Power and Loneliness

Both power and loneliness are studied extensively in the social sciences, yet few researchers have examined the relationship between the two. So my colleagues and I conducted eight studies to do exactly that, finding evidence that it’s not quite as lonely at the top as most of us assume. In our research, attaining power actually led people to feel less isolated from others, and lacking it led them to feel more isolated.

While debunking conventional wisdom can be satisfying, it’s important to think about the limits of these conclusions. Consider this comment by Thomas J. Saporito, chair and CEO of the leadership consulting firm RHR International: “I’ve spoken with 200 plus CEOs, [and] there are precious few that didn’t, in the privacy of our discussions, talk about loneliness.” Saporito’s observation syncs up with polling data by Harris Interactive Service Bureau...