As a country, do we choose power over or power with?

As we near the election, Brené Brown’s recent conversation with Kamala Harris on Courageous Leadership and Winning in 2024 has us thinking deeply about power in leadership. At Inclusion Geeks, we often discuss the impact of power over vs. power with and power to, and this conversation felt especially timely.

Around the 35-minute mark, Kamala shares an important reminder that “the true measure of a leader is not who you beat down but who you lift up.” It aligns with what we emphasize at Inclusion Geeks: effective leadership isn’t rooted in dominance but in shared growth and compassion. Brené also highlights that power over comes with a willingness to exercise cruelty, creating trauma and numbing our response to further trauma. We see this type of leadership displayed starkly in our current election cycle, with a clear contrast between Trump’s approach to power and Harris’s.

We have a choice in how we approach leadership. Do we want leaders—whether in the workplace or our highest offices—who lean into power with, uplifting others, or those who rely on power over, maintaining control by creating fear??

We hope the answer is obvious.