By: Seraphina Quinn
What drives people to seek leadership roles? How do they handle the power that comes with these positions? These important questions are at the heart of Patricia McLagan’s timely and thought-provoking book, “The Shadow Side of Power: Lessons for Leaders (and Their Supporters).” In a recent interview, McLagan explained what inspired her to write the book, the main ideas in it, and the storytelling approach she used. Her short novel makes a compelling argument for why it is essential that appointed and elected leaders understand the deeper emotional energy that goes with the power of their role – and how it operates for good or ill.
McLagan wrote “The Shadow Side of Power” because of two big events: the 2007 financial crisis and recent political situations. She saw these events as problems of leadership, which made her want to explore the corrupting, the “shadow” sides of power. She draws on decades of work with top leaders in global businesses and governments and during transition years in South Africa. She has seen many leaders who were not conscious of or ready for the power their roles gave them. Her book tries to fix this problem by teaching both leaders and followers about the responsibilities and dangers of having official power.
Inspired by Dante’s “Divine Comedy,” McLagan uses a symbolic story to explore leadership power. Her fictional hero, Adderley, goes on a journey through seven circles of a metaphorical hell, facing different levels of leadership failures. Each level shows different ways leaders fail to use, misuse, or abuse power. This creates a story that is both compelling and educational. By using this symbolic approach, she discusses serious topics without being too preachy, making the book easy to read and thought-provoking.
McLagan identifies three types of power in her book: personal power, the power of the role, and the power attributed to followers. Personal power stems from personal qualities, including charisma, skills and knowledge. Appointed and elected roles have the amplified power of their official positions — power that often catches new leaders off guard. Lastly, there is the power attributed to leaders by followers. It draws on psychological factors and collective experiences that operate, often unconsciously, between leaders and followers. These can distort relationships and decision-making processes. Understanding these types of power is crucial for effective and trustworthy leadership and aware and responsible followership.
The book highlights seven ways leaders can fail, categorized into misuses and abuses of power. For instance, ignorance, short-sightedness, and cowardice are common misuses, while abusive disrespect and corruption are the most severe abuses. She explains that these power failures can have long-lasting impacts on institutions and individuals. For example, a corrupt leader can create toxic cultures that persist long after they leave or make business decisions that are personally beneficial but have consequences for the business, environment, public health, and the direction of society itself. The insight is that through their often vast institutional power, formal leaders can change the course of individual lives, institutions, and even history.
One of the most critical lessons in McLagan’s book is the importance of power awareness. Leaders must be conscious of and take responsibility for the role power they wield and its effects on their relationships and decisions. Followers, including employees and voters, also need to be aware of and understand their own reactions to power and be able to detect misuses and abuses in their current leaders or those they may choose. McLagan argues that heightened awareness can lead to better decision-making and healthier organizational and societal cultures.
While the qualities of good leaders transcend time, how they use these qualities changes with modern challenges. McLagan stresses that leaders should know when to act decisively and when to involve others in making decisions, especially in today’s complex and connected world. She argues for power awareness and six other “virtues” to redirect power’s shadow energy toward the light. Like Luke Skywalker’s saber in Star Wars, Harry Potter’s wand, and the ring in Lord of the Rings, power is a kind of electricity to be used, misused, or abused.
For those who want to become leaders, McLagan’s advice is simple: understand the power you will have and the shadows that come with it. Knowing the responsibilities and possible temptations to misuse or abuse their role power is crucial for being ethical, effective, and leaving a lasting legacy. Aspiring leaders should get ready for the special challenges and opportunities that the power of their roles and confronting their own shadow side will bring.
McLagan continues to support both leaders and followers through different projects. In addition to The Shadow Side of Power book, she created an app called SMARTInside: Brain Training HQ, which you can find in the Apple Store. This app is made to train the brain and improve learning. She also plans to write more about leadership, warning about its shadow sides and sharing her thoughts through articles and blog posts on her website, www.patriciamclagan.com.
“The Shadow Side of Power” gives a detailed and insightful look at how power affects appointed and elected leaders and their followers. McLagan mixes storytelling, real-world examples, mythology, and psychological insights to make this book useful for both current and future leaders – and their supporters. By looking at the darker sides of power, McLagan shows a way to have more ethical and effective leadership in today’s complicated world. For anyone who wants to learn more about the dynamics of power and leadership, McLagan’s book is a breakthrough read, especially in today’s fast-changing world.
Published by: Holy Minoza
