Jerry Useem writes: If power were a prescription drug, it would come with a long list of known side effects. It can intoxicate. It can corrupt. It can even make Henry Kissinger believe that he’s sexually magnetic. But can it cause brain damage?
In a 2017 article written by Jerry Useem, he writes about how people in power seemingly lose something once they arrive at their destination. There is a concept called “the power paradox.” The power paradox refers to the idea that the skills needed to obtain power and lead effectively are the same skills that deteriorate once we have power.
The Brain on Power
Research by psychology professor Dacher Keltner suggests that power can have effects similar to a traumatic brain injury. Those under its influence become:
- More impulsive
- Less risk-aware
- Less adept at seeing others’ perspectives
This “power-induced brain damage” isn’t physical, but rather a functional change. The brain’s ability to mirror others – a key component of empathy – becomes anesthetized.
The Empathy Deficit
Perhaps most concerning is the apparent inability of powerful individuals to consciously overcome this empathy deficit. Even when asked to make an effort, they struggle to increase their mirroring response. This suggests that power doesn’t just reduce empathy – it may fundamentally alter how the brain processes social information. Mirroring refers to the behavior in which one person subconsciously imitates the gesture, speech pattern, or attitude of another.
Recently, we are seeing many people from the business world assuming powerful positions in government. If this idea of the power paradox is true, we already are at a disadvantage because these folks MAY have a predisposition to be empathetically disabled. If we are starting from a position where powerful people have this predisposition, it is likely they will have less desirable behaviors when it comes to thinking about the public.
Breaking the Cycle
Understanding this phenomenon is crucial for leaders and organizations. To avoid the pitfalls of power:
- Cultivate self-awareness
- Actively seek diverse perspectives
- Create systems of accountability
- Regularly “step down” from positions of authority
The potential for power to corrupt increases as leaders gain more power. We can work to mitigate its negative effects and foster more empathetic, effective leadership. The power paradox serves as a stark reminder: the traits that propel us to success may be the very ones we need to guard most carefully once we achieve it. Only by remaining vigilant can we hope to wield power responsibly and maintain the qualities that made us worthy of it in the first place.
In an era when trust in leadership is fragile, addressing the empathy deficit in power isn’t just an ethical imperative—it’s essential for effective governance. Leaders who ignore the power paradox risk losing sight of the very people they are meant to serve.
For the next administration, I’d recommend institutional safeguards. Some of the folks getting involved are claiming they aren’t taking a paycheck, but they are benefitting in many ways well beyond a simple transaction. It is highly advisable to maintain a chain of accountability. It also makes sense to have multiple areas of government leveraging advanced checks and balances to ensure no funny business.
Does power cause brain damage?
What do you think?
You cannot separate power from leadership imo. I learned long ago in the Navy that the best leaders are the ones that show up on a grid system as 10/10 where they are optimum on both scales of autocratic leaders and personnel focused. The results are often that they are torn between both worlds and that it causes a physical strain on them and many develop health issues because of this. I can see why power corrupts in that the leaders to stay in power or collect more power become more one sided and that side isn’t with the personnel but with the authority they gain. So, I am not surprised at this finding at all. This paradox is a hard one to overcome and it just shows us to be truly human we must be humble and that means someone else has authority over us and that authority is the love of the Almighty Father of us all. How a leader can be shaped from humility is the next century question that still hasn’t been fully brought to the surface yet.