Power Intelligence:

Insights on Power and Leadership
The Slippery Slope

The Slippery Slope

I’m not hurting anyone. Everyone does it. Anyway, what others do is so much worse. No one is going to notice. What’s the big deal, anyway?

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Play for the Name on the Front of the Jersey

Play for the Name on the Front of the Jersey

He didn’t seem at all daunted by the task ahead of him. The country was still reeling from the attacks of 9/11, embroiled in a disastrous war, the economy rocked by some of the worst business scandals in U.S. history, and growing corrosive partisanship, dividing the country. 

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Checks and Balances

Checks and Balances

It took me over a month to open a new checking account at my local bank. It’s been years since I opened a bank account, and I was frustrated by what seemed to be excessive paperwork. At one point, the bank associate asked me whether I was a “politically exposed person.”

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Myth of Meritocracy

Myth of Meritocracy

If you grew up in America, drummed into your head from an early age was the principle that “anyone can become President.”  That’s shorthand for one of the pillars of democracy: meritocracy. 

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The Price You Pay

The Price You Pay

Politicians play it safe. They pander to their base. Promise the sky. Cater to lobbyists. Just to stay in power. 

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Learning is a Drop in Rank

Learning is a Drop in Rank

Becoming an expert in your field is the culmination of years of learning. But there's a danger. The very expertise you sought now threatens your ability to learn. The real test of learning happens after you’ve attained expertise. Because it’s harder to be a beginner...

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Bullying Up

Bullying Up

Mocking the powerful is fair game. When someone has power, making fun of them is ok because they deserve it. And nothing bad happens to them. They may get their feelings hurt, but that's all. Or is it?  Consider this Julia Gillard, the first female Prime Minister of...

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