The true power of the leader is to govern oneself and raise others
Exercising power virtuously means making the organisation smarter than the sum of its parts
Before becoming synonymous with authority or dominion over others, the term power indicated something different: the ability to make an action possible, to make something happen. Its ancient root suggests a vision of power closer to the idea of leadership that does not impose, but enables.
This substantial difference begs the question: when do we actually exercise power? The answer might surprise us: whenever we generate an impact on the growth of others or our own. In this perspective, power is not a privilege of a few, but a widespread responsibility. Today, however, the word 'power' often conjures up an opposite image: control, distance, impediment to action and sometimes fear. Yet power, in itself, is neither good nor bad. It is a means. And, like any means, it requires discernment. The real issue is not possessing it, but how one uses it.
Power can become a device for prevarication, or a lever that facilitates. In the latter case, it creates spaces for expression, encourages opinions, allows talents to emerge. If we wanted to measure the power of a leader, we should not ask how much he or she controls or inhibits action, but how much he or she enables others to act.
The ancient Greek philosophers maintained that wisdom was necessary for the proper use of power. They called this virtue enkráteia: self-mastery. It was decisive because it prevented one from becoming a slave to emotions and impulses. The Stoics also saw power as an inner exercise: 'Do not trust reputation or position. True power is in your ability to judge what you control'. For contemporary leaders, the lesson is clear: it is power over oneself that distinguishes the free man, today as then.
Hence the need to question three 'modern myths' of power that continue to condition organisations. First myth: power is in the role. The role does not guarantee the ability to influence nor does it ensure authority. Real power dwells where there is recognised competence and trust earned in the field. As a management pill shared in Ferrari reminds us, power arises from relationships: he who connects information and mobilises energy around an idea has power.
