Why IPS Officers Misread Power: They Use Swords In Delhi's Game of Diplomacy

The recent candid admission by a senior retired IPS officer—a former Delhi Police Commissioner—about his failure to understand Delhi's power dynamics in a recent interview to a digital news outlet offers a sobering glimpse into a systemic blind spot that haunts India's premier police service. His regretful acknowledgement that this miscalculation "cost him" reveals a harsh truth: even the most accomplished officers can spectacularly misread the very power structures they believe they command.

The Invincibility Trap: When Power Becomes Poison

Power, as noted American psychologist Dacher Keltner warns, is intoxicating—and toxic. It floods the brain with confidence while simultaneously blinding it to danger. IPS officers ascending the hierarchy often develop what researchers call the "power paradox": the very traits that help them gain power—empathy, social awareness, restraint—begin to erode once they possess it.

The neuroscience is stark: powerful individuals show increased risk-taking behaviour, reduced threat awareness, and diminished ability to read others' emotions.

The Control Illusion: Masters of Nothing

The second delusion is perhaps more dangerous: overestimating control. Senior IPS officers often believe their rank translates to omnipotence over outcomes and people. Psychologist Adam Galinsky's research reveals that powerful individuals suffer from heightened "illusion of control" bias—they systematically underestimate external factors while overestimating their influence.

In Delhi's bureaucratic ecosystem, this is particularly lethal. Officers mistake their ability to issue orders for actual control over complex political machinery. They fail to grasp that Delhi operates on a intricate web of relationships, informal networks, and unwritten rules that no uniform can command.

The Persuasion Mirage: Compliance vs. Conviction

The third misconception strikes at the heart of leadership: confusing forced compliance with genuine influence. Powerful IPS officers develop what we might call "persuasion delusion"—believing their authority naturally translates to persuasive ability. Research shows that as power increases, accuracy in reading social and political cues actually decreases.

Lessons from America's Darkest Hour: The McNamara Warning

Robert McNamara's catastrophic tenure as US Defense Secretary during Vietnam offers a chilling parallel. Here was a man at the pinnacle of American power—brilliant, analytical, supremely confident. He believed his statistical models and systematic approach gave him mastery over military outcomes. He dismissed field commanders' warnings, ignored cultural complexities, and reduced a multifaceted conflict to spreadsheet entries. The result? America's most devastating military failure. James C. Scott's seminal work "Seeing Like a State" dissects McNamara's mindset—what he terms "high modernist" bureaucratic overconfidence.

Delhi's Unique Power Ecosystem: Beyond the Obvious Players

Delhi's power dynamics defy simple hierarchical understanding. It's not just about the flashy political fixers or media-savvy bureaucrats making headlines. The real power often lies with a synthesized system where power flows in multiple directions simultaneously, creating a complex field that cannot be controlled, only navigated with wisdom and humility. For IPS officers navigating Delhi's corridors, the lesson is clear: true power lies not in commanding but in understanding, not in controlling but in collaborating.

The retired Commissioner's honest reflection should serve as a wake-up call for the entire service. In Delhi's power game, humility isn't weakness—it's strategic intelligence IPS officers who actually make a difference are those who understand that in the capital's corridors, everyone is playing chess while thinking others are playing checkers.