The Power Paradox

The Power Paradox frames the concept of power in an inspiring new narrative, which can help us create better and more equal relationships, workplaces, and societies.

To see power as a socially necessary and constructive phenomenon, look at its workings in daily life. Many of our interactions are shaped by the experience of power – and it is important to realize that.

Consider the dynamics between younger and older siblings during adolescence. Usually, the older sibling has the advantage of being more educated and experienced. As a consequence, he or she naturally assumes power over the younger one. This plays an important role in how both siblings interact with other people later in life.

Research shows that in situations when power is not assigned by default, it emerges sooner or later as interactions between people unfold. This can be illustrated by the leaderless group discussion paradigm.

Kelter describes an experiment where a group of strangers comes together to solve a problem with no assigned roles. They then had to participate in a leaderless group discussion. The researchers observed that, over time, some people naturally assumed the role of leaders and thereby entered the position of power. Interestingly, power came from not only confidently voicing their own opinions – but also by encouraging others to do so.

This brings us to describe how power is born within a social context.

A lot of people think that they must claim power by force. No wonder why – when we look at the world’s historical events, it often appears that power comes from suppressing another. After all, the Spaniards managed to forcefully take over the Native Americans’ territories – didn’t they? Keltner is coming to tell us that the authentic, constructive power that we should be striving towards comes from a different place. We should see it as a reward we receive from others by being helpful to them. There is a number of studies proving that the more supportive and kind a person is, the more social power they get. It is also very apparent in indigenous Inuit cultures. There, the more food an individual shares (in case of men) or helps with childcare (in case of women), the more influential within the tribe he or she becomes. The trickiest part, however, is maintaining the power you have earned. Initially, it may feel natural and easy to share and support others. But once an individual realizes that they are in a place of power, the feelings of empathy for others may subside – because they no longer seem necessary. This is the moment, when, according to Keltner, most people lose power – because they don’t really understand how they obtained it in…