By Michaela Bránová
The Complex Power Dynamics Every Leader Must Navigate
There are various types of power we, as human beings in the workplace, possess. Every time we meet someone, we unconsciously compare ourselves to them. We evaluate whether we are experiencing a so-called high or low rank. It’s a complex dynamic consisting of different factors — hierarchical or positional power is just one of many.
Leaders Feel Powerless Too
Leaders may hold hierarchical power, but they can feel hopeless at times. When they don’t have buy-in from their teams or when others don’t listen, their psychological rank can drop significantly. They may feel inadequate, unworthy, or incompetent, despite their formal authority.
Beyond Hierarchical Power
As a student of process-oriented psychology and a psychotherapist trainee, I once made a C-suite executive visibly uncomfortable. During a meeting, I mentioned I had been attending a processwork module. The executive asked what that meant, and when I explained, they responded: “So it means you know what’s inside my head?” — their expression shifting. In that moment, the power dynamic changed instantly. And that’s the nature of power — it fluctuates in an instant, especially when it comes to psychological power.
How Leaders Can Bridge Power Gaps
To lead effectively, leaders need to know what’s happening in their departments. But for that to happen, people must feel safe enough to share openly. Creating this kind of culture takes extra effort. Employees often have the tendency to comfort their managers or tell them only what they think they want to hear. But this can lead to blind spots, leaving leaders without the critical information they need to make the right decisions.
That’s why leaders must understand and actively manage power dynamics in the workplace.
Types of Rank
In Sitting in the Fire: Large Group Transformation Using Conflict and Diversity, Arnold Mindell describes different types of rank that influence our interactions:
Social Rank — This is one of the most sensitive types of power because we often have little control over it. It’s determined by factors like race, nationality, age, gender, religious beliefs, socio-economic status, and romantic orientation.
Contextual Rank — Power shifts based on context. A leader in an organization has power due to hierarchy, but that power doesn’t necessarily exist outside of that setting. The same applies to community leaders, property owners, or anyone whose authority is tied to a specific environment.
Psychological Rank — This is about awareness — how attuned we are to power dynamics in a given situation, especially when we hold a higher rank. Deep self-awareness and experience working with people therapeutically provide psychological insight. However, even then, we don’t actually know what’s in someone else’s head. 🙂
Spiritual Rank — This is rooted in strong beliefs and convictions. Social activists often have high spiritual rank because their cause is deeply anchored in them. People who have overcome significant challenges in life may also develop strong internal resilience. It’s not just about meditation — though that helps too!
In every interaction, we experience a combination of these ranks, making power a fluid and complex dynamic.
The Unseen Battle of Social Rank
I recently attended a meeting with C-suite executives and Senior VPs. All of them were older, white, heterosexual men. The CEO asked me a question on a topic I wasn’t familiar with and that wasn’t even relevant to my role. I did my best to answer, but he interrupted, saying he didn’t understand me. I tried again. He looked at me blankly. I asked whether I was answering his question, as he seemed confused. He repeated: “I don’t understand.”
At that moment, I felt worthless. I stopped speaking for the rest of the meeting. My hierarchical and social rank felt painfully low. But when I later recognized the power dynamics at play, I felt relief. It was a difficult situation, but understanding what happened helped me make sense of my experience.
We often fail to recognize our high rank — when we feel good, we don’t necessarily connect that feeling to power. The leaders in that meeting likely weren’t aware of their own power. But their unawareness had a real impact: I felt small, despite knowing that I’m valued in my company.
Recognizing and Addressing Power Blind Spots
One of the biggest challenges with power is blind spots — moments when we fail to recognize our own privilege or the impact of our actions on others.
For example:
- If I’m a native speaker, I might overlook how difficult it is for non-native speakers to express themselves in high-stakes situations. Language barriers can make people feel incompetent, even when they are highly capable.
- If my workplace has a dominantly Czech culture, I might not realize how it feels for colleagues from different countries to integrate.
- If I lead people from hierarchical cultures, I need to be aware that they may struggle to speak up when something goes wrong or to give honest feedback.
Power awareness isn’t about guilt — it’s about creating a space where everyone can contribute fully.
Deep Democracy: A Path to Inclusive Leadership
Deep democracy is about acknowledging all voices, all roles, all perspectives. It’s the understanding that within me, I’m not just myself — I’m also the entitled, cis-heterosexual executive in his 50s, and I’m also the Ukrainian colleague working from a war zone. These aren’t just external roles; they exist within the collective field of human experience.
Some voices speak loudly, while others remain silent. But even the silent ones carry wisdom — people in lower rank positions often hold insights that those in power might never consider.
The goal isn’t to always feel powerful. The goal is to be open to everything present — to approach power dynamics with curiosity, compassion, and care. When we acknowledge the full spectrum of experiences, we create workplaces where everyone can thrive.
Final Thoughts
Power is always present in our interactions, whether we realize it or not. Understanding power dynamics makes us more effective leaders, colleagues, and human beings.
When we become aware of power, we can:
- Recognize our own privilege and blind spots.
- Create safer spaces for open conversations.
- Empower those with lower rank to share their voices.
- Foster workplaces built on trust, rather than silent struggles.
The real power lies in awareness, adaptability, and inclusion. That’s where true leadership begins.
