. So, if you find yourself seeking power for its own sake or for purely self-indulgent reasons—rather than because you need more power to accomplish your goals—it’s time to think seriously about what you’re doing and whether it’s making you happy. If you realize that your pursuit of power isn’t satisfying anymore, consider what else you could use your energy and influence for. For example, perhaps you could offer support to friends who need it, strengthen your relationships with your spouse and children, or start looking for a new hobby or cause that sparks your passion. |
