CM 048: Dacher Keltner on the Power Paradox

Is there a secret to lasting power? Yes, and Dacher Keltner has been teaching leaders about it for decades. And the secret is not the ruthless, manipulative approach associated with 15th-century politician and writer Niccolo Machiavelli. It is actually the opposite. As a University of California, Berkeley, Professor of Psychology, and Founder and Director of the Greater Good Science Center, Dacher Keltner shares research-based insights he has gained. And in his latest book, The Power Paradox: How We Gain and Lose Influence, he discusses a new science of power and 20 guiding power principles. In this interview, we talk about: How the legacy of Niccolo Machiavelli continues to inform power Why power is about so much more than dominance, manipulation, and ruthlessness Why we need to question a coercive model of power The short- versus long-term impact of different kinds of power Why power is about lifting others up Why lasting power is given, not grabbed The important role that reputation, gossip and esteem play in who gains power How, within days, group members already know who holds the power What makes for enduring power How our body language and words speak volumes about power Why Abraham Lincoln is a fascinating study of empathetic power The fact that great and powerful leaders are incredible storytellers How feeling powerful makes us less aware of risk How feeling powerful makes us less empathetic, attentive and responsive to others How feeling powerful actually overrides the part of our brain that signals empathy How drivers of more expensive cars (46 percent) tend to ignore pedestrians How powerful people often tell themselves stories to justify hierarchies The price we pay for powerlessness Concrete ways we can cultivate enduring, empathetic power Gender and power Why the key to parenting is to empower children to have a voice in the world Episode Links Dacher Keltner Greater Good Science Center Frans de Waal The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli Thomas Clarkson and the abolition movement Why Civil Resistance Works by Erica Chenoweth and Maria J. Stephan House of Cards The 100-Year Life by Lynda Gratton and Andrew Scott What Works by Iris Bohnet Arturo Behar and Facebook Greater Good in Action Science of Happiness course on edX If you enjoy the podcast, please rate and review it on iTunes. For automatic delivery of new episodes, be sure to subscribe. As always, thanks for listening!