Authority

#Beingaleader means you have authority. You have it. You can use it. You can delegate it. Authority is defined as having the power to make decisions for or on behalf of others. This is not necessarily the same thing as being the boss. Title has little to do with true authority. Yes, they might be able to bark orders and even demand obedience but their authority is illegitimate. True authority is when others willingly follow the decisions that you make.

By virtue of your leadership you have authority. Leadership means a relationship of leader and followers. It is a relationship between the trusting and the trusted. As the leader, you must make yourself the trusted. To properly use your authority for good, those following you must trust you, your judgment, and your decision making experience. Without that trust, people will be tentative. They want a track record of success and one where you have shown that you have their best interests at heart. Trust like that breeds loyalty to your authority.

You can use your authority for good and use it not for good. Authority used for good is when you make decisions that benefit others and not just yourself. It’s when you make decisions that grow the team, give them what they need, or simply to safeguard them in certain situations. Using authority in a bad way is more about selfishness or with the intent to harm others. This is abusive and, likely, short-lived authority.

You can only delegate what you have. Delegation of authority in the right way is the best kind of authority usage. It broadens the impact beyond just what you are able to do and it trains others to be successful in using authority as well. It really is an expansion of your authority to give it away to others.

#Beingaleader means you have authority. Be worthy of it.