Breaking News – Women Still Not Heard – How Odd

Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.  Great men are almost always bad men.
Lord Acton

Last Thursday and Friday night I spent almost all night in total excitement and bliss.  I was in bed for a lot of it.  I know where your mind is going – so stop!

Each year the Neuroleadership Institute holds a Summit that is usually held in New York City so most of my nights, because of the time difference, were spent glued to my computer in my bed watching the fabulous speakers talk about all thing’s leadership and neuroscience.  I was in bed so that I could doze in between sessions that were live streamed.  Gosh! I love new technology.  Of course, it would have been fabulous to be there physically and experience the social interaction along with the information. I did save myself the physical pain of that long-distance travel though.

One session I watched was called “The Promises and Perils of Power”. I was fascinated with the topic because I have written previously about power and leadership and questioned how women can sit in this space.

It was interesting to hear the latest neuroscience around power because the impact of power can be experienced by everyone.  It is not something that affects gender or culture.  It is to do with the dynamic of who is in charge and who is the follower ie who is in control and who isn’t. 

It turns out that Lord Acton’s view that power tends to corrupt is correct.

When we are in a position of control, we become more optimistic which can lower caution.  It can increase risk taking.  We can lose perspective becoming more goal oriented without considering the implications for the people around us.  There is a power amplification effect in that the people who aren’t in control (the followers) may be challenged to speak up around the people in control.

One speaker Adam Galinsky talked about the low power double-bind which he says is what women experience.  This is where you are stuck in the zone of conforming which means you don’t get noticed.  However, you know that if you do speak out you will be castigated and even ostracized.  This means it is a double-bind because you find you need to settle on not being noticed or being punished – a wonderful choice.

Galinsky pointed out that anyone can experience this double-bind when they are in a low-power position.  It is not gender specific.  I can relate to what he is saying because my former husband who was from Uruguay experienced this low power double-bind because he was poor with a rich boss.  My former husband was subjected to all sorts of bad behaviour from his boss and he couldn’t do anything about it because he was desperate for the job.  He needed to provide for his first family and jobs were scarce.

Even though I understand this power dynamic, my hackles still went up because I felt that Galinsky was missing the point in the gender space.  Women have been in the non-control space for thousands of years – historically back to the hunter and gather days.  This imbalance is totally embedded and enmeshed in human culture all around the world.  You cannot just dismiss it by saying it is a low power double-bind.  It’s almost like patting us on the head and saying Oh! Just get over it!  It’s like my mother saying to me “Boys will be boys!”. Yes, one rule for boys and a different rule for girls and that’s ok because this is how it is done here.  WTF  And, they wonder why we get angry .

Galinsky did say that there were barriers for women – yes huge barriers.  Thanks for that.  What are you doing about it!

As I’ve said many times, women need extra and special support to overcome the barriers that exist in society and men need to support and be empathetically silent for a change. I don’t know how many times I’m asked by men why we are so precious.  I just wish they could sit in the low power double-blind for the next 100 years and then ask that question.

Wow! Sorry this has become so heated.  Why am I apologising?

Another thought about Lord Acton’s quote about great men are almost always bad men.  Perhaps the low power double-bind is why some men think that women are open targets to bullying and sexual violence.  They have the power and we don’t!!  The wheel is turning though. Thank goodness.

Remember my Women’s Empowerment and Leadership Program is all about extra and special support so that, if you choose, you can sit in the power space too.  

The next program is on 8th and 9th November 2018.