The generalized sense of power is a psychological resource: Evidence from a disaster response field training exercise |
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| Authors: | Gary D. Sherman Selen Türkay Samuel T. Moulton Michael C. Friedman Negeen Darani Brian Daly Stephanie Kayden |
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| Affiliation: | 1. College of Business, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY, USA;2. Harvard Initiative for Learning and Teaching, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA;3. Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA;4. Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA |
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| Abstract: | We examined whether the generalized sense of power—the belief that one is able to influence others in one's various social relationships—serves as a psychological resource that enables leadership in high-stakes, unfamiliar group challenges, such as emergencies or crises. We studied current and prospective humanitarian aid professionals (N = 180) during a major field training exercise: a three-day, immersive simulated humanitarian crisis. Individuals who entered the simulated crisis with a greater sense of power in their social relationships experienced lower stress (anxiety), behaved more assertively, and left the simulation with a relatively heightened desire to lead, despite not being deemed better leaders by their teammates. Lacking an initial sense of power was associated with experiences (e.g., feeling timid) that undermined the desire to lead. These results suggest that the psychological sense of power is a key leadership resource, without which one may be at risk of self-selecting out of leadership. |
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| Keywords: | challenge motivation power psychological resource stress |
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