The power is within you…
Leaders have the power to create a better world. Have you ever reflected upon what that really means?
This month as I #pauseforreflection, I’m reflecting on the use of power amongst the so-called leaders of the world. I’m exploring the notion of power and how that translates when one is appointed a leader. As Martin Luther King Jr. so eloquently said, power is simply “the ability to achieve purpose” and he insisted that it be used towards the growth of love and justice. He went on to say that power “is the strength required to bring about social, political or economic changes.” What true power is not about is having power ‘over’ others.
I watched the movie “River” while on a short break at the beach recently. It’s a movie with awe-inspiring and very moving visuals on rivers, the wilderness around the world and people going about their daily lives. It is narrated while the Australian Chamber Orchestra is playing in the background. I was both elated and saddened by the visuals and what I learned about how ‘man’ had used and abused the river systems of the world to not only sustain but also to profit. Environmental degradation and harm … A stark reminder that leadership and power ‘over’ anything or anyone never ends well. It does not endure.
A true and grounded leader is one that has a special power within, to enable others and understand what it is to maintain the dignity of all those with whom they live, work and play. To maintain the integrity and honour the land and space in which they work. It takes a big person, a special person and indeed a wise person to be truly powerful. One that recognises that leadership is both sacred and a privilege. The ego-trip that comes with having power over others, ambition, a grand title, social status etc is secondary to the responsibilities that come with leadership and the ability to empower and enable those around you to thrive.
When someone steps into leadership, they are entrusted with guiding others, bringing their people along the journey, ensuring they flourish and connect with the purpose of what they are working towards...that feeling of belonging. It also means showing vulnerability at appropriate times and dealing with scarcity as it arises. As Richard Rohr so wisely puts it “When we haven’t experienced or don’t trust our…power within, we are either afraid of power or we exert too much of it over others.”
Brene Brown says “Today, we are surrounded by examples of so-called “leadership” that create division and hurt, and use cruelty and chaos to distract us from a real lack of courage, discipline, and accountability. This approach of power-over leadership is destabilizing and exhausting.”
Burnout, detachment, and mistrust are the fruits of leadership that is transactional, reactive, ego-driven or insufficiently compassionate. When leaders lose sight of the ‘human’ behind the work, focused more on ambition and the power that leadership brings, workplaces become brutal, inhumane, rife with burnout, devoid of creativity and engagement. Sound familiar? That power does real and often long-term harm.
We truly need a mindset shift! We need to challenge and change what we believe. Any organisation – including the one you work in- will value from a mindset shift. A recent McKinsey study reveals that shifting mindsets and focusing on behaviours is more powerful than reviewing processes, procedures and structures.
Ask yourself – How do I use my power? - can I use my power to contribute and challenge the conversation in order to enable effective and enduring change?
You were made for these times.
As ever, the challenge - To truly understand that what we give out eventually comes back to us.
Until next time….Keep Shining,
Trish x
Coaching can help you become a better leader – it creates space for you to reflect and consider your behaviours, your environment, your values and your objectives. It can help to ground you and live and work more competently and with more intention, kindness and compassion. I help leverage your skills and attributes and challenge your mindset - enabling you to become the very best version of you!
WORK WITH ME – Executive and Career Coach-Mentoring (or perhaps engage me to run a Yoga Class for you/your friends/colleagues).
Contact me today - trish@wisdominone.com.au or call (61) 411 626 549
I am the Principal of Wisdom in One. I have been working with and Coach-Mentoring Leaders for over 25 years. At Wisdom in One, our commitment is to a practical and holistic approach to achieving life balance for the mind, body, heart and soul; ensuring we take care of ourselves, each other and the world in order to create a better future for our children.
I not only believe but know that LEADERSHIP IS A RESPONSIBILITY AND IT IS SACRED.
By looking at and developing awareness about how we live, lead and work, we can create a powerful sense of 'knowing' and consciousness about what impact we have on our own lives, our health, others around us and our environment. By tapping into this wisdom, we can grow, change and live a fuller, richer life and make positive and enlightened contributions. Leaders have real-time impact on a community’s stability, sustainability and collective wellbeing. Therefore Leaders have a responsibility to their own wellbeing.
The challenge - To truly understand that what we give out eventually comes back to us.
visit my website: www.wisdominone.com.au
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https://www.wisdominone.com.au/blogs
Nov 2025