Sharing Power: Why It Requires Deep Personal Change
"Sharing power always means that someone has to let go of control, and
someone has to accept more responsibility. Power is a major variable
around which our self-world relationship is formed. Some people maintain
a sense of personal safety and worth by having power; others establish
their identity by giving their power in exchange for protection and
belonging. Our relationship with power is a big part of how we create
our sense of identity.
Our approaches to change are far too casual about both asking managers
to let go of control and assuming that others will want increased
responsibility. When we redistribute power, we ask people to reconstruct
themselves—and that requires deep personal change."
