Power is beautiful, really? This cannot be.

William Gaddis says, ‘‘Power doesn’t corrupt people, people corrupt power.”

Power is a beautiful word. There are also beauty and design in the essence of power. This might sound weird, but it is true. If we truly take a step back and appreciate its dynamics, we will come to be inspired. Power is either a topic we love or hate. This love-hate relationship depends on our experiences with it from a very young age. If we had good examples, we are not afraid of the topic. If we had horrible examples, we avoid it at all costs.

Meet Lebogang. Growing up, her parents made sure to train her to think about the consequences of her actions. They had healthy boundaries but, never forced their decisions on her. Now, at age 27, she is the founder of a health food start-up. This came after the completion of her degree in science. One of the core desires for her, is to have a company where every team member will use their ability to make decisions for the benefit of the triangle (myself, team and customer). If the majority of the decisions sway too much to one side, it is not a good decision.

Not all stories end like this one, but they can. If we only take time to think about this topic and start to align our actions, words and behaviors with a healthy view of this topic.

Here are a few things that will be affected by our definition and use of power.

1. We can use words that lift others up or we can talk down on others to make ourselves feel more powerful.

2. Strategy Development. We can include others or just inform them. The one allows others to think for themselves, the other is driven by a task-master attitude.

3. Seeing others succeed. If we want to see others succeed, we will serve them with our power. If we do not want this, we will use all means to keep them on the ground.

What might be affected by your use of power? Is it healthy or unhealthy? Think about it, even if it is difficult, because this will affect your legacy as a leader.

Order the new book “Presence – An Essential Leadership Challenge” to dive deeper into the topic and design your way forward.

Register for the Virtual Book Launch on 17 August at 17:30 SAST.