The Power to Care for Oneself: Power Increases Self‐Compassion

Sense of power and self‐compassion both impact important intrapsychic and interpersonal outcomes. However, how powerholders treat themselves when experiencing failure or personal setbacks is unclear. We propose that powerholders are more apt than their lower‐power counterparts to exhibit self‐compassion when faced with difficulties. Across six main studies (and four supplemental studies) using experimental, correlational and real‐world designs ( N total = 3325), converging support was found for a positive link between power and self‐compassion. This held for experimentally‐induced, self‐ and peer‐reported and structural power, and for direct and indirect self‐compassion measures. Further, as power means reduced dependence and increased security, we theorized and found that power enhances authenticity, which explained powerholders’ greater self‐compassion. These findings advance theory in suggesting that power is linked to adaptively dealing with personal adversities, carry implications for organizational politics and HR practices and suggest that self‐compassion interventions for low‐power individuals may be useful.