419: The Great Man, Hidden Hands and Buried Code - What Ancient Rome Teaches Us About Power

What do you do when you feel powerless inside a system? In this episode, Zoë Routh returns for a new season of The Future of Leadership with a big question: how can we exercise power and influence when the systems around us seem bigger than we are? Drawing on ancient Rome, organisational leadership and her own fascination with power, Zoë introduces three lenses for understanding how power operates: the Great Man, the Hidden Hands and the Buried Code. This conversation is for leaders navigating: -power imbalances inside organisations -systems that feel difficult or impossible to change -leadership cultures built around powerful personalities -hidden influence and informal networks -policies and practices that reinforce existing power -the risks and responsibilities of speaking up -how to create change when you are not the person at the top Zoë explores how systems are built to contain power, and what happens when those systems gradually begin to shift. Using Julius Caesar, Mark Antony and the festival of Lupercalia as a case study, she examines how charisma, loyalty, influence, money and deeply embedded cultural beliefs can shape political and organisational systems. She also introduces the idea of the Buried Code: the values, assumptions and beliefs sitting beneath a system that determine what people accept, resist or protect. From ancient Rome to modern workplaces, Zoë asks leaders to look beyond the visible person in charge and examine the structures, policies, relationships and stories that allow power to operate. The episode also explores quiet resistance, whistleblower protections and the personal risks involved in challenging a system when something is not right. Plus, Zoë shares updates from Planet Zoë, including her return from Canada, the launch of her new author bookstore, rewrites of Composure, Moments and Loyalty, and the completion of her 400-plus-page historical novel, The Pearl and the Dagger. If you have ever wondered how to influence a system without wearing the crown, this episode offers a framework for seeing power differently. Key Moments: 00:00 Welcome to the show 00:38 Passion, Power, Politics & the season’s big question 01:04 Planet Zoë: life, travel & personal updates 03:07 Book updates & The Pearl and the Dagger 05:55 Power inside systems 08:23 Three theories of power 11:45 Lupercalia: Mark Antony offers Caesar the crown 15:01 Caesar through the three lenses of power 19:21 The Buried Code & the rise of Augustus 24:50 How small system changes reshape power 26:34 What leaders can examine inside organisations 27:42 Hidden Hands, quiet resistance & the risks of speaking up 29:23 Power Games giveaway & what’s coming next Go Deeper: Explore Zoë’s books: https://zoerouthauthor.com Enter the Power Games giveaway: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FA... Learn more about Power Games: https://zoerouthauthor.com/products/p... #leadership #powerandinfluence #organisationalleadership #leadershippodcast #ancientrome #leadershipsystems #workplaceculture #changemanagement #powerdynamics #futureofleadership