Power

Power is a fundamental aspect of leadership. Collectively, power is the capacity of the group to achieve its goals. Individually, it is the ability of an individual or part of the group to control or influence others — to guide decisions, shape actions, and affect outcomes. Leaders have a great deal of power, but never all the power, and it is a tool they must wield with care, but also not hesitate to use. Power comes from many sources: personal conviction and strength of character, positional or cultural authority, control of resources, expertise, relationships, rules. Used wisely, power can inspire, mobilize, and create lasting change. It enables leaders to act decisively and lead others toward shared goals.

But power is also delicate — it can be swiftly gained, and just as swiftly lost. Its presence can be commanding, but its hold is never guaranteed. Joan of Arc offers a striking example: a young woman who rose from obscurity to command armies and shape the fate of nations. Her power, fierce and luminous, burned like a meteor across the night sky — brilliant, brief, and ultimately consumed. Her story reminds us how fast power can shift, and how dangerous it becomes when threatened by fear, envy, or misunderstanding.

Power, after all, is not static. It exists only in relation to others, shaped by trust, perception, and shared belief. Some profound thinkers, like Mary Parker Follett, have argued that ‘power over’ is a false power, and that leaders should aim for ‘power with.’ Others, most famously Machiavelli, have made the contrary case: that ‘power with’ is a trap for the unwary, and that it is safer for leaders to control rather than collaborate.

But all thinkers agree that power, as vital as it is, is also dangerous. Misused or unbalanced, it can turn corrosive — distorting judgment, silencing dissent, and eroding the relationships and trust that sustain healthy groups. Even well-meaning leaders may find themselves clinging to power rather than serving with it.

The task of leadership is not to avoid power, but to use it responsibly. As Hannah Arendt observed, “Power corresponds to the human ability not just to act but to act in concert.” The best leaders exercise power with restraint, humility, and a clear sense of purpose. They know when to act, when to listen, and when to step back.

Ultimately, power reveals the heart of leadership — not in how much control one holds, but in how wisely and ethically it is used.