Karkera's Law

 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗶𝘁.

A few days ago, I came across Miles’ Law:

“Where you stand depends on where you sit.”

Coined by Rufus Miles, a U.S. federal administrator, it captures a simple but uncomfortable truth. Our role or position often shapes our perspective more than we realise.

We see it everywhere:

• 𝗜𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀:

People switch parties and suddenly reverse positions they once defended passionately.

• 𝗜𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁:

The employee who complains about “unrealistic targets” often starts defending them the moment they become the manager.

But Miles’ Law only explains perspective.

There is another layer to it. One that I’d describe through what I call 𝗞𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝗮’𝘀 𝗟𝗮𝘄:

“𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗶𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗼 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴.”

Your credibility, authority, and legitimacy are rarely independent of your position. More often than not, they come from it.

For example:

• 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘁:

Moving from the Global South to the West makes you an “immigrant”; the reverse often makes you an “expat.” Same movement. Different seat. Different standing.

• 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘁:

An idea from a junior analyst is “noise.” The same idea from the CEO becomes “vision.”

• 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘁:

When a tech giant bends regulations, it is called “disruption.” When a small business does it, it becomes “non-compliance.”

• 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟱:𝟯𝟬 𝗣𝗠 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘁:

We have all heard of the well-known banking CEO who proudly spoke about leaving the office by 5:30 PM. Yet for thousands of employees beneath him, leaving before 8 PM was culturally unacceptable. Work-life balance, in that case, was a privilege attached to the seat.

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗲.

𝗜𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁.

How have you seen “the seat” change the way an idea, behaviour, or lifestyle is perceived?

#MilesLaw #KarkerasLaw #Leadership #PowerDynamics #Management #WorkplaceCulture #OrganizationalBehaviour #Credibility #Influence #CorporateLife