Welcome to The Power Mesh
Do you feel caught in a swirl of political, social, and economic forces that seem out of your control—knowing they’re shaping your life but unsure how to influence them?
You’re not alone.
Whether as an elected or appointed leader, a voter, an employee, an entrepreneur or a member of the public, you’re part of something bigger: The Power Mesh.
This isn’t just about politics. It’s about how power operates in situations where leaders have more authority and institutional power than those they lead. These unbalanced power relationships shape our lives in moments of decision, in executive suites and meeting rooms, the Oval Office, the halls of Congress, as well as in social media threads and workplace conversations.
Maybe you’re a leader navigating stakeholder pressures while trying to stay true to your values. Maybe you’re watching institutions you once trusted start to crumble— leaving a vacuum where power can either be abused or used to build something better. Maybe you’re just trying to make sense of all the chaos—and figure out what you can do.
We are all living through what feels like a 9.5-magnitude (the highest level) earthquake. Political systems are polarized. Economies are shaky. Technological change—AI, automation, digital surveillance—is rewriting the rules of work and even democracy.
And through it all, power is shifiing, flowing, concentrating, and sometimes exploding in unexpected ways.
You Are Already in The Power Mesh
The Power Mesh is the arena where leaders AND followers—whether in government, business, or civil society—forge the future. It’s not a neatly ordered place. It’s emotional. It’s messy. It’s full of moral tension and different assumptions about the world.
And YOU are also in the Power Mesh—whether you realize it or not.
Power is an energy—a relationship—between leaders and led. When institutions break down, this relationship becomes even more important—and it can be dangerous.
You can’t afford to check out as either a leader or follower.
Why Subscribe to The Power Mesh?
If the daily headlines feel like noise or chaos, this series will help you understand the deeper power forces at play—and how they affect your life. I’ll help you…
Become savvier about the emotional and non-rational side of power—including the temptations to the dark side that lurk wherever power is being used. As a leader, you’ll learn how to use these temptations as opportunities for personal and leadership growth and to shape your legacy. As a follower, you’ll have more tools to help select, support, and stand up to leaders.
Connect the dots. You’ll understand how politics, work, culture, technology, and even personal choices are tied together through power dynamics we ofien overlook.
Show up with more purpose and courage. Whether you’re an elected or appointed leader, a voter, employee, or entrepreneur, you’ll get tips for knowing your power and using it wisely.
Reclaim your agency. The Power Mesh is a place where your actions matter. You’re not just watching history happen—you’re part of shaping it.
What to Expect
In this article series, I’ll offer a new lens for understanding and using power. And because all of us are in the Power Mesh, this series is for everyone — no matter your party, your age, your education, your job, where you live, what you do — whether you are a formal leader or not. My comments will reflect my decades of experience helping leaders and led to navigate transformation, pressure, and crisis.
You’ll get:
Insights for thinking more clearly about power and recognizing its light and dark sides—and the emotions that shape power relationships.
Real stories that reveal the rational and the non-rational dynamics in the mesh of leaders and followers.
A deeper conversation about how to live well in this mesh of relationships, institutions, and change.
Tips and tools for thriving in the Power Mesh so your actions there help you develop yourself, do the right thing in the moment, and take a path you will be proud of when you look back on your life and legacy.
You’ll also hear stories from my over half-century working alongside public leaders, corporate executives, and everyday citizens and workers in institutions around the world. You’ll get insights and tips that help you see more clearly—and act more wisely.
Youʼre Already in the Power Mesh
The question is: What are you doing with YOUR power?
Subscribe to The Power Mesh for:
A deeper lens on today’s chaos
Ideas that connect the dots across politics, business, and culture
Practical guidance for showing up with purpose and courage
A space where your voice and influence matter
“As we begin, I’d love to hear from you: what concerns you most about how leaders and followers are using power today? Or, what are you seeing that you like in your business or government leaders?”
I’ll be here weekly drawing on my over 50 years of work in business and government institutions globally, as well as my continuing research into leadership and personal empowerment. Let’s create a new view of what it means — psychologically and practically — to be a leader or follower in The Power Mesh. I hope to support you as you participate in and shape your legacy in the Power Mesh arena that defines our times and is shaping our and our children’s’ future.
