Would you call yourself a powerful person? 

Do you trust yourself with power? Does owning your power feel a bit like holding a hot potato?

The many ways we learn about power–often by having it taken away from us, seeing it taken away from others, or seeing people go to great lengths to take and keep power, no matter the cost or casualties–understandably influence our understanding of power for the worse. 

We have benefitted from many pioneering scholars and social justice leaders who deeply embraced their personal power in the face of systemic abuses. These leaders saw personal power as a birthright and generative, not as something to fear.

Owning your power can feel liberating. It’s liberating to no longer live from a burdened sense that we are flawed for doubting ourselves or that we are in deficit because we feel shut down and stuck in our pain and the pain around us..

Today’s guest has a lens on power that runs contrary to what many of us have been taught about. She believes that personal power is not something to gain but something you already have and intrinsic to who you are. She sees power itself as neutral. 

Dr. Cedar Barstow has a long-time devotion to helping people own and use their power wisely and well.  Her book, Right Use of Power: The Heart of Ethics and engaging courses are offered through the Right Use of Power Institute.  In addition to being founder of Right Use of Power Institute, Cedar’s background includes being a Hakomi Mindful Somatic Therapy trainer and therapist, and an ethics consultant.  She lives with her husband, Dr. Reynold Feldman, in Boulder, Colorado.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• Why leaders need understand the overlap of ethics and power
• Breaking down the definitions of power and ethics and how they impact our relationships
• Why Dr. Barstow believes we need to focus on our own personal power
• The potential consequences of trying too hard to flatten role power and why we need to reconsider hierarchy as a neutral tool
• The impacts of status, collective, and systemic power
• What the 150% principle teaches us about managing conflicts and grievances
• How the spiral down process can help us productively reflect on conflict 

Learn more about Dr. Cedar Barstow:

• Right Use of Power Institute
• Right Use of Power: The Heart of Ethics: A Guide and Resource for Professional Relationships

Learn more about Rebecca:

• rebeccaching.com
• Work With Rebecca
• Sign up for the weekly Unburdened Leader Email

Resources:

• Confidence Culture, Shani Orgad and Rosalind Gill
• See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love Valarie Kaur
• EP 70: Getting out of Shame and Into Power with Kelly Diels
• The Covenant of Water, Abraham Verghese
• Transatlantic
• Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.