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."