Dr Solomon Kpandei (Ph.D.)

Across many societies, respect for authority is seen as a virtue deeply rooted in culture. From childhood, people are taught to defer to elders, community heads, and those in power. This reflects in the workplace, democratic/governance institutions, and social and religious associations. With all the positives associated, much emphasis on it leads to a high-power-distance culture.

In high power distance cultures, hierarchy is not just a system; it is a way of life. People often equate questioning authority with disrespect. As a result, honest feedback is suppressed, innovation slows, and institutions lose accountability. Decisions rest with a few individuals at the top, while those below, despite their knowledge and competence, remain silent.

In 1999, a Korean Air Boeing 747 cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Stansted Airport, north of London. Investigations by British authorities revealed that the captain, facing a malfunctioning cockpit indicator, rebuked his first officer, who had been correctly relaying information to air traffic control, instead of accepting his ideas.

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A similar tragedy tied to a culture of deference occurred in 1997, when another Korean Air Boeing 747 descended too early on approach and crashed into a hillside near Guam, killing 223 of the 254 people on board. Reports showed that the captain ignored repeated warnings from his junior pilot that the aircraft was flying dangerously low.

These are examples of how high power distance can affect decision-making in workplaces and cause huge losses that affect the general society.

What is power distance?

Power distance is a dimension of culture that describes how nations or clusters of culture view the issue of inequality of power distribution within an organisation, group, or society. Communities and individuals with high power distance do not see anything wrong with the inequality of power; they consider the differences between superiors and subordinates as natural and believe superiors are deserving of such special privileges. This goes in sharp contrast to the beliefs and practices in communities with low power distance cultures, where there is low tolerance for such distinctions. Followers from low-distance power cultures have a preference for a participative style of leadership and would insist on being part of the decision-making process.

High power distance is quite evident in many cultures in Africa. In the family and social settings in Nigeria, children are expected to defer to their parents’ opinion regardless of the situation; challenging a parent or an elder is considered disrespectful. In the workplace, supervisors and managers consider themselves to be entitled to more privileges, and subordinates willingly defer to the opinions of supervisors even when the subordinate has superior arguments. Anything short of that is considered to be insubordination or disloyalty and may carry consequences. In the political sphere, demand for accountability from political officeholders or government appointees may be labelled as demarketing the country or state. These are manifestations of high power distance with a negative impact on organisations and the development of society.

Here are some other negative impacts of high power distance on organisations: When communication is stifled, organisations quietly begin to decline. Employees who fear speaking up withhold ideas and ignore problems, allowing errors to grow and innovation to stall. A culture where disagreement is mistaken for disrespect breeds anxiety and passive obedience instead of critical thinking. Collaboration suffers as rigid hierarchies push teams into silos, slowing decisions and limiting learning. Over time, disengagement rises; people who feel unheard or undervalued withdraw their energy and commitment. With little accountability, power can be misused, and merit gives way to loyalty. In fast-changing environments, such structures struggle to adapt, leaving organisations vulnerable and unprepared for the future.

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Here are two quick solutions.

Unearth and review the value system of your organisation and community. The predisposition of a culture to power distance may be tied to the value system, which in many cases is embedded in religious and philosophical roots. Other factors predisposing cultures to power distance are the role of democratic principles of government and the role of the middle class.

Activate the principles of servant leadership and build it into the appraisal system: Servant leadership remains one of the most powerful approaches to leading people. Popularised by Robert Greenleaf, it challenges leaders to ask, “How can I serve the people I lead?” Servant leaders put followers first, empower them, and help them develop their full personal capacities. They are ethical and lead in ways that serve the greater good of the organisation, community, and society. Servant leadership calls on leaders to listen deeply, show empathy, and invest in the growth of their teams.

Servant leaders prioritise people – building talent, nurturing potential, and acting with integrity. The idea is simple: when individuals thrive, organisations and communities thrive.

Dr Solomon Kpandei (Ph.D.) is a strategic leadership expert, global consultant, human resource strategist and author. His work focuses on leadership development, strategic foresight, and organisational culture and systems. You can follow me @solomonkpandei.