By Joe Byerly
We often think of power as something that belongs to the person in charge. The corporate executive, political leader, or military commander is the one with all the power, right?
However, power rarely exists in isolation, it demands an inner circle, both formal and informal. The inner circle is made up of advisors, executive assistants, trusted confidants, and close friendships that orbit power’s gravitational pull. And just like the leader, they too can fall under its spell if they aren’t careful.
Proximity to power grants status, or rather “borrowed status”. The inner circle gains influence not necessarily because of their own merit, but because of their closeness to the decision-maker. They are invited into the room, given a seat at the table, and their voices carry weight. Over time, this borrowed status and the power that comes with it can start to feel like personal significance.
Everyone knows who has the boss’s ear.
As I’ve said before, power acts like a virus; it infects the inner circle just as much as it does the leader. If you aren’t intentional, you begin to let power seep into your ego. It doesn’t just magnify your strengths and flaws—it distorts your focus. Instead of shouldering the responsibility that comes with proximity to power, you become preoccupied with maintaining it. You stop thinking about how to guide power and start thinking about how to stay in its good graces.
This is where the real danger lies. The role of the inner circle isn’t to bask in power’s glow but to ensure that the one wielding it isn’t consumed by it. In many cases, the inner circle is the only force that can counter power’s dangerous intoxication. When an inner circle prioritizes status over stewardship, they fail not only the leader but the mission itself.
They polish bad news, making it sound better than it is.
They ignore the literal and metaphorical spinach in the leader’s teeth, choosing silence over honesty.
They defend their position at all costs, even when it means enabling poor decisions.
When this happens, power is left unchecked, and the consequences are inevitable. The only antidote is intentionality. Those in the inner circle must make a conscious commitment to serving power, not being seduced by it.
I spent over three years in the inner circles of power. It was a constant struggle to keep power’s influence at bay within me. I remember talking to a coworker about this in 2020, and she said something that has stuck with me:
“The closer you are to power, the less it’s about you. We have to keep reminding ourselves of this.”
She was right. The closer you are to power, the more you must focus on responsibility over entitlement. The status, the influence, the respect, it’s all borrowed. And while you have it, you must steward power with strong character rather than hoard it for personal gain.
To truly serve power, you must be willing to say and do things that could risk your seat at the table. Because if you don’t, you risk not only being destroyed by power, but also watching it consume the very person you are supposed to serve and protect.
Joe Byerly is the founder and director of From the Green Notebook and host of the podcast. He officially retired from the U.S. Army on August 31, 2024. If this post resonated with you or sparked any questions, feel free to reach out to him at Joe@fromthegreennotebook.com.
