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The Power Paradox

How We Gain and Lose Influence

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About this listen

Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable, audiobook edition of The Power Paradox by Dacher Keltner, read by Kaleo Griffith.

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.

 Leadership Management & Leadership Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Social Psychology & Interactions

Critic reviews

Dacher Keltner is the most interesting psychologist in America. He's busy changing the minds of Americans about how power works, how inequality works. It's only a matter of time before his ideas spread everywhere. And unlike most psychologists I know, he's not a weirdo (Michael Lewis, author of 'The Big Short', 'Flash Boys', and 'Boomerang')
The Power Paradox brings clarity to our confusion, brimming with evidence-based insights into powerlessness, the selfish uses of power, and the best kind: power that furthers the greater good. Dacher Keltner's brilliant research gives us a lens that lets us see afresh hidden patterns in society, politics, and our own lives. No doubt this will be one of the most significant science books of the decade (Daniel Goleman, author of 'Emotional Intelligence' and 'A Force for Good: The Dalai Lama’s Vision for Our World')
Keltner shares insights into many aspects of power, including afternoon tea in Britain and how Lincoln won the presidency. His combination of academic sophistication and clear style delivers a new concept of power in our society today that is provocative and intriguing (Sheryl WuDunn, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of 'Half the Sky: How to Change the World')
That power is not taken but given is true for most human relations today. It has ancient roots in primate behavior. Dacher Keltner applies a lifetime of research to this topic, offering a lively description of how true power is like a return on a social investment in others (Frans de Waal, author of 'Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?')
With personal insight and the latest science, Keltner is both realistic and idealistic: The Power Paradox sheds light on human power's dark side, as well as its redeeming qualities. Everyone can learn from this wise book (Susan T. Fiske, Professor of Psychology at Princeton and author of 'Social Cognition')
All stars
Most relevant
Even though I'm very familiar with the experiments he introduced in the book, I really like how he explained it in a "paradox" way

Very interesting book

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It is a great book by a pioneer scientist who knows exactly what a good science means, which should be always directed towards the greater good of humanity. It is a highly recommended book to listen to.

Great and thoughtful

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The author is a Professor of Psychology and he repeatedly mentions science and his team at Berkeley when describing experiments to support his points.

As a caveat I don't know anything about social sciences and have not read any of the primary articles mentioned but as statements of fact were made here I was left wanting more information on the trial/experimental design and methodology etc.
I did find it amusing thinking of Berkeley students touching each others arms, or drawing letters on their heads, or stealing cookies and the generalisability of data from select Berkeley sororities to all of humanity.

As a medic myself, we regularly tear apart trials at weekly journal clubs at work and know the often limited value of observational data. The kindest thing I can say is that there is practically no science in here. That leaves us with an opinion piece, written at a very superficial level, for a general audience.

There were also a few plainly incorrect statements relating to anatomy and physiology, these were minor but added to the wishy-washy impression of vagueness and superficiality. More concerning was the fact I thought there was a hint of religious zeal and moralising within e.g. concerning wealth, infidelity and divorce - that may just be my own impression though.

A basic summary is "power, rambling list of words like sexism and discrimination, power, change the world, power, list of words, power, brief cherry-picked historical anecdote, change the world, power" etc. for 4 hours. I would actually like to see a word count for how many times the word power is used. If you listen at double time like I did it has a strangely hypnotic feel to it.

On the plus side it is short at around 4 hours, and because it's rambling and the arguments are paper-thin you can listen to it with half an ear while doing jobs around the house without affecting your enjoyment(?) too much. So it might be recommendable as a casual listen if you like reading light newspaper articles.

Also the overall message is that it's nice to be nice, a message I approve of.

Reads like a long Sunday newspaper article

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