Speaking Truth About Power
Michelle saw a news item recently suggesting that the infamous Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station might be resurrected. Evidently, the additional capacity it would provide is needed to meet rising power demands from AI data centers in the local area.
Pennsylvania is probably a logical place for such data centers. After all, it’s the fifth most populous state in the U.S. My home state of Mississippi might seem a much less likely site, so you might be surprised to learn that there are at least three major data centers—either planned or already under construction—within easy driving distance of our community. We’re talking nearly $30 billion worth of data center investment.
Michelle wondered out loud what the longer-term implications might be for our local power grid. It’s a fair question.
And it’s the kind of question leaders should be asking—about power, capacity, and the unintended consequences of growth.
“We Need More Power, Scotty!”
Visionaries fascinate me.
I don’t have a great imagination. I’m a realist. I tend to deal more in what is than what could be. I suppose I have some capacity to envision the future—we all do, to a certain extent, or else we wouldn’t be motivated to work today to make tomorrow better.
Still, it blows my feeble little mind to consider the kind of creativity required to imagine entire worlds that don’t yet exist.
As a kid, the TV show Star Trek captivated me—specifically the original series with Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock. It was in syndication by the time I came along and aired in the afternoons after school. Nearly every episode featured some crisis, and seemingly more often than not, Captain Kirk would plead with Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott for “more power!” to get them out of it.
We haven’t fully realized Gene Roddenberry’s vision of the future. We don’t have starships exploring the galaxy or seeking out new civilizations—at least not in 2026.
But we have realized many aspects of that imagined future. Star Trek broke ground in racial tolerance, both symbolically (Mr. Spock serving as a respected officer despite being Vulcan) and explicitly (Captain Kirk and Lieutenant Uhura sharing one of the first interracial kisses on network television). We now have video conferencing and talking computers. “Communicators” became smartphones. “Replicators” became 3D printers.
And one other thing from the Star Trek universe has clearly come to pass:
Our constant need for more power.
Is Power the Measure of Civilization?
Another visionary whose ideas feel increasingly relevant today is Nicolai Kardashev. Coincidentally, Kardashev was a contemporary of Roddenberry. In 1964—the same year Star Trek debuted—Kardashev proposed a method for measuring a civilization’s level of technological advancement based on the amount of energy it is capable of harnessing and using.
By that measure, we Earthlings are still quite primitive. We haven’t even figured out how to fully access all the available energy on our own planet. One estimate places us around 0.7 on the Kardashev scale, which extends up to a hypothetical Type III civilization—one capable of capturing all the energy produced by an entire galaxy.
How might such a civilization harness star power? One idea is the Dyson sphere: a hypothetical structure of almost inconceivable proportions that would surround a star and capture nearly all of its energy. The concept was introduced by author Olaf Stapledon in 1937—long before Roddenberry imagined warp drive.
Measuring civilizations by their ability to harness energy raises an uncomfortable question for leaders:
If power equals progress, how do we keep the pursuit of power from becoming obsession?
“Power Wears Out Those Who Do Not Have It”
That quote is attributed to former Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti, though I know it best from The Godfather Part III. In the movie, Michael Corleone’s bodyguard delivers the line as he assassinates a traitor.
The irony is striking. The quote captures not only the toll the powerful exact on the powerless, but also how the powerful exhaust themselves in the endless pursuit of even more power.
More power. Always more power.
We need more computing power for technological advancement. Then we need more electrical power to support massive server farms. And that’s before we even consider the power human beings seek to exert over one another.
Leaders need power to protect people and get important things done. But too many leaders develop an unhealthy obsession with accumulating it.
Whether it’s electrical power, computing power, or positional power, the pattern is the same: more is never enough.
And it’s wearing us out.
We’re weary from the pursuit of power.
We’re debilitated by our dependence on it.
We’re desensitized by its constant seepage into nearly every aspect of our lives.
And we’re dehumanized when we substitute it for real human connection.
The Solution?
If you’re a leader who feels worn out by the weight of power, here are three ways to reconnect and reset.
Power down
This one is simple—but not easy.
Our devices are engineered to monopolize our attention. When I was a kid, my mom loved to read. When she was engrossed in a book, it could be hard to get her attention.
But paper books can’t compete with modern devices. If we don’t intentionally stop, we’ll spend far more time scrolling than we ever intended.
Make a conscious decision to disconnect from your devices from time to time. Decide how long, and do whatever it takes to protect that time. Power them down. Leave them in another room. Silence notifications. Use airplane mode.
You may find that periodic “cleanses” like this lower your stress levels and improve your mental health.
Share your power
Leadership is heavy. No one can—or should—carry it alone.
Delegate. Intentionally empower others to help shoulder the load.
Done poorly, delegation creates frustration. Done well, it multiplies leadership. A few guiding principles:
Understand what delegation is. It’s not dumping tasks. It’s entrusting authority and granting autonomy.
Choose the right person. Trust matters. So does alignment between skills and responsibility.
Fully explain the assignment. Provide context, not just instructions.
Describe what success looks like. Define outcomes so they know when they’ve won.
Pledge your trust and support. Let them know why you chose them and that you’re available if needed.
Occasionally choose powerlessness
Even the most capable leaders need breaks from leading.
You’re never fully “off duty” as a leader—people are always watching. So intentionally place yourself in environments where you are not in charge.
Volunteer somewhere you won’t be asked to lead. Serve. Follow.
Or spend time with kids—and let them lead. Play what they want. Resist the urge to optimize or redirect.
You may find that stepping out of your leadership role, even briefly, renews the energy you’ll need when you inevitably step back into it.
Final Thoughts
Power is necessary—for technological progress and for effective leadership. Used wisely and with the right motives, it can be a force for good. Unchecked, it can do real harm.
Leaders shouldn’t hesitate to use power when appropriate. What’s the point of having it if you never do? But they must remain aware of the responsibility that comes with it.
In a world obsessed with more—more data, more speed, more influence—perhaps the most human leadership choice is knowing when enough is enough.
Power down.
Share your power.
And occasionally, choose powerlessness.
