High Impact Leadership – Authority and Power

Over the last two sessions, we have been writing about Formal Leadership. If you have missed the first two articles, contact info@hpisolutions.com and request the series. In this edition, Founder and CEO, Jerry Houston discusses the idea of authority and power in leadership. We hope you enjoy this week’s Power Idea.

AUTHORITY AND POWER

Have you ever observed two individuals of equal position, rank and authority in an organization? One seems to accomplish everything successfully and with ease, while the other seems to always be “under the gun,” having a crisis and a difficult time. You are viewing the difference between a true, high impact leader and a person who perhaps has a leadership title. The true, high impact leaders in any organization are easy to recognize. They’re the ones who always seem to accomplish more than the masses and with apparent ease. The key is the leader’s ability to get others to accomplish more than they ever thought they could. In the words of Dwight D. Eisenhower, “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.” An ineffective leader is one who makes a simple task look difficult. This phenomenon occurs at all levels in an organization.

To understand what is happening in the previous examples, we need to examine two terms, authority and power, and use these two concepts to develop a more effective leadership style.

The terms authority and power have been used interchangeably over the years. An arbitrary but clear distinction between the two will increase your insight and supply you with information that will help you to develop your ability as a leader.

Power may be defined as the ability or capacity to act in ways which influence the behavior of others. It is a personal talent which can be developed. It is part of the potential we all possess. It is yours to discover and use to reach worthwhile goals. In Eisenhower’s definition of leadership, he was describing a person who developed this quality. It is simply the ability to get others to do things. It has little or nothing to do with title, rank, or authority.

Authority may be defined as a contractual right granted to us by an organization for the position we hold. It is the right to settle disputes, to control operations, to make and implement decisions, and to administer or manage. It is entirely possible to possess a great deal of power, while not possessing any authority. Conversely, it is also possible to have authority, but not power.

Power is a measure of the personal effectiveness you develop in the everyday use of authority. Power is granted to you by those over whom you have influence. You earn power. Power places few limits on your available lines of action and implies a flexibility of behavior suitable to a variety of situations. Authority, on the other hand, defines limits and actions which you have the contractual right to take or to use. It is granted to you by the organization as part of the attempt to control and manage. An individual who abuses authority, diminishes his or her personal power and, ultimately the ability to influence and lead others. Power comes from a climate of trust and mutual respect.

Next week we will talk about the different types of leaders that exist. The Enhancer, Diminisher and Neutralizer. Which one do you think you are? Tune in next week.