When Lord Acton first uttered his famous words in 1887, “Power tends to corrupt, but absolute power corrupts absolutely,” he was unaware of how prophetic his words were. An English historian, liberal politician, and writer, Lord Acton was a staunch believer in individual rights and personal liberty, which he believed were under attack in his day by excessive institutional and governmental power. While he didn’t own a crystal ball and thus had no way of knowing how valid his words would become decades later, Lord Acton, like Shakespeare, understood human nature.
How does power corrupt? Essentially, power becomes corrosive when its influence is so broad that it affects all aspects of a person’s life. When one’s social, personal, and professional life is all consumed by power, then power tends to become addictive. When nothing else matters, that is, when one’s values and ethical standards are dwarfed by power, then power rules the day. Like heroin, power can gradually take over every moment of the day until even life-giving activities, like eating and sleeping, are affected by power. In addition, the more pleasure is derived from power, the more likely it is to become addictive.
The Benefits of Power
As a powerful person professionally, you’re the unwitting beneficiary of many gifts, both transparent ones and invisible pleasures. For one, you make a lot more money in your job than you did earlier, not only via your salary but in extras of all kinds, ranging from discounts, stock gifts, quid pro quos, and/or substantial donations to your pet projects. Regularly, you may receive valuable perks like top event tickets or hard-to-get reservations at new five-star restaurants. Second, you have a lot more “friends” when you’re powerful, but since these may include sycophants, people hungry for power themselves, and others who gain self-esteem from proximity to power, it’s difficult to tell genuine friends from the counterfeit ones. Third, you acquire privileges, such as memberships in select organizations, which put you in the company of prestigious people. However, when the privilege is not earned, you may wind up feeling like an impostor and fearful of being exposed as a fraud. And fourth, you may be given many awards for your accomplishments, accompanied by trophies, plaques, and endorphin surges during elegant award ceremonies.
In general, your family and friends benefit enormously from your power, just as you do. Their way of life is enhanced by your influence, thereby cementing their allegiance to you. Your children may go to prestigious schools, your life partner may have been invited to be a member of select organizations because of you, and your friends may share in many of your perks as members of the same valued clubs, societies, and institutions.
Psychologically, there are self-esteem boosts from the trappings of power, including the flattery and adulation of others. However, if your self-esteem is protected by strong defenses and built on an unstable foundation—as often happens—compliments will not touch you, leaving you constantly scrambling for reassurance that you’re worthwhile.
If you’re a dictator in your family and in your other personal relationships, family members and friends may cater to your every wish for fear of offending you. As a result of their deference, you may feel in control and validated. Their underlying resentment at your authoritative style, however, will surface at some point and cause you significant distress.
The Dangers of Power
As power becomes more important to you, maintaining it can become an obsession. Since so much is at stake in hanging onto the power you have, other goals and values regularly get neglected. Unfortunately, as power-related considerations dominate your thinking, ethical and moral values tend to be the ones that recede in importance. As a result, you may become more self-centered, manifesting narcissistic traits and indifference to the needs of others. Family and close friends are the ones who typically suffer from such emotional neglect.
In addition, as you become more attached to power, grandiosity often makes its appearance, impairing your judgment at times. Pursuing power relentlessly also leads to dishonesty and frequent rationalizations. Creating false scenarios, distractions, and implausible explanations for why power grabs are necessary may convince loyal followers of their validity, but the more skeptical workers will see through your overreach. In this way, you will begin to lose the support of your most discerning allies.
How to Avoid the Destructive Appeal of Power
Whether you’re the manager of a small department, the CEO of a large corporation, or the dominant leader of your family, you’re subject to the same effects of power, except that the importance of the position will determine the magnitude of power’s influence. The more important the position is, the greater the potential for corruption.
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If you’re not already ensnared by power, it’s important to figure out how to avoid becoming trapped, that is, how to avoid grandiosity and keep your feet planted firmly on the ground. Try to imagine yourself stripped of all power and ask yourself: Which of my attitudes, interests, hobbies, and values would remain? Who would continue to love me even if I lost all my powerful connections?
Then, focus on what’s left after the imaginary detoxification. How would you spend your time and with whom? For example, if you have a trustworthy family member or close friend, pursue simple pleasures with them, like hiking or fishing. If you attend a church, mosque, or synagogue that is unrelated to your power, spend more time there in meditation and/or in small group discussions. Find life-giving pleasures in nature, both alone and with others. Simply, don’t let power define you!
Lastly, cultivate those qualities that are antidotes to the corrosive effects of power, such as compassion, empathy, generosity, gratitude, honesty, humility, and kindness. By cloaking yourself in such virtues, you will enrich your own life a hundredfold.
