People in positions of power are often accused of being too power-hungry and not working in the public interest. I propose a superficial test to determine whether a person is too power-hungry, and this would be one of the criteria for hiring a person. Because it is not only the hard skills (knowledge, experience) that need to be assessed, but also what goes on in the head.
Power-hunger is a negative personal characteristic, even a very undesirable one, if one wants to work in a field where the task of maximizing the common good must be fulfilled. For example, politics, leadership positions, both in the public and private sectors. If the private sector cannot be influenced by society, then society has more say over the public sector.
This will be by way of example, but such a test can be adapted, refined and made the standard if a person wants to be in a leadership position. A person can mask his behavior, but it is difficult to hide what is going on in the mind.
Test
1) Personality assessment
What to do:
- Take the Dark Triad personality test and the Big Five personality test.
- Look for traits such as Machiavellianism, narcissism and politeness.
- Rate the answers in terms of how well they match these traits.
Scoring:
- Low relevance: 1-3
- Medium relevance: 4-7
- High relevance: 8-10
Impact:
- Positive: Moderate levels may indicate confidence and determination.
- Negative: High levels indicate manipulative or exploitative tendencies.
2) Uzvedības rādītāji
What to do:
- Observe behavior in a group or in leadership roles and analyze such behavior:
- Rivalry (e.g. not valuing the participation of others).
- Manipulation (e.g. using others for personal gain).
- Challenges to authority (e.g. frequent defiance of leadership).
Scoring:
- Rare behavior: 1-3
- Infrequent behavior: 4-7
- Frequent behavior: 8-10
Impact:
- Positive: Confidence can contribute to leadership success.
- Negative: Excessive competitiveness or manipulative behavior damages relationships and trust.
3) Motivācijas izpēte
What to do:
- Ask the following questions:
- “What motivates you to lead?”
- “How important is control over others?”
- Rate the answers based on the degree to which power is emphasized and cooperation is emphasized.
Scoring:
- Motivation for cooperation: 1-3
- Balanced motivation: 4-7
- Power-oriented motivation: 8-10
Impact:
- Positive: A healthy balance promotes effective leadership.
- Negative: Obsession with control can alienate others.
4) Ētisku lēmumu pieņemšanas scenāriji
What to do:
- Consider the following dilemmas:
- “You can either promote justice or get more power – which would you choose?”
- Evaluate the choice based on whether power is more important than ethics.
Scoring:
- Ethical choice: 1-3
- Mixed choice: 4-7
- Choice based on power: 8-10
Impact:
- Positive: Ethical behavior builds trust and reputation.
- Negative: Power at any cost undermines unity.
5) Vēsturiskās uzvedības analīze
What to do:
- Review past decisions and actions as a manager:
- Look for instances of resource abuse, unfair treatment or excessive centralization of power.
Scoring:
- Not practically relevant: 1-3
- Some actions relevant: 4-7
- Practically always relevant: 8-10
Impact:
- Positive: Balanced actions reflect a strong leader.
- Negative: Persistent greedy tendencies are detrimental to long-term effectiveness.
Results
Add up the points from all five categories (maximum 50 points).
If the total exceeds 35, the person is likely to be overly power-seeking and may not be able to function effectively in a role where the emphasis is on cooperation and the common good.