POWER

The craze for POWER is perhaps at the center of Machiavellian activities espoused by ruthless leaders in general and politicians in particular. However real power is all about commanding respect and not demanding obedience, as is commonly understood by those, who are power hungry. One automatically gets POWER when one takes on Personal Ownership With Empowered Rights 

In the first place any with who has the power takes on command and responsibility. There can never be any power without responsibility. In taking ownership of not just the activities but the team and the output of the team a person gains the respect and the support of all those whom he/ she interacts with. Consequentially people follow orders, take on challenges and place their implicit trust in the leader for they also know that the leader will stand by them and give them the freedom to operate. By and large they are also sure that the person having power will also give credit where it is due, correct and rectify mistakes and if need be punish mistakes and penalize the guilty. 

No one can just usurp power and think they are in charge. Real power comes from being empowered with rights by those who anoint a person with power. Empowerment emphasizes legitimizing the role, action and consequences of those who are given the power. Both success and failure will then be the full responsibility of those assuming power. E.g. In a coalition government the party who heads the coalition takes on ownership of the actions of the coalition partners and is also empowered to act on behalf of the coalition. In most dictatorships the problem starts with those usurping power holding on to Personal agendas and worse still, lacking the empowerment required from the majority who are under their power.

To differentiate between real power and usurped power do this litmus test – check if POWER means 

Pulverize Opposition Withhold Every Right or it reflects Personal Ownership With Empowered Rights

 Action Points:

1. Look back at those who were your class monitors/ leaders in school and college. Were they elected or chosen by a fair process. Did they use their power judiciously? How could they have done a better job?
2. List out 5 leaders whom you have come across in your life whom you respect very much. Ensure that at least one politician and one industrialist figures in that list. Enumerate those qualities or action demonstrated by them that endear them to you as a leader. Do you think you can emulate them?

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Powering your Spirit to ACT Now.

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