Aesthetics of Power: Why Teaching About Power Is Easier Than Learning for Power, and What Business Schools Could Do About It

Abstract

Power in business schools is ubiquitous. We develop individuals for powerful positions. Yet, the way we deal with power is limited by our utilitarian focus, avoiding its visceral nature. In relation to this we address two questions business schools don’t ask: “What is the experiential nature of power? How are we teaching power?” We use experiential, aesthetic developments on power in the social sciences to critique the rational-utilitarian stance on power found in business schools, drawing on the work of Dewey and French philosopher Levinas to treat power as a lived phenomenon. We overview and critique approaches to teaching power in business curricula informed by our own research on Executive MBA students learning through choral conducting. Taking an appreciative-positive stance, this research showed students developing new, nonrational, nonutilitarian understandings of power. They developed nuanced learning on the feeling, relationality, and responsibility of exercising power. Coming out of this we argue for more experiential and reflexive learning methods to be applied to the phenomena of power. Finally, we shine a reflexive light on ourselves and our ”power to profess,” suggesting ways we can change our own practice to better prepare our students for the power they wield.