The corrupting influence of even a modicum of power

Product & Experience

In 1998, Keltner and his team had small groups of three volunteers come into their lab. One was randomly assigned to be the group leader and they were all given a dull task to complete. Presently, an assistant brought in a plate containing five cookies for the group to share. All groups left one cookie on the plate (a golden rule of etiquette), but in almost every case the fourth cookie was scarfed down by the leader. What’s more, one of Keltner’s doctoral students noticed that the leaders also seemed to be messier eaters. Replaying the videos, it became clear that these ‘cookie monsters’ more often ate with their mouths open, ate more noisily and sprayed more crumbs on their shirts. Maybe this sounds like your boss?

Power does not always arrive in a limousine. Sometimes it arrives on Teams with “Host” beside your name and five biscuits on a plate.

That is what makes this experiment delicious. Nobody became a dictator. One person was randomly called leader and promptly became likelier to take the spare cookie, chew noisily and decorate their shirt with crumbs. Give a human an inch of status and apparently the biscuit hierarchy sorts itself out.

We prefer stories of corruption with suitcases of cash because they let ordinary power off the hook. The everyday version is duller and therefore more dangerous. The senior person’s diary becomes sacred. Everyone else’s afternoon becomes movable. Their interruption is urgency; yours is poor discipline. Their pet idea gets “explored”. Yours needs a business case.

Then the feedback deteriorates. Yesterday, a stupid suggestion earned “that’s stupid”. Today it earns thoughtful faces, a follow-up chat without the boss and an email beginning “Just one small consideration…” Less contradiction feels uncannily like improved judgement.

I once heard a newly promoted manager say, “My door is always open,” from behind a door requiring two assistants and a calendar request. He probably meant it. That is the problem. Power rarely feels like power to the person enjoying it. It feels like other people finally becoming sensible.

Want a cheap diagnostic? Notice who speaks first, who can cancel at short notice, whose bad joke gets a second laugh and who takes biscuit number four.

Forget the leadership values poster. Watch the plate.