Have you heard the phrase, “Use your powers for good, not evil.”?
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I’ve said it before, mostly in jest. Good versus evil is a common movie and comic trope. It’s also a popular dichotomy in philosophy. But we don’t need to debate ethics, religion, or Marvel movies. In reality, it’s a pretty good mantra to live by. If we think about the idea in terms of our use of power, it implies we all have power. Even if we are following the leader, we have power. Followers can develop strong relationships and possess referent power. Some people have the power to reward or intimidate. Some are informal positions of authority, holding legitimate power, but that doesn’t make them leaders. As I work toward an Organizational Leadership degree and reflect on past experiences with leaders, either as a follower or in my own roles, this idea of “good versus evil” is a simple way to assess what kind of leader I want to be.
Considering we all have power and an ability to influence others, we must ask ourselves, how are we using our power? Evil may (hopefully) be extreme, but I don’t think good is the opposite of that extreme. Good is the standard. Northouse (2022) takes care to describe leadership as a moral process. Leaders influence others to “achieve a common good” (p. 15). In fact, it’s not just the ability; it is the responsibility of a leader to elicit values that are concerned with the collective good (p. 15). As I gain work experience, it is good practice to reflect on the uses of power I’ve experienced. It’s unfortunate that power dynamics are often realized because of the negative side or abuse of power. Evil? Maybe. You be the judge. Yet, each of my negative experiences has made me a more adaptable leader.
Early in my career, there was a pretty clear abuse of power that never sat right with me. I couldn’t articulate it at the time, but you know that feeling you get in your gut that signals, this isn’t ok? I’d heard rumors of the Operations Manager’s intimidation tactics but didn’t experience them until I became a manager in my early 20s. This person, we’ll call him Bob, had legitimate power; he was the boss, he had formal authority. Note that I didn’t call him a leader. Being the boss and being a leader are not always synonymous (Hughes, Ginnett, and Curphy, 1993, pp. 115-116). Bob was a boss, and he wanted you to know it. In one-on-one meetings, he was known for setting a baseball bat on the desk. A clear intimidation tactic.
We’ll pause here to clarify that “power is the capacity to cause change” (Hughes et al., 1993, p. 108). Bob had the capacity to direct employees in the way that he deemed fit because of his position. And he used his power to influence those of us who reported to him. He didn’t use his power for good. According to the sources of leader power, he had legitimate power, but rather than use that to reward, he used coercion and intimidation tactics. Often it is easy to see when someone is using their position to control others through fear. Putting a baseball bat on the desk is clearly a pressure tactic, using threats to influence subordinates (Hughes et al., 1993, p. 124). In combination with the legitimate tactic from his formal position of authority, Bob intimidated followers to play by his rules. He was the boss, he knew the right way to do our work, and he would make sure we did it his way. Bob never hit anyone. That would be a flagrant abuse of power. One that people would (and should) outrage people. The subtlety of his tactics is what makes this deceptive.
Of course, this use of hard tactics can backfire. One thing Bob failed to understand is that followers also possess power. Hughes et al. Remind us that followers can resist the use of legitimate power. One way is to only do our prescribed work (p. 116). In theory, that is great, but in practice, it is challenging, especially when fear and intimidation are at play. But, an understanding of the sources of power empowers everyone to make behavioral choices.
Understanding is half the battle. Working under different people, and eventually holding a formal position of authority and having my own employees, I noted good and Bob-like instances of using power. We can learn from others. We should learn from history. But, as stated above, good and evil aren’t always so clear. Yes, evil is a strong word, but there isn’t always a clear delineation between positive and damaging influences. So, it’s only fair at this point that I give an example of one of my own failings as a leader.
Being in a leadership position as a marketing manager, I oversaw a group of 6 creatives. I often gave company-wide updates in staff meetings about our projects. In one such gathering, I saw fit to praise one of my employees for her outstanding work. I gave credit to each member on the team, but I occasionally liked to highlight an individual. I thought I was a great leader, using what I thought was an inspirational appeal, hoping to galvanize the group. Instead, I brought attention to an employee who wasn’t too crazy about having all eyes on her. I’m fortunate that we had a good rapport and a strong relationship; referent power, according to Hughes et al. (p. 114). She came to me later that day and explained that she was grateful for the praise of her excellent work, but being called out publicly made her uncomfortable. I regretted that that hadn’t crossed my mind. I welcomed public praise, for better or for worse, and made a false assumption that everyone on my team did as well. I doled out a reward (praise) that I assumed was valuable. As Hughes et al. note, it would have been better to reward her in a way that she valued. Praise for her work in our weekly one-on-one meeting would have been a better use of my power as a leader.
Being that we’re discussing nuance, it’s vital at this point to question our motivations. Hughes et al. describe “motivations to manage” (1993, p. 122). There are slight differences and similarities in someone’s need for power and their motives. In the case of Bob, he clearly wanted to exercise his influence over others, differentiating himself from his subordinates. He was assertive, to an extreme. I’d heard rumors of him slamming the bat on the desk to make a point, although I luckily didn’t personally experience his ‘swing and a hit’ tactics. My motives, I thought, were pure. But they were a little selfish and undoubtedly naïve. I was highly grateful for the forthrightness of my employee. Now, I ask individuals on my team how they prefer to receive accolades. When using reward power, it’s essential to determine what’s available and what is valued by employees (Hughes et al., 1993, p. 117). I was fortunate as a marketing manager to be leading a small team. It takes time to develop relationships, but a smaller team afforded me more opportunities to truly understand what was important to each of them. From there, I could establish what was a fair reward for a job well done.
The idea of power is complex. It’s easy to think about the leader and follower relationship when it comes to uses of power. But when we throw the situation into the mix, things become less clear-cut. It isn’t just good versus evil or good versus bad. Reward power can be used for good, but it can also, as in my case, do a little damage. Legitimate power doesn’t always equate to leadership. And understanding our motives and need for power is essential to possess an awareness of our influencing tactics. I now dole out praise with discretion and know how to respectfully stand up for myself against intimidation tactics.
References
Hughes, R. L., Ginnett, R. C., & Curphy, G. J. (1993). Power and Influence. In Leadership: Enhancing the lessons of experience (pp. 107–131). Irwin.
Northouse, P. G. (2022). Leadership: theory and practice. (9th ed.). SAGE Publications.