Dacher Keltner

A concise, paradigm-shifting account of the power dynamics that shape everyday life - from the board room to the dinner table, the playground to the bedroom. The Machiavellian view of power as a coercive force is one of the deepest currents in our culture, yet new psychological research reveals this vision to be dead wrong. Influence is gained instead through social intelligence and empathy - but ironically the seductions of power make us lose the very qualities that made us powerful in the first place. By drawing on fascinating case studies that debunk longstanding myths, Dacher Keltner illuminates this 'power paradox', revealing how it shapes not just boardrooms and elections but everyday relationships, and affects whether or not we will have an affair, break the law or find our purpose in life

How We Gain and Lose Influence

The Power Paradox

Robin Collin

A revolutionary rethinking of everything we know about power It shapes every interaction we have, whether we're trying to get a two-year-old to eat green vegetables or ask for a promotion at work. But how do we really gain power? And what does it do to us? As renowned psychologist Dacher Keltner reveals, the new science of power shows that our Machiavellian view of status is wrong. Influence comes not to those who are ruthless, but to those with socially intelligence and empathy. Yet, ironically, the seductions of success lead us to lose those very qualities that made us powerful in the first place. Keltner draws on fascinating case studies to illuminate this 'power paradox', revealing how it shapes not just companies and elections but everyday relationships. As his myth-busting research shows, power - and powerlessness - distorts our behaviour, affecting whether or not we will have an affair, break the law, drive recklessly or find our purpose in life. In twenty original 'power principles', Keltner shows how we can retain power by maintaining a focus on others. By redefining power as the ability to do good, The Power Paradox turns everything we know about influence, status and inequality upside down.

I bought this book around 5 months ago. It was on my 'to read' for years and I wish I would've read it earlier. The power paradox is a very simple -yet powerful - ideal, which is: True power requires modesty and empathy, not force and coercion. But what people want from leaders—social intelligence—is what is damaged by the experience of power.

I'll just focus my comments on the last part of the book which is fascinating and corroborates some educated guess I've had throughout my life: powerful people tend to be more impulsive, selfish and break the rules. People with no power, tend to be physically and mentally ill, they are vulnerable and ultimately they live shorter lives - not because they are lazy and comfortable living on state help - but because their environment, constant stress, lack of better prospects in the future or external encouragement + support leads to mental agony and later on, physical deterioration.

A very powerful reading on human psychology. Lots to learn and absorb, around respect, empathy, helping each other and being self aware.

Cristian Garcia

I bought this book around 5 months ago. It was on my 'to read' for years and I wish I would've read it earlier. The power paradox is a very simple -yet powerful - ideal, which is: True power requires modesty and empathy, not force and coercion. But what people want from leaders—social intelligence—is what is damaged by the experience of power.

I'll just focus my comments on the last part of the book which is fascinating and corroborates some educated guess I've had throughout my life: powerful people tend to be more impulsive, selfish and break the rules. People with no power, tend to be physically and mentally ill, they are vulnerable and ultimately they live shorter lives - not because they are lazy and comfortable living on state help - but because their environment, constant stress, lack of better prospects in the future or external encouragement + support leads to mental agony and later on, physical deterioration.

A very powerful reading on human psychology. Lots to learn and absorb, around respect, empathy, helping each other and being self aware.

The Power Paradox How We Gain and Lose Influence

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