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As you transition to a leadership role, your relationship to power changes: You gain more of it, and people start acting differently around you due to your authority. How can you avoid the hidden traps of gaining power, which shapes you in ways you may not realize? The authors outline five key traps leaders can fall into — the savior trap, the complacency trap, the avoidance trap, the friend trap, and the stress trap — and offer ways to counteract each.
There’s an old saying: the higher you rise, the funnier your jokes. But it’s no joke that power changes you. It alters your perceptions, judgment, and behavior. What’s less understood is that power doesn’t just change you, it changes those around you. Holding power means you become a target for others’ expectations and projections. When you step into a role of power, you are no longer seen as an individual, but as a symbol of authority. People may overvalue your ideas and undervalue theirs. They may give you less honest — and less accurate — feedback. They may be less willing to speak up, trust their perceptions, and take risks — and may turn a blind eye towards your misconduct. They may also place unrealistic expectations on what you can accomplish — or, conversely, regard you with skepticism, watching to see if you’re worthy of your status.
