How are bosses doing right now in relation to how they use their power with their teams?
One recent study reviewing European work experience showed that work autonomy had been in decline for 15 years for all skill levels and that this trend threatened basic human needs and erodes civil behaviour. And by the way, work autonomy is near the top of the list of things that help us have a sense of well-being at work!
At the same time the US based Gallop organisation asserts that about 70% of us are either not engaged, or are actively disengaged, at work and the number one influencing factor in that disengagement is working with our direct boss.
As a result, we sometimes whinge about our bosses over drinks with friends or family and share stories and examples of the rude, inappropriate, cowardly, indiscrete and indulgent things they said or did. We are in fact swapping stories of misuse of power, and struggling with subtle, or not-so-subtle authoritarianism at work.
The global trend
To help us understand the global trend toward disengagement, it helps to look even more widely and see the context in which managers are working. That context is one of increased authoritarianism, decreased democracy, and centralisation of power. According to Freedom House, the number of free countries around the world has been in steady decline since 2006, and many of us who live in democratic countries are noticing a most concerning erosion of our democratic rights. In 2020, a total of 18 countries suffered decline in their democracy scores, while only six improved. This marked the 17th consecutive year of overall decline of democracy and the lowest number of countries designated as democracies for well over a decade.
So perhaps we ought not to be surprised when this global trend is reproduced in our businesses. Management academics from all over the world have acknowledged that while they have been busy researching how to help businesses flourish, the businesses themselves have been becoming more authoritarian. While there are notable exceptions, we cannot deny that the overall trend within organisations is for power to be more centralised.
Your local manager
At the same time, power misuse is not just with world leaders or CEOs of multinationals, it is with our managers who, in this age of increased authority and control, need to be supported and challenged on how to be appropriately democratic.
The problems caused by the poor use of power in the workplace are too important to dodge. I would propose that occupying the role of manager obligates you to actively work with your core beliefs, and your private patterns of feeling, thinking and doing. If you do not do this work, you are likely to unwittingly become part of the global trend toward using power in uncivil, abusive or even inhumane ways.
Anyone who assumes a role with authority has a responsibility to live an examined life.
In that examined life, fears and anxieties are reflected upon and behaviour is honestly and bravely reviewed. New behavioural possibilities can emerge from that examination. Out of that examined life, leaders can transform how they personally use power and lead, and also set up teams to use power well with each other.
You can buck the trend as a manager!
Stay tuned for practical ways to do just that.
Dr. Paul Donovan
