Last posting, Pay Attention, I talked a bit about the need to Pay Attention to the important things going on around you…to avoid tunnel vision. Since writing that note it occurred to me that I really need to mention another issue that is closely related: the blindness of power.
Power seems to lead to a feeling of omnipotence and omniscience…and to a closing off of the ability to Pay Attention and notice what’s really happening around you. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely is not just an old saying without basis in fact. It turns out that current research shows why this happens…it’s your hormones.
According to Dana Carney of Columbia University, acquiring power causes people to generate more testosterone, a hormone associated with aggression and risk taking. At the same time it decreases cortisol, a hormone generated in response to stress. “Having power changes you physiologically, reducing your body’s internal feedback that tells you which actions are good or bad. Power temporarily intoxicates you.”
So it turns out that you need to Pay Attention not only to be on top of changing conditions around you, you also need to Pay Attention to your own inner workings. You need to guard against tunnel vision, guard against the power of your hormones, guard against the unwillingness of others to challenge power. You need to seek out diversity.
Travel widely…to places regular people go, seek out dissenting opinion…and listen, value facts and knowledge over opinion and emotion. Expand your horizons always…and continually do self appraisal. You’ll be better for it…and so will all those around you.
Julius Caesar