A paradox of power is that people gain it through virtuous behaviors
such as collaboration, openness, fairness, and sharing, but once they
enjoy a position of privilege, those finer qualities start to fade.
Research shows that the powerful are more likely to engage in rude,
selfish, and unethical behavior. This tarnishes their reputations,
undermining their influence, and creates stress and anxiety among their
colleagues, dragging down their teams’ engagement and performance.
Dacher Keltner, a psychology professor who has studied this phenomenon
in a variety of professional settings, describes how executives can
avoid succumbing to this syndrome. The first step is developing
awareness: being attentive to the feelings that accompany a rise to
leadership, practicing mindfulness, and looking for warning signals in
your behavior. The second is to remember and try to practice the three
ethics of good power—empathy, gratitude, and generosity—in your
interactions, meetings, and communications every day. [ABSTRACT FROM
AUTHOR]