by Stephen T. Messenger
April 28, 2026
We all want to be in the in-group, the one where people are “in the know” and making decisions as a small team. They’re the powerful or popular crowd who have influence regardless of position or status.
Many organizations, consciously or unconsciously, have a group of leaders who are in the inner circle. They are the ones running the show and making decisions. If we’re in, we have this internal knowledge of what’s going on. If we’re out, we simply hope to be in someday.
It’s human nature to want to be in these exclusive groups, but it’s also one of the most dangerous motivations in life. Instead of chasing the inner ring, we should do good work for the sake of the work itself.
Ironically, when we relinquish the desire to move into the circle of influence and instead work with diligence, teamwork, and ethics, we often find ourselves inside it.
The General Who Was Shunned
C.S. Lewis lectured on the concept of the Inner Ring about this concept at King’s College at the University of London in 1944. He began with a story from Tolstoy’s War and Peace:
“When Boris entered the room, Prince Andrey was listening to an old general, wearing his decorations, who was reporting something to Prince Andrey, with an expression of soldierly servility on his purple face. “Alright. Please wait!” he said to the general, speaking in Russian with the French accent, which he used when he spoke with contempt. The moment he noticed Boris he stopped listening to the general who trotted imploringly after him and begged to be heard, while Prince Andrey turned to Boris with a cheerful smile and a nod of the head. Boris now clearly understood — what he had already guessed that side by side with the system of discipline and subordination which were laid down in the Army Regulations, there existed a different and a more real system — the system which compelled a tightly laced general with a purple face to wait respectfully for his turn while a mere captain like Prince Andrey chatted with a mere second lieutenant like Boris, Boris decided at once that he would be guided not by the official system but by this other unwritten system.”
Both Boris and the general understood what many of us realize, that rank does not necessarily mean influence. Just because we’re in a position of importance does not mean that we’re the influencers behind the scenes. The general in this story instantly recognized this. Moreover, Boris understood the power of the inner ring, and he refused to be constrained by traditional hierarchy.
C.S. Lewis understood the dangers of the inner ring, having served in the British military in World Wars I and II along with working at Cambridge University. He saw organizational dynamics firsthand and knew the pull of power.
The Dangers of the Inner Ring
While the story from War and Peace makes us consider how much influence we have in the world and how to obtain it, C.S. Lewis goes on to paint a dangerous picture of chasing the ring. We’ve seen it in our lives: people who seek power and influence at all costs find that it is an expensive endeavor.
To gain access to the inner circle, many people compromise their values. However, once they find themselves on the inside, they see only another level of inner influence to which they don’t belong. The cycle repeats, and we again seek what we don’t have.
This is also called the “Arrival Fallacy,” a term developed by psychologist Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar. He described how, when we achieve a milestone in our lives such as a promotion or award, we expect to find happiness. But instead, the joy quickly fades, and we feel no more satisfaction than before. In the Tolstoy story, the general “arrived” at his rank, but still feels like he’s on the outside.
The inner ring is like this. No matter how much influence we gain, we’re still on a treadmill seeking more power. The cultural and organizational pressure to get into the innermost circle still pushes us to strive for more. Our motivation is extrinsic, based on worldly expectations rather than our personal desires and goals.
C.S. Lewis made it very clear in his lecture that if our goal is to get into the inner ring, we’ll never arrive, and we may lose ourselves trying.
So, What’s a Motivated Person to Do?
We can’t control whether we arrive in the inner circle or not, but there are a few things we can do as motivated people trying to do our best for the good of the group.
First, we need to focus on the journey and not on the destination. The inner circle looks amazing from the outside; however, on the inside, it is only another ring to chase. In the meantime, we have our own duties and responsibilities that we must live up to. When we take care of the basics of our jobs, everything else usually falls into place.
Second, we need process-oriented goals. These are ambitions that aren’t just good on the resume, but are personally fulfilling and important to us. If we’re seeking influence for the sake of influence, we’re deceiving ourselves into thinking this will bring fulfillment. What brings us true satisfaction is work that is worthy and important.
Finally, we should seek genuine friendships and not status-driven alliances. Inner rings are composed of people of influence and power. Perhaps they’re our friend group of like-minded, ambitious people. Or perhaps we could find other relationships that increase our morale and bring joy to our day. Consider this example between the “climber” and the “craftsman.”
There are two leaders in the same department. The first is focused on impressing senior management. He spends his time trying to get an invite to the executive lunch table, often neglecting his team in the process. The second leader doesn’t have any interest in the executive table and instead focuses her time and energy on being proficient in her job and supporting her people. When an issue comes up, senior management doesn’t turn to the person sitting at their table, but to the one who has a proven track record of reliability, success, and favorable ratings from her people. By focusing on the work, she was invited to the inner ring not because she wanted it, but because senior management knew she was critical to organizational success.
By focusing less on building power and alliances and more on personal fulfillment, job satisfaction, and true friendships, we can turn a power-seeking journey into a lifelong commitment to success and benefit the team in the process
Knowing Our Inner Ring
C.S. Lewis noted the irony that the ones who stopped chasing influence were the ones who ended up being respected in their organizations. In fact, the less selfish ambition they pursued, the more they gained influence.
Perhaps more importantly, these people who cared about organizational success over personal drive created freedom in their lives. It shifted the focus to a point where happiness was not dependent on promotions, pay raises, power, or influence. Instead, they found satisfaction based on a job well done rather than status or position.
This is critical, as we cannot always control whether we get promoted or make more money. What we can control is how we treat other people every day and how we work together to get the job done. It’s true, the inner ring is a seductive opportunity. Which is why we need to have a foundation of working hard to gain collective success, regardless of who gets the credit. This goal, rather than seeking the inner ring, is one within our control and offers lasting satisfaction over seeking personal glory.
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