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Power Intelligence:
Insights on Power and Leadership
How Flat Organizations Become Toxic
Six months into her new job, my client was frustrated, depressed, and debating whether to leave. It was a stark contrast to how she felt just six months earlier. At first, Alicia had jumped at the opportunity to be part of the marketing team at a dynamic and promising...
Don’t Fall for these 4 Traps of Expertise
Falling into the Trap of Expertise Last week I made a huge mistake. And in this case, huge is likely an understatement. Preparing to travel to Mumbai, I followed the wrong set of instructions on my visa form and found myself being turned away at the Indian border. So,...
5 Ways to Help Make it Safe to Speak Up
The reality of hierarchical social systems is that people hold deeply ingrained, taken-for-granted beliefs that it’s dangerous to speak up or disagree with those in power… It’s up to leaders to foster the climate of psychological safety required to overcome that...
The Surprising Truth About Feeling Powerless
“I sit here all day trying to persuade people to do the things they ought to have sense enough to do without my persuading them. ... That's all the powers of the President amount to.” Although this quotation is attributed to Harry Truman, any President...
Helping Leaders Manage in the #MeToo Era
Last week I was coaching Mike, a Senior Vice President, and someone known throughout his company as a diversity champion. He’s managed and mentored many women and minorities, and played a central role in advancing their careers. In the middle of our conversation, he...
3 Lessons We Learned About Power in 2018
The ugly side of power was on full display in 2018. In fact, it was a banner year for the misuse and abuse of power. We witnessed a parade of powerful men resign or being fired over sexual abuse and misconduct. We saw the popularity of the “strong man autocrat”...
Power Dynamics: Why the Open Door Isn’t
Several years ago I coached a leader and her team regarding insider-outsider power dynamics. They had hired two new team members and thought everything was going well. The new hires had great skills and good attitudes; they were easy to get along with and seemed to...
Power Perception: Seeing Through the Lens of Power
The hardest part of leadership is understanding that you are not what you are, but what you’re perceived to be by others. In the classic fable “The Emperor’s New Clothes” no one dares tell the King that he is naked, except for the lowest ranking person in the...
Building A Better Workplace Culture
Healthy workplace culture is vital to an organizations success. But whether in the form of subtle hostility or overt rudeness, sarcasm, gossip, or inappropriate jokes, incivility continues to be a major challenge in the workplace—and in society in general. Research on...
5 Ways to Cultivate Your Personal Power
When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everyone will respect you. –Lao Tzu As an executive coach, I’ve had plenty of experience helping clients deal with ineffective leadership in the form of an insecure boss. This isn’t just a boss...