When you think of leadership and power, do you always think of positive leaders? While it would be wonderful for all leaders to be positive and to evoke positive change in the world, this is not always the case. If a leader does not do positive things for their subordinates, are they are bad leader? According Pennsylvania State University World Campus Online Commentary for Psych 485 (2014) “power is the capacity to cause change and influence is the degree of actual change in attitudes, values, beliefs, or behaviors.” (PSU WC, Lesson 7, p. 3). Those who have power and influence are not always good leaders. I can give many examples of this, but lead character Joe Carroll from the hit television show The Following is the perfect example of this type of leader (2014).
Joe Carroll, previously a college professor and author, leads a cult of killers and influences them in many ways to kill individuals, reaping havoc on the world. When watching the show, it is very interesting to me how he is able to influence so many people and has moles in the FBI, schools, and pretty much everywhere. Seemingly normal people, even those with families and children, drop their lives to follow his cult and kill on his behalf.
Because he has a vendetta against FBI agent Ryan Hardy for falling in love with and sleeping with his ex-wife, he is currently out for revenge to ruin Ryan’s life, or anyone around him, and get his wife back. Although he has a natural need to kill others, he controls his cult and gets them to kill for him using personalized power. Individuals with a high need for personalized power are selfish, impulsive, and exercise power for their own needs, not for the good of their followers (PSU WC, Lesson 7, p. 6). While his followers think that he truly cares about them, his only care is in getting what he wanst, which always involves proving to the world that he is a force to be reckoned with.
It is hard to understand how someone is able to influence seemingly normal people to kill other human beings and be alright with it. According to online lesson 7 (2014) there are many influence tactics, orbehaviors, designed to change another person’s attitudes, beliefs, values, or behaviors (p. 3), that Joe Carroll uses with his cult members. In particular, two tactics stand out: rational persuasion and inspirational appeals. Rational persuasions involve the leader using logical arguments or factual evidence to influence others and inspirational appeals involve the leader making requests that are designed to arouse enthusiasm or emotion in the group (PSU WC, Lesson 7, p. 7). Carroll’s followers literally worship the ground that he walks on, and that is because he is able to make them believe that he is their family and the cult is the only thing they have in a world where no one else understands them. All of these are reasons why Carroll is a perfect leader according to the power and influence theory, but a negative one at the same time.
References:
Pennsylvania State University World Campus (2014). Lesson 7: Power and Influence. Retrieved from https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/su14/psych485/001/content/07_lesson/01_page.html
Williamson, Kevin. (2013). The Following. New York City: Outerbanks Entertainment.
Below is a clip of Joe Carroll:
eal17 says
I’ve never seen this show but after reading your post am intrigued to check it out. Thanks for the video clip too; it was creepy based on how you explained the plot. Do Joe’s followers fear him as well as worship him? I would imagine that perfectly sane individuals would fear such a person that expected them to murder people. Perhaps this is just part of the twisted side of the show.
It’s funny how power and influence can have such a positive or negative grip on individuals. For example, my daughter (who began high school this past fall) had to attend some programs concerning peer pressure. If you think about it, peer pressure can have negative effects on us too. Kids change the way they walk, dress, and how they talk in order to fit in. Acting in a way that is not natural is similar to Joe’s effect on his followers of the cult. If they don’t kill someone they won’t be part of the club.
Brooke Ashley Furlong says
Before learning the true definition of power, I associated the word with negative connotations. This was even truer when I considered power and leadership together. It seems that it is all too often that a leader has abused his or her power in some way, which unsurprisingly negatively affects the followers. According to House (1984), “power is the capacity to produce effects on others, (as cited in PSU WC, 2014, L. 7, p. 3). It is up to the leader to use their power appropriately. Unfortunately, there are plenty of examples in history that prove that many leaders make the wrong decision and use their power for the wrong reasons. A leader can use this power to influence the follower’s actions and behaviors, (PSU WC, 2014, L. 7). If the leader exerts their power negatively, the results can be trouble and chaos. Joe Carroll is a good example of this. Joe gains power over a group that is vulnerable and impressionable. Seeing his opportunity, he asserts his influence over them and encourages them to do his bidding. The results are horrific.
Carroll was manipulative and demanding of his followers. He displayed coercive power when he was convincing them to do exactly what wanted. Coercive power is “the ability to control others through the fear or punishment or the loss of valued outcomes,” (PSU WC, 2014, L. 7, p. 5). The follower’s main objective was making Carroll happy. They feared making mistakes because they seemed to fear Carroll’s disappointment. It was also obvious that Carroll wasn’t afraid to inflict bodily harm if he was unhappy with an outcome. Carroll also displayed a high need for power, (PSU WC, 2014, L. 7). Carroll was motivated as a leader to gain a strong influence over his follower’s. It is through influence that an individual with a high need for power receives satisfaction, (PSU WC, 2014, L. 7). Carroll was skilled at building relationships with his followers and gaining their trust, (PSU WC, 2014, L. 7). Sadly, he preyed on the weak and lonely who were eager to be included.
Power is easily abused and a leader has to be careful in how they choose to use it. Carroll was well aware that his use of power was negative but some leaders may not realize they are using it for selfish desires. All aspects have to be understood to ensure it used for the right reasons. Power is not just possessed by the leader alone. It is “a function of the leader, follower, and the situation,” (PSU WC, 2014, L. 7, p. 3). An effective leader will use their power to influence a group for good reasons. They will strive to motivate their followers to better themselves. They will also look beyond their own selfishness and allow themselves to be influenced by their followers.
Pennsylvania State University World Campus (2014). Lesson 7: Power and Influence. Retrieved from https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/su14/psych485/001/content/07_lesson/01_page.html
Williamson, Kevin. (2013). The Following. New York City: Outerbanks Entertainment.