Research Deep Dive Day 6: Which Kind of Power Do You Want?

Research Deep Dive - Day 6 of The Quiet Power Playbook

The Quiet Power Playbook: For kind leaders who want promotions, not politics

By Martin Schweinsberg, Ph.D. | kindandquiet.com

The Cortisol Paradox: Why Middle Management Might Be Less Stressful Than You Think

Sherman et al. (2012)¹ measured cortisol levels (the stress hormone) in leaders versus non-leaders. The surprising finding: leaders had significantly lower baseline cortisol levels than non-leaders.

But here's what we might miss: This benefit appears "near the top" positions, where you might gain:

• Control over your schedule and priorities
• A capable team handling operational details
• Resources to delegate stressful tasks
• Relationship-building opportunities that buffer stress

The study measured both salivary cortisol and self-reported anxiety in government and military leaders. Those with higher leadership responsibilities showed not just lower stress hormones, but also reported feeling less anxious overall.

Key Finding: The sweet spot for stress reduction might be senior management roles with significant autonomy but not ultimate responsibility.

The Presidential Aging Effect: Visual Evidence of Power's Toll

German photographer Herlinde Koelbl documented something remarkable in her 20-year project "Traces of Power" (Spuren der Macht)². She photographed the same politicians year after year, capturing the physical transformation of holding office.

Her photos of Angela Merkel for example show dramatic changes:

• Deep facial lines appearing within 2-3 years of chancellorship
• Graying hair accelerating beyond normal aging
• Postural changes suggesting chronic tension
• Eye strain and fatigue becoming permanent features

This is clearly observational, rather than controlled research. However, this provides visual evidence for accelerated aging from chronic stress exposure.

Koelbl's subjects themselves acknowledged how they had to adjust. Former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder noted: "The office changes you in ways you cannot imagine until you're in it."

The Mortality Data: Heads of State Die 4.4 Years Earlier

Olenski, Abola, and Jena (2015)³ conducted an interesting study of what it means to be at the top. They compared elected leaders with runners-up in national elections across 17 countries.

Methodology:

• Tracked politicians who won a national election (and then had to lead their country) with their opponents who lost the election (and then didn't have to lead a country)
• 'Controlled' for baseline health (both were healthy enough to campaign, presumably winners were not mostly elected for their better health, even if this sometimes might play a role)
• Adjusted for country, year of election, and life expectancy trends
• Excluded assassinations and accidents

Results:

• Heads of government lived 4.4 years less than runners-up
• The effect was consistent across different political systems
• The mortality gap widened for those serving multiple terms

Mechanism: Researchers hypothesize the effect comes from:

• Chronic activation of stress response systems
• Sleep deprivation (average 4-5 hours for heads of state)
• Constant threat assessment and hypervigilance
• Limited personal time for health maintenance
• Exposure to criticism and public scrutiny

For a fascinating related study on CEO health, see here⁴.

References

💡 Can’t access these papers? Here’s how to get them legally (often free), and here’s why it costs $40 in the first place.

1. Sherman, G. D., Lee, J. J., Cuddy, A. J. C., Renshon, J., Oveis, C., Gross, J. J., & Lerner, J. S. (2012). Leadership is associated with lower levels of stress. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109(44), 17903–17907. DOI link
2. Koelbl, H., et al. (2010). Spuren der Macht: Die Verwandlung des Menschen durch das Amt, eine Langzeitstudie. Knesebeck.
3. Olenski, A. R., Abola, M. V., & Jena, A. B. (2015). Do heads of government age more quickly? Observational study comparing mortality between elected leaders and runners-up in national elections of 17 countries. BMJ, 351, h6424. DOI link
4. Borgschulte, M., Guenzel, M., Liu, C., & Malmendier, U. (2025). CEO Stress, Aging, and Death. Forthcoming in the Journal of Finance.

The Quiet Power Playbook: For kind leaders who want promotions, not politics

More at kindandquiet.com

Martin Schweinsberg, Ph.D. (ESMT Berlin)

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