Can Leaders Have Too Much Power? Fascinating Research

Can Leaders Have Too Much Power? The Balance of Power
Many think leaders have too much power.  Yet history has glorified many powerful leaders – on the battlefield, in the workplace, and in the political arena.  But there has recently been some fascinating published by the American Psychological Association that examines how leaders with too much power can negatively affect their team’s results.

This is a cautionary tale for both new and experienced managers.

Overbearing Leaders Can Decrease Productivity
Many used to think that a hard-driving boss could drive greater results.  The assumption was that a strong leader was required to improve the performance of their team.  And this can indeed be true – at least in the short-term.

But at what cost?

We know that mean, unfair, or overly demanding bosses create high turnover on their teams and do not engage their workers in a way that promotes high performance.  But we didn’t know that powerful, even well-meaning leaders can also diminish team performance.

What We’ve Learned When Leaders Have Too Much Power
It seems that when leaders have too much power that can stifle the creativity and productivity of their teams simply by virtue of being too dominant.  Here’s what can happen: a leader takes over a meeting and does not invite or encourage others to lend their thoughts or ideas.  Sometimes, they are simply so convinced that they know the answers that they “forget” that their team members might have even better solutions.

And the effect on the leader’s followers?

They are discouraged from weighing into a discussion they are bound to lose.  They feel like their opinions do not matter at work.

The Downside
Too much power in a leader can have even greater consequences than discouraging innovation.  Just think of a pilot who ignores the legitimate concerns of a co-pilot or a surgeon who does not listen to colleagues who notice a significant change in the patient’s condition.

The Cure
Let powerful leaders know that, if they want to fully engage and retain their team, they need to consistently and frequently take advantage of new, different, and perhaps better perspectives.  They need to genuinely and actively welcome input from their team.  It sounds simple, but it makes a big difference.

How Leaders Should Ask for Feedback
While powerful leaders may truly value and desire a culture of feedback, employees might be intimidated and hesitant about sharing alternative perspectives.  To increase your chances of soliciting honest input as a leader:

• Set the stage so people feel comfortable
• Be specific about the type of feedback you want
• Provide questions and context ahead of time so people have a chance to reflect and prepare
• Start with easy and less contentious topics to get the ball rolling
• Discuss the issues one-on-one with each person before your meeting to set the stage for an open discussion
• Proactively solicit dissent and different points of view
• Actively listen and pay attention to non-verbal cues
• Be open to all ideas and do not get defensive
• Take the feedback and input seriously

The Bottom Line
Can leaders have too much power?  Yes.  Leaders who want to increase the performance of their team need to balance their leadership power with some humility.  They need to slow down, listen to their audience, stop talking, and authentically elicit contributions from their team.  This is the way to keep the team engaged, foster full participation in the pursuit of the team goal, and avoid mistakes before they become too big to handle.

If you want to learn more about being a better leader, download 29 Ways to Build and Maintain Trust as a Leader