The longing for and pursuit of power is nothing new. We live in a time where a business tycoon became president, police are abusing their power, and corporate greed is still an everyday norm. But, something about all of this is different this time around. We’re not standing for it. We’re seeing ego, greed, corruption and we’re calling it out. It’s important to stay humble and think twice before you speak – especially if you’re in a leadership position.
The Stanford Prison Experiment
In 1973 this experiment went underway to determine if brutality inflicted on prisoners by guards was due to hostile personalities, or due to the power associated with their role. The experiment found that “prisoners and guards may behave in a hostile manner due to the rigid power structure of the social environment in prisons. Zimbardo predicted the situation made people act the way they do rather than their disposition” (1). Participants were paid $15 a day to be a part of this experiment. They were “randomly assigned to either the role of a prisoner or guard in a simulated prison environment.”
The study goes on to cite, “Within hours of beginning the experiment some guards began to harass prisoners. At 2:30 A.M. prisoners were awakened from sleep by blasting whistles for the first of many “counts.” The counts served as a way to familiarizing the prisoners with their numbers. More importantly, they provided a regular occasion for the guards to exercise control over the prisoners.”
Intoxication of Power
According to this psychology article, power itself can be intoxicating and that is what pushes those in a leadership position to edge towards corruption. It is suggested that those who engage “in wrong behavior simply because they can and they can get away with it” (2). The saying “drunk with power” is a prime example of this. In a way, it’s people testing the new and more expanded boundaries of their reality, no matter the cost.
Be Humble, Sit Down
If you are in a position of power, especially if this experience is new for you, you may be wondering how you can keep your morals and not let your position of authority go to your head. Humility in leaders is rare and it’s what makes the good ones last. It takes more strength and courage to lead with humility than it does to abuse your power. Humility is a sought-after trait for top-performing leaders.
In Jim Collins’s book Good to Great, Collins “found two common traits of CEOs in companies that transitioned from average to superior market performance: humility and an indomitable will to advance the cause of the organization” (3). Additionally, a survey that included 105 software and hardware firms as participants was published in the Journal of Management and stated that “humility in CEOs led to higher-performing leadership teams, increased collaboration and cooperation and flexibility in developing strategies” (4).
In order to be humble, you must know how to admit fault and take accountability. Leadership and power tends to be observed more through the execution of actions. Do you give others credit where due? Do you take responsibility and accountability? How do you act when you receive credit, praise, a raise or promotion? How does your team see you? In an organization like Netflix, open feedback is encouraged and even required once a year. This process allows managers to review one another and their employees, and one step further, allows employees to review their managers as well. Employees are even welcome to cite feedback of the CEO and other leadership positions, all in an effort to keep everyone communicative, honest, and humble.
So, the next time you find yourself in a position of power and have even the slightest temptation to see how far you can go with that power, take a minute to pause. Think before you speak. Check-in with yourself and your morales before making decisions. In the words of Kendrick Lamar, “be humble, sit down.”