by Canyon

 

Stories of Power

 

Leaders are mythologists; they tell stories to those they lead. Politicians tell stories of strength, stability, sincerity, suspicion and supremacy. CEOs relate stories of success, stories of fidelity or change, and stories of corporate responsibility. Spiritual leaders offer a tapestry of tales that weave together history, faith, relationship and purpose. Any leader can author any story for the group he or she leads. These stories may be consciously chosen or they may be shared without awareness. Stories told responsibly are the ones with the most power.

 

The Spiral of Leadership (see this column in the Spring 2008 edition of Between the Worlds) clarifies that a leader’s authority – his authorship of a story about himself, the group, or its values, agreements and directions – results in more power for him as a member of the group. My willingness to stand and deliver my point of view increases the power others grant me. And the Spiral of Leadership also demonstrates that one outcome of my increased power will be the greater impact of my words and actions on the group. When I have power, whatever story I tell is more influential than the stories told by others.

 

A leader can use her power of impact for good or for ill within a group. But she will only maintain her power and authority if she takes responsibility when her impact brings hurt or harm to others. This is true because, just as leaders tell stories to the group, groups also tell stories about their leaders. As the model of the Four Levels of Reality indicates, Physical Reality quickly transforms into Mythic Reality (see p. XX). A momentary experience of the leader’s focused attention turns into the story that “She really cares about us.” A moment in which she seems over-familiar with a group member of high status blossoms into a story that “She is sucking up to the top dog.” Negative stories most often arise from situations in which a leader doesn’t act responsibly after a hurtful impact occurs. The stories born out of the Emotional and Mythic Realities of the one who was hurt can spread like wildfire.

 

More than 20 years ago, when I knew nothing about either the Spiral of Leadership or the Four Levels of Reality, I lived an example of mythology-run-amok in community. I volunteered at a local community center, co-facilitating a group of women attempting to recover from various manifestations of addiction. I set up the ground rules and guidelines for the group’s operation along with my fellow leader, “Lauren”. We brought resources to the group and took turns leading meetings. The group saw us both as authorities on recovery. We had power. Our words and actions had enhanced the level of our impact.

 

One evening, Lauren questioned the sincerity of a group member’s desire to quit drinking, pointing out that this woman offered a lot of “excuses” and “rationalizations” for continuing to abuse alcohol. Not only did Lauren’s words have an immediately hurtful impact on that group member, but they also negatively impacted the overall feeling of safety in the group. Because of Lauren’s power as a group leader, her words instantly set a new precedent. Every woman now feared that, at any future meeting, someone might say something similar to her. Essentially, Lauren had authored a new story for this support group: “support” includes criticism and confrontation.

 

 

My personal shame is that I bought into that mythology as well. Without fully understanding what had happened, and with no knowledge of how to bring a better resolution to the situation, I avoided becoming a fellow target by joining the negative story about Lauren. Unable to directly address the situation with her, I told her that I no longer had time to give to the group. Although we had been friends when we started the group, I let the community story of her as a leader become my general story about her: she was dangerous and I didn’t want to be friends with her any more.